Are you eligible for any Covid-19 Business Support Grants?

Due to the ongoing Stage 4 restrictions having an enormous impact across the state on business operations, a number of grants and support measures have now been made available by local and state government. We have summarised the assistance below, and encourage our clients to apply where they are eligible, or contact our office on 03 9212 8400 or tax@hgfin.com.au if you’d like us to apply on your behalf or discuss in more detail.

Business Support Fund – Round 3

Eligibility Criteria

• hold an Australian Business Number (ABN), registered as one of the eligible Industry codes affected by the shutdowns on this document. Note: Applicants must ensure that their ABN registration information is up-to-date with the Australian Business Register (ABR) at the time of application; and
• operate a business located within Victoria; and
• be registered for Goods and Services Tax (GST); and
• participate in the Commonwealth Government’s JobKeeper Payment scheme; and
• employ people and be registered for Workcover Insurance with WorkSafe Victoria; and
• have had an annual payroll of less than $10 million in 2019-20; and

Eligible businesses with payrolls of up to $10 million will receive a grant of:

• $10,000 if its annual payroll is less than $650,000
• $15,000 if its annual 2019-20 payroll is between $650,000 and less than $3 million
• $20,000 if its annual 2019-20 payroll is between $3 million and up to $10 million.

Applications are now open and close on 23 November 2020, or when the funds have been fully allocated. Read more or apply here.

Sole Trader Support Fund

• Eligibility Criteria
  • be a non-employing business operating in Victoria; and
  • operate from a commercial premises or location; and
  • hold a valid ABN; and
  • be a current participant in the Commonwealth Government’s JobKeeper payment scheme; and
  • operate in an industry sector that has been heavily restricted or closed as a result of continued restrictions; and
  • have not received a Business Support Fund grant.

         More details to be announced.

•  Eligible sole traders will receive a grant of $3,000.
•  Applications open soon. Read more or apply here.

Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund

• Eligibility Criteria
  • Operate a licensed pub, club, hotel, bar, restaurant or reception centre under a general, full club or on-premises liquor licence issued by the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation, and
  • Have premises that serve patrons and holds a Class 2 or 3 Service Sector – Certificate of Registration under the Food Act 1984 (Vic) issued by a local council; and
  • A valid ABN or equivalent will need to be provided for the premises, as well as liquor licence and food Certificate of Registration.

• Eligible hospitality businesses will receive grants of up to $30,000 based on the location of their premises and maximum patron capacity. Refer to the link below for more details.
• Applications open soon. Read more or apply here.

Knox Council Business Support Grants

• Knox City Council is providing a range of Support Grants to support businesses most impacted by COVID-19 to innovate, and adapt to new ways of doing business.
• Manufacturing and Supply Chain Transition Grant - This grant will support existing manufacturing businesses in Knox to transition their manufacturing capabilities to respond to medical, health and other supply chain needs that have arisen due to COVID-19.
• Creative and Cultural Sector Grant - Two streams will be available through this grant to support the creative and cultural sectors in Knox.
  • Stream 1 - Creative Industry Facilitation Grant
  • Stream 2 - Placemaking and Liveable Communities Grant

• Applications are now open and close 28 September 2020. Read more or apply here.
• If your business is not located in the Knox Council area, it may be worth checking your local council for any grants you may be eligible for.

Business Resilience Package – Other measures

The packages announced by the government also provides additional funding, tools and resources to help businesses adapt and prepare for reopening under “COVID Normal” settings. These include the below;

Business Adaptation

• Melbourne City Recovery Fund – Support for the CBD to reopen to ‘COVID normal’ in the lead up to Christmas and during summer. It includes grants for small and medium businesses to pay for equipment, convert spaces (e.g., rooftops, courtyards) into hospitality zones, and remodel internal layouts for a better flow of patrons.
• Outdoor Eating and Entertainment Package – Funding to support hospitality businesses and councils prepare for COVID normal reopening across Victoria. It includes grants of up to $5,000 for hospitality businesses (e.g., pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes) with an annual payroll of less than $3 million to help adapt to outdoor dining.
• Voucher program to assist sole traders and small businesses in building their digital capability through off-the-shelf digital programs such as Shopify or Square online to help adapt to online operations.
• An assistance package may be available for Victorian exporters to get their products to market by addressing logistics and supply chain issues caused by the pandemic.
• Grants of up to $500,000 per metropolitan and regional council, and $250,000 for rural councils.

Waivers and Deferrals

• Payroll tax deferrals for the full 2020-21 financial year

• Liquor licence fees waived for 2021
• Waiver of Vacant Residential Land Tax for vacancies in 2020.
• Bringing forward the 50% stamp duty reduction for commercial and industrial property for all of regional Victoria to 1 January 2021
• Deferral to the planned increase in the landfill levy for six months
• 25% waiver of the Congestion Levy for this year, with outstanding balance deferred