Sustainable Event Business Program

Extra support for Victorian businesses

The Commonwealth and Victorian Governments have announced a new, jointly funded business support package, delivering an additional $400 million in support to thousands of Victorian businesses.

For more information, see Extra support for Victorian businesses.

Program overview

The Sustainable Event Business Program provided grants of up to $250,000 to major event organisers, hosts and suppliers who have had the ongoing viability of their event or business significantly affected as a result of the restrictions that began in late May.

Successful applicants must have most of their operations in Victoria and be of strategic significance to the state’s events sector.

Applicants must have experienced a minimum 50 per cent or more decline in annual turnover in the three months prior to 27 May 2021 compared with the same period in 2019. They will also have had an annual payroll of more than $1.5 million in metropolitan Melbourne or $500,000 in regional Victoria in 2019/20.

Program guidelines

Sustainable Event Business Program Guidelines (PDF 308.01 KB)

Sustainable Event Business Program Guidelines (DOCX 1578.79 KB)

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

For more information please read the Sustainable Event Business Program frequently asked questions (FAQs).

The program is now closed.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible, businesses must:

be an organiser, host of, or supplier to a public event that was scheduled in the four weeks from 11.59pm on Thursday 27 May 2021
have incurred costs or losses for the public event as a direct result of the restrictions, which have significantly affected the ongoing viability of the event or event business
have paid more than $1.5 million annually in payroll for employees in metropolitan Melbourne or more than $500,000 annually in payroll for employees in regional Victoria in 2019-20.
be of strategic significance to the events sector in the region or to Victoria
have a place of business in Victoria from which a significant portion of the business’s operations is delivered for events predominantly held in Victoria
demonstrate an ongoing commitment to maintaining operations and delivering/supplying events in Victoria
be an ongoing concern and viable before Friday 28 May 2021
have seen a 50 per cent or more decline in annual turnover in the three months prior to Friday 28 May 2021 compared with the same period in 2019 as a result of COVID-19 restrictions
have been registered for goods and services tax (GST) on Thursday 27 May 2021
hold an Australian Business Number (ABN) and have held the same ABN at Thursday 27 May 2021
be registered with the responsible Australian or Victorian regulator
be an employing entity registered with WorkSafe Victoria
attest that the business is supporting its workers to access any paid leave entitlements, or that if a person can work from home, to work from home during the restrictions, and supporting their casual workers, where possible.

Grant amount

Eligible businesses may seek funding of up to $250,000.

Applications will be assessed in the order they are received and until program funds are exhausted.

The allocation of funding to businesses will be determined case-by-case through a financial risk assessment and due diligence. Funding amounts will be determined with regard to:

the nature and scale of unrecoverable business expenses related to the May-June 2021 restrictions
the extent to which the funding is needed to support the business’ viability and position it for recovery.

How to apply