Small Business Grants Program 2025

Fill Out
Now
This is a preview of the Small Business Grants 2025 | Application Form form. When you’re ready to apply, click Fill Out Now to begin.
 

Important information about applying for a Small Business Grant

Please read the following before proceeding with your application

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Small Business Grants Program (the Program) supports the establishment of new businesses and expansion of existing businesses within the City of Melbourne.

Successful applicants funded through this Program will fuel economic growth through job creation, bringing new solutions and ways of doing business into the city.

The Program aligns to our Economic Development Strategy 2031 ensuring Melbourne is one of the easiest places to start and grow a business and encourage innovation and start-up creation.

**Please ensure that you have read the guidelines before starting your application. Applicants must meet ALL eligibility criteria to apply for this grant.

NOTE: for the purpose of this Program, a ‘small business’ is defined as an organisation which employs less than 20 full-time or equivalent employees.

FUNDING STREAMS

For this grant round applicants choose ONE of following four streams, with up to $25,000 (excl GST) per applicant available for each:

  • Open: for any small business operating within the municipality that meets the eligibility criteria and program objectives.
  • Social enterprise: For this program, a social enterprise is defined as a business that derives most of their income from trade and uses profits to contribute to their social mission. Within this definition, types of applicants may be a certified B Corporation or a for-profit business that meets the Social Traders definition of a social enterprise.
  • Circular economy:  for a small business that delivers circular outcomes or will implement circular economy solutions to generate circular outcomes. These are products, services or initiatives that avoid, reduce, or design out waste.
  • Shopfront occupancy: for a small business that occupies a ground floor, street-facing commercial shopfront within the municipality that has been vacant for more than four months and meets all other eligibility criteria and program objectives.
    • Shopfront Occupancy - Key Occupancy Focus Area: An additional $5,000 is available for applicants who occupy a vacant shopfront in one of CoMs key occupancy focus areas - Docklands and the eastern and western fringes of the Central Business district. See this map for more detail and the geographical footprint of these focus areas.

Your small business must be within the City of Melbourne Municipality

You can check our geographic footprint in our interactive map. It encompasses Docklands, East Melbourne, Fishermans Bend, Jolimont, Kensington, North Melbourne, Melbournes central business district, Parkville, South Wharf, West Melbourne and areas of Carlton, Carlton North, Flemington, Port Melbourne, South Yarra and Southbank.

*Our municipality does not cover the Melbourne metropolitan area.

Have a question or need more information?

There are a range of support available to your business before applying for this grant, including:

Have a question about this grant opportunity?

Want to talk to someone about your business before applying for this grant?

Our Business Concierge Service is a team of officers can provide support and advice about starting and growing your business.

Request an appointment by:

  • Filling out the online form
  • Calling 9658 9658 (press 1 for business)