What is the Small and Medium Events Program?
The Small and Medium Events (SME) Program provides grants to event organisers to assist with the costs associated with planning and running events in Greater Melbourne. The program will support creative, cultural and community sporting events.
Further information on the program objectives and outcomes can be found in section 1 of the program guidelines.
What are the key dates for this program?
The key dates for the Small and Medium Events Program are:
Applications open: 10am on Tuesday 31 January 2023
Applications close: 4pm on Tuesday 28 February 2023
Recipients notified: Mid-May 2023
Event delivery window: Between 1 June 2023 and 31 December 2023
Refer to section 2 of the program guidelines for further details on program dates.
How much funding is available under this program?
The program will provide grants between $5,000 and $50,000 (excl. GST), depending on the size of the event.
| 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 |
Refer to section 3 of the program guidelines for further details on funding.
Do event organisers need to contribute to the total event costs?
Event organisers need to match the grant amount received with a co-contribution from other income source/es on a 1:1 ratio.
If you have been successful in receiving any other Victorian Government funding for your event in 2023, then you are ineligible for further funding under the SME Program.
Refer to section 3 of the program guidelines for further details around funding.
Can another government grant be used as part of a co-contribution?
If you have been successful in receiving any other Victorian Government funding for your event in 2023, you are ineligible for further funding under the SME Program.
All income that does not come from the Victorian Government can be counted towards the applicant co-contribution; this includes but is not limited to, Federal or Local Government funding, ticket sales and sponsorship revenue.
Refer to section 3 of the program guidelines for further details around funding.
What type of organisations are eligible to receive funding?
To be eligible to apply for SME funding, event organisers must meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the program guidelines.
The event organiser must:
- be the event organiser with the right to hold, collect the proceeds from ticket sales, and/or re-schedule the event that is the subject of the application
- hold an active Australian Business Number (ABN) registered in Victoria and have held that ABN on and from 1 July 2022
- agree to participate in future evaluation of the program.
Refer to section 4 of the program guidelines for further details on eligibility criteria.
What events are eligible/ineligible under the program?
To be eligible to apply for SME funding, events must meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the program guidelines.
In summary, the event:
- must be a publicly accessible creative, cultural or community sport event
- demonstrate that the event is of economic, social and community value to the local area or to Victoria
- must be held in one (or more) of 31 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Greater Melbourne.
A non-exhaustive list of activities that are ineligible under the SME Program are listed in the program guidelines. Refer to section 4 of the program guidelines for further details on event eligibility.
Why aren’t events in the City of Melbourne or regional Victoria eligible to participate in the program?
The Victorian Government has supported the staging of events in regional Victoria and the City of Melbourne through other funding programs and funds.
If you do not meet the eligibility criteria for the SME Program, you may be eligible for other event support programs. Visit Business Victoria website's grants and programs section for more information.
I am the organiser of a business event. Am I eligible to apply?
Business events are not eligible to apply for funding through the program.
Other support programs for business events are available – visit the grants and programs section of the Business Victoria website or the National Business Events Program.
Refer to section 4 of the program guidelines for further details on event eligibility.
Are auspice organisations eligible to apply?
Auspice organisations are not eligible to receive funding from the SME Program. Applicants must be the organisation that is responsible for the delivery of the event and the funding agreement will be issued directly to the organisation that is successful in receiving the grant.
Refer to section 4 of the program guidelines for further details on eligibility criteria.
What are eligible/ineligible activities and expenses?
Grant funding delivered through the SME Program will support some expenditure for your event, it will not cover all event costs. The Department makes the final decision on what is eligible/ineligible expenditure.
Refer to section 4 of the program guidelines for further details on eligible/ineligible expenditure.
How do I apply for the SME Program?
- Carefully read SME program guidelines.
- Compile all necessary supporting documents.
- Submit application online via the program page.
Refer to section 6 of the program guidelines for further details on the application process.
How will my application be assessed?
Eligible applications will be assessed against four key criteria:
- the significance of the event to the LGA, greater Melbourne and/or Victoria
- the economic, social and community impact proportionate to event size
- the capability of the applicant organisation to run the event
- how SME Program funding would improve the outcomes of the event
Refer to section 5 of the program guidelines for further details on the assessment process.
Why did I get approved for a different amount to what I requested?
Decisions around the provision of grants including funding amounts, are at the discretion of the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events and therefore may differ from requested amounts.
Refer to section 5 of the program guidelines for further details on the Assessment Criteria.
What if I need to make changes to the event after I’ve received a grant?
If any changes need to be made to the style, date, or location of an event which has successfully received a grant under this program, the Department must be advised in writing promptly via email: smeprogram@ecodev.vic.gov.au.
Any amendments to the event details will be considered on a case-by-case basis and in such event the event cannot proceed, the Department may require the refund of the whole or part of the Grant as deemed appropriate.