COVID-19 Business Support

Building on the $250.7 million Circuit Breaker Business Support Package announced Sunday 30 May, a new allocation of up to $209.3 million will flow to small and medium-sized businesses, including sole traders, increasing the total support package to $460 million.

The Business Costs Assistance Program grants for eligible businesses located in metropolitan Melbourne will be doubled from $2500 to $5000. Regional businesses unable to open due to the ongoing restrictions, such as nightclubs and amusement parks, will also be eligible for the extended payment.

Applications for the Business Costs Assistance Program are scheduled to open on Thursday 3 June and will remain open until 11.59pm on Thursday 24 June 2021.

Other initiatives under the Circuit Breaker Business Support Package

Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021 - $70 million

The Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021 supports bars, restaurants, pubs, clubs, hotels, cafes, and reception centres that are registered to serve food and alcohol and have been impacted by recent restrictions in Victoria.

Eligible liquor licensees will receive an invitation from Business Victoria to apply and can receive a grant of $3,500 or $7,000.

Invitations will be sent to the eLicence email registered by the licensee on the Liquor Portal account with the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation. Licensees that do not have a Liquor Portal account can create one now and register an eLicence email.

Applications are open from Thursday 3 June 2021 until 11:59pm Thursday 24 June 2021.

Events Support Program - $20 million

The Events Support Package helps the event industry, including large event operators and suppliers, event promoters, producers and other businesses that deliver live performance events that have had events and work cancelled due to recent restrictions in Victoria.

Further details on this package will be announced soon.

For more information on how to apply, visit Business Victoria or call the Business Victoria hotline on 13 22 15.

For other forms of support available to you and your business, please visit Business Victoria’s COVID-19 business information webpage. The Small Business Digital Adaptation Program and the Partners in Wellbeing helpline are also available to you.

If you require further information on the Business Costs Assistance Program Round Two, please contact Business Victoria or call the hotline on 13 22 15.

The Victorian Government has announced the $32.2 million Regional Tourism Support Package to assist businesses, including accommodation providers, attractions and experiences, as they manage the impact of current restrictions to stop the spread of coronavirus.

The Tourism Business Support Program supports Victoria’s critical tourism sector in three ways:

• $16 million for another 80,000 regional travel vouchers, building on the success of the Regional Travel Voucher Scheme.
• An $11.8 million investment to extend round two of the Business Costs Assistance Program with an additional supplement for tourism businesses. Eligible tourism businesses will receive up to an additional $4500 so that all tourism businesses receive a total grant of $7000 as part of the second round of the Business Costs Assistance Program.
• A $4.4 million Alpine Support Program to support Victoria’s alpine resorts and Dinner Plain, and key businesses in the surrounding towns, as they prepare for the COVIDSafe return of skiers and snowboarders.

For more information on how to apply, visit Business Victoria or call the Business Victoria hotline on 13 22 15.

For other forms of support available to you and your business, please visit Business Victoria’s COVID-19 business information webpage. The Small Business Digital Adaptation Program and the Partners in Wellbeing helpline are also available to you.

The ‘Navigating the Digital Maze’ program will provide tourism businesses across Gippsland with a one-on-one ongoing mentoring service from a digital tourism expert/s.

The aim of the program is to provide Gippsland tourism businesses with increased digital capability and capacity.

The program will cover:

• Social Media
• Website creation, website best practice and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
• Digital platforms for online sales
• Review platforms
• ATDW (Australian Tourism Data Warehouse) listings
• An online health check of your business
• Knowledge of digital trends for tourism

The Small Business Mentoring Service together with Bass Coast Shire Council are delivering one on one mentoring sessions throughout the year. Sessions are 1 hour and are absolutely FREE (valued at $185).

The next one will be help on the 24 June focusing on 'growing your business'.

Sessions can be booked here.

We can also arrange for you to be connected with a mentor via our voucher program if those times and topics don’t meet your needs. These can be held online or in person.

Jobs Victoria is the Victorian Government’s $619.4 million investment to help Victorians get back to work and businesses find the right workers. If you are a Victorian employer, we can offer a range of supports and services.

The Jobs Victoria Fund is providing $250 million in wage subsidies to assist Victorian businesses to employ at least 10,000 people who are looking for work.

The Jobs Victoria Fund will support employers to grow and recover while helping Victorians looking for work into steady jobs. You may be eligible for a subsidy of up to $20,000 to employ people who have been most affected by the economic impacts of the pandemic.

If you are hiring staff, you can register your business on our Jobs Victoria online hub to post jobs and connect with a growing pool of people ready to work for you. This free and easy-use service will offer you a shortlist of local candidates with the skills and experience you need – saving you time and money.

Our Jobs Victoria Advocates team provides face-to-face support to jobseekers in the community and connects them with employment services, skills and training. Jobs Victoria Mentors offer tailored services to jobseekers and engage with employers to link them with the staff they need. Please help us spread the word by forwarding this pack email to your networks.

More information: Jobs Victoria Hotline 1300 208 575 Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm

Recruitment support: jobs.vic.gov.au/findstaff

Jobs Victoria Fund: jobs.vic.gov.au/fund

As part of the Victorian Government’s $26 million Wellbeing and Mental Health Support program for small businesses, the Partners in Wellbeing Helpline offers free and confidential one-on-one access to wellbeing coaches, financial counsellors and business advisors.

The Victorian Government have now launched phase two of the Partners in Wellbeing helpline campaign to assist Victorian businesses and their employees. The 1300 375 330 Helpline is available seven days a week from 9am to 10pm on weekdays and 9am to 5pm on weekends.

The telephone helpline has also been expanded to provide business owners under stress with free access to financial counsellors and business advisors.

This will help small business owners and their employees receive the wellbeing support they need in dealing with the challenges of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The Victorian Government has other programs and resources to support your local business community through the COVID-19 pandemic, which you can find on the Business Victoria website.