Program closed
Applications for the Small and Medium Events Program have now closed.
Program overview
The Victorian Government is providing grants to small and medium event organisers across Greater Melbourne to assist with the costs associated with running events.
The $3 million Small and Medium Events Program is designed to attract more visitors to local events, supporting more job opportunities and local businesses.
The program will deliver grants between $5000 and $50,000 (excl. GST) depending on the size of the event and will support a diverse range of activities, helping create ongoing jobs in the industry and connecting organisers with local businesses and suppliers.
Applications have now closed.
Grant applications will now be assessed.
Applicants will be notified of their application outcome in writing in mid-May 2023.
Program guidelines
Small and Medium Events Program Guidelines (PDF 212.62 KB) 
Small and Medium Events Program Guidelines (DOCX 264.02 KB) 
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Event eligibility criteria
To be eligible, applicant organisations must meet the following criteria:
- the event must be a publicly accessible event, open to everyone
- it must be a creative, cultural or community sporting event
- the event must demonstrate it is of significant economic, social or community value to the local area or to Victoria.
The event must:
- be primarily an in–person event with estimated attendees between 1,000 - 10,000 over its full duration
- be held between 1 June 2023 and 31 December 2023
- be held in one (or more) of the following 31 Local Government Areas (LGAs) outside the City of Melbourne:
- Banyule City Council
- Bayside City Council
- Boroondara City Council
- Brimbank City Council
- Cardinia Shire Council
- Casey City Council
- City of Port Phillip
- City of Yarra
- Darebin City Council
- Frankston City Council
- Glen Eira City Council
- Greater Dandenong City Council
- Hobsons Bay City Council
- Hume City Council
- Kingston City Council
- Knox City Council
- Manningham City Council
- Maribyrnong City Council
- Maroondah City Council
- Melton City Council
- Merri-bek City Council
- Mitchell Shire Council
- Monash City Council
- Moonee Valley City Council
- Mornington Peninsula Shire Council
- Nillumbik Shire Council
- Stonnington City Council
- Whitehorse City Council
- Whittlesea City Council
- Wyndham City Council
- Yarra Ranges Shire Council
To see all of the eligibility criteria, please see the program guidelines.
Grant amount
Eligible applicants may seek grant funding of between $5000 and $50,000 (excl. GST), based on the number of estimated event attendees. Attendance numbers should be primarily based on previous event attendance or an evidence-based estimation if the event is new.
Applicants will need to match the funding requested to at least a 1:1 ratio. All income that does not come from the Victorian State Government can be counted towards the applicant contribution, including Federal or Local Government funding, ticket sales and sponsorship revenue.
| Grant tiers | Estimated attendance | Funding amount (excl. GST) |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 – Smaller Events | 1000 – 4999 attendees | Between $5000 and $25,000 |
| Tier 2 – Medium Events | 5000 – 10,000 attendees | Between $25,000 and $50,000 |
Only one grant through the Small and Medium Events Program is available per applicant and per event.
How to apply
Applications have now closed.
As part of the application process, you must certify that your business meets all eligibility criteria and provide any supporting evidence requested. Please visit the program guidelines to understand what documentation and attachments are required.
If any information in your application is false or misleading, you may be asked to repay the grant.
Please read all the information on this page, the program guidelines, and the Small and Medium Events Program frequently asked questions (FAQs) before applying.
Program guidelines
Small and Medium Events Program Guidelines (PDF 212.62 KB)
Small and Medium Events Program Guidelines (DOCX 264.02 KB)