If you help run a business association or work in economic development at a Victorian council, there is a new state government grant worth knowing about. The Shop Local Business Fund offers $5,000 grants to help business associations and local councils run activities that support small business, from shop local campaigns to training workshops. This guide explains what it is, who can apply, what the money can be used for, and how to put together a strong application before the 30 September 2026 deadline.
It is worth being upfront about who this grant is for: it does not pay individual small businesses directly. It funds the organisations, business associations and local councils, that support small businesses collectively. If you are an individual business owner, the practical benefit is indirect: your local business association or council could use this funding to run an event, campaign or training session that helps your business and others in your area.
What is the Shop Local Business Fund?
The Shop Local Business Fund is a Victorian Government grant program funded through the 2026-27 Victorian Budget, administered by the Minister for Small and Family Business. It provides $5,000 grants to eligible business associations and local councils across Victoria to run activities that support small business growth and community trade.
The program sits within Victoria’s broader small business support agenda, and reflects a common approach in grant funding: rather than giving money directly to thousands of individual small businesses, the government funds the organisations that are positioned to support many businesses at once through a single project or campaign.
How much funding is available?
Each successful applicant can receive one grant of $5,000. The official program page does not state how many grants are available in total or what the overall program pool is, so we cannot tell you exactly how many organisations across Victoria will be funded. What is confirmed is that eligible applicants may apply for one grant of $5,000 under this program, and that applications close earlier than the stated deadline if all funds are allocated first.
That last point matters. Because the total pool size is not published, and the program can close early once funding runs out, this is not a grant to leave until the last minute.
Who qualifies?
To be eligible, an applicant must hold a current Australian Business Number (ABN) and be one of the following:
A business association based in Victoria. This means a not-for-profit member organisation that supports small business, has the core purpose of acting for its members, and is registered with the responsible federal or state regulator. The association can operate only within Victoria, or be the Victorian chapter of a national organisation.
Or a Victorian local government authority, meaning a Victorian council.
If your organisation fits either of these descriptions and holds an ABN, you meet the baseline eligibility criteria stated on the official program page.
Who does NOT qualify?
Based on what is published, individual small businesses cannot apply directly. This grant is designed for the organisations that represent or serve small businesses, not for a single retailer, cafe, tradesperson or service business applying on their own behalf.
Organisations that are not registered with a federal or state regulator, or that do not have supporting small business as their core purpose, would not fit the business association category either. The official page does not publish a specific exclusion list beyond this, so if you are unsure whether your organisation qualifies, the safest step is to check directly against the full program guidelines before applying.
What can the funding be used for?
The official program page sets out a defined list of eligible activities and expenses. Eligible activities include:
Business showcase and promotional events, including local business expos, awards and shop local campaigns.
Website and other digital promotional activities to drive trade and boost activation.
Business knowledge development, including training, short courses, workshops and webinars.
Business continuity development, including strategic planning, and mental health and wellbeing initiatives for business owners.
Professional development of business associations themselves, to better serve their members.
Within those activities, eligible expenses specifically include new resource development, including digital content development costs, and expert trainer or speaker engagement, including in-language services for diverse communities.
The official page does not publish a specific list of ineligible uses, so if your organisation is planning an activity that does not clearly sit within the categories above, it is worth checking directly with the program before applying rather than assuming it will be covered.
One firm requirement applies regardless of activity type: the funded project must be completed by 31 March 2027. When you apply, you will need to provide project dates that fit within that timeframe, so plan your activity with that completion date in mind from the outset.
Key dates
Applications close at 4pm on 30 September 2026, or earlier if all funds are allocated first. The official guidelines are explicit that late applications and draft applications will not be accepted, so there is no grace period once the window closes.
Because the total funding pool is not published, and the program can close before the stated deadline once funds run out, business associations and councils that are considering applying should not wait. Read the guidelines, gather your project details, and submit as early as you reasonably can.
Documents you may need to prepare
The official program page does not publish a specific checklist of required supporting documents. It does, however, set out a clear application process: read the program guidelines and FAQs, click through to the online application form, complete it, and you will receive a confirmation email once submitted.
Given the eligible activities and expenses described above, it is reasonable to expect the application will ask for a clear description of your proposed activity, an outline of who it will benefit (your association’s or council’s small business members or local trading community), a budget showing how the $5,000 would be spent, and confirmation of your ABN and organisational registration. Since this is a general guide rather than the official checklist, treat the program guidelines and FAQ documents on the official page as the authoritative source for exactly what is required before you start your application.
Common mistakes to avoid
Applying without confirming your organisation actually fits the eligibility definition. Because this grant is restricted to business associations and councils rather than individual businesses, it is worth double checking your organisation’s registration and core purpose against the criteria before investing time in an application.
Waiting too long to apply. With no published total pool size, and an early-closure clause built into the guidelines, there is a real risk that funds could be exhausted before the 30 September deadline arrives. Treat this as a first-come, well-prepared-applications program, not a fixed deadline you can approach at your leisure.
Proposing an activity that does not clearly fit one of the eligible activity categories. Vague or generic proposals are less likely to align cleanly with what the program is designed to fund. Match your project description directly to the language used in the eligible activities list.
Missing the completion deadline in your planning. Since funded projects must be completed by 31 March 2027, an activity that realistically cannot be finished by then is not a good fit for this round, regardless of how worthwhile it is.
How competitive is this grant likely to be?
We do not have official figures on how many applications are expected or how many grants will ultimately be awarded, and we are not going to invent a number. What we can say is that the combination of a modest, fixed grant amount ($5,000), a defined but unstated total pool, and an early-closure clause suggests genuine demand is likely, particularly from business associations and councils that regularly run shop local or small business support activity. A clear, well-matched application submitted early gives you the best chance.
What to prepare before you apply
Confirm your organisation’s eligibility first. Check that you are either a registered Victorian business association with the core purpose of supporting small business, or a Victorian council, and that you hold a current ABN.
Choose an activity that clearly matches one of the eligible categories: a shop local campaign, a business expo or awards event, digital promotion, training or workshops, business continuity or wellbeing initiatives, or professional development for your association.
Plan your project timeline so it can realistically be completed by 31 March 2027.
Put together a clear budget for how the $5,000 would be spent, focused on the specific eligible expenses (new resource or digital content development, and expert trainer or speaker engagement).
Apply as early as you can, given the program can close before its stated deadline once funding is allocated.
Related funding options for Victorian businesses and associations
If your organisation does not meet the criteria for the Shop Local Business Fund, or you want to explore other funding avenues at the same time, there are other programs worth considering. Business associations and councils working across regional Victoria may find it useful to look at broader guidance on small business grants in Victoria and how they’re organised by region and industry, while sole traders and very small operators in the state may be better served by information on grants specifically for Victorian sole traders. Melbourne-based associations and councils may also find relevant options in the guide to small business grants available in Melbourne. For a broader national view of how government grant programs for small business are typically structured, see the guide to government grants for small business.
Using the Grants Assist eligibility tool
If you are not sure which grant programs are the best fit for your organisation, Grants Assist’s online eligibility assessment tool is a useful starting point. It walks you through a short series of questions about your organisation to help narrow down realistic options, rather than requiring you to read through dozens of individual grant pages one by one.
The bottom line
The Shop Local Business Fund is a real, currently open Victorian Government grant offering $5,000 to eligible business associations and local councils to run activities that support small business, from shop local campaigns and expos to training and wellbeing initiatives. It closes at 4pm on 30 September 2026, or earlier if funding runs out, and funded projects must be completed by 31 March 2027. It is not open to individual small businesses applying directly, but if your organisation represents or supports small businesses in Victoria, it is worth a close look.
Want to keep exploring your options? Grants Assist’s online portal gives you access to detailed, regularly updated information on grants and assistance programs across Australia. Explore the Grants Assist portal to browse more programs like this one, or call us on 1300-005-999 to speak with one of our advisors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Shop Local Business Fund?
It is a Victorian Government grant program that provides $5,000 grants to eligible business associations and local councils to run activities that support small business, funded through the 2026-27 Victorian Budget.
Can an individual small business apply directly?
No. This grant is only open to Victorian business associations (registered not-for-profit member organisations whose core purpose is supporting small business) and Victorian local government authorities, not to individual businesses.
How much funding is available?
Eligible applicants may apply for one grant of $5,000. The total number of grants available and the overall program pool are not published on the official program page.
When do applications close?
Applications close at 4pm on 30 September 2026, or earlier if all funds are allocated first. Late applications and drafts are not accepted.
What can the funding be used for?
Eligible activities include business showcase and promotional events (such as expos, awards and shop local campaigns), digital promotional activities, business knowledge development through training and workshops, business continuity and wellbeing initiatives, and professional development for business associations.
By when must a funded project be completed?
All funded projects must be completed by 31 March 2027.
