What is the Small-Scale and Craft Program Stream Three?
The Small-Scale and Craft Program Stream Three is a program that focus on creating unique visitor or ongoing tourism experiences that involve and are directly linked to multiple small-scale and craft agribusinesses.
Background
The Small-Scale and Craft Program is a four-year program that builds on targeting businesses looking to scale-up operations, diversify product lines, expand exports and create new jobs. It will help achieve our goal of increasing agricultural exports to $20 billion by 2030.
There have been two previous streams under the Small-Scale and Craft Program in 2019-20, Stream One: Small-Scale and Craft Business Development grants and Stream Two: Job Creation and Economic Development grants.
Objectives
Stream Three focuses on creating unique visitor or ongoing tourism experiences that involve and are directly linked to multiple small-scale and craft agribusinesses.
Stream Three aims to:
- Create cohesive visitor experiences that showcase Victoria’s premium smallscale and craft products and has the potential to become an ongoing tourist attraction
- Develop new agri-visitor experiences across Victoria
- Ensure Victoria continues to be a leader in artisanal produce, showcasing the sectors excellence, resilience, sustainability and local job creation
- Create opportunities for communities and visitors to engage with the unique small-scale and craft sector
- Increase understanding of and customer connection with Victoria’s small-scale agribusinesses.
Funding
Stream Three offers grant funding from $25,000 up to $100,000. Recipients are required to make a cash co-contribution of a minimum of 25 per cent of the total cost of the project.
Only one application per project will be accepted.
Projects must benefit multiple small-scale and craft agribusinesses; letters of support from the agribusinesses must be attached to the application.
Eligible Projects
Stream Three will prioritise projects that:
- Benefit multiple small-scale and craft agribusinesses
- Improve the agri-tourism offering of the local region
- Offer ongoing experiences, rather than one off events or one-off experiences.
Grant funding may be used for the following types of projects:
- Visitor experience project planning and/or delivery e.g. development and delivery of food trails.
- Diversification of local agri-tourism offering.
- Project management costs (capped at 10 per cent of total project costs).
- Marketing costs – initial establishment costs for digital marketing, advertising, promotional collateral.
Other eligible expenditure will be accepted on a per case basis. Projects must be completed within 6 months of the executed Grant Agreement. Longer project times can be considered on a case by case basis.
Eligible Applicants
In order to apply, applicants must:
- Have a current Australian Business Number (ABN)
- Be registered as a business in Victoria
- Have a Victorian business address
- Be a legal entity
- Operate a small agribusiness within the small-scale and craft sector i.e. cannot be a subsidiary of a larger firm
- Agree to participate in future program evaluation activities
- Meet all industrial relation obligations as an employer in accordance with the National Employment Standards
- Be able to meet the agreed (minimum 50 percent) private cash/finance contribution
- Attest to having obtained all relevant regulatory permits and approvals for the project to commence (where applicable)
- Provide relevant business information on the project, including costs
Timing
Stream Three Applications close 19 November 2021.
