What Small Businesses are eligible?
To be eligible to apply, applicants must:
- Be a small business operating in Latrobe City within the tourism sector*
- Employs 20 or less full-time equivalent employees**, or has an aggregated turnover of less than $1 million
- Have a valid Australian Business Number (ABN)
- Be an Australian registered business, sole trader, company, business cooperative or partnership, provide documented evidence of its legal structure, and be willing to accept legal and financial responsibility for the investment.
- Be able to provide evidence of appropriate business insurances.
- Submit professional quote(s) for the activity.
- Be able to provide evidence that you have appropriate approval from Council departments for this activity (where required).
- Be free of debt to Latrobe City Council and have no outstanding acquittals from previous Latrobe City Council grant applications; and
- Be based within the municipality of Latrobe City or provide services or benefits primarily to the Latrobe City Community.
* Tourism businesses are defined as belonging to industries where tourists account for a significant proportion of the goods and services consumed
If you answered no to any of the above criteria, you are ineligible to receive funding. However please contact our Community Sponsorship and Grants Officer to discuss.
Co-contributions
Small businesses must contribute 50% of total project cost.
In-kind contributions of up to 50% of the applicant’s total contribution.
Example
Frank is a sole trader and runs Frank’s Café & Restaurant.
He wants to make his business step-free so everyone can get in and move around easily. It’s good for business and the right thing to do. Installing a ramp with handrails, removing concrete steps and installing a wider door has an estimated cost of $20,000.
Frank can apply for up to $10,000 through the Universal Tourism Grant (50% of the cost) and would have to contribute $10,000 from other sources. Frank has the option of nominating 50% of his contribution as an in-kind contribution (being $5,000).
| Universal Tourism Grant (UTG) | $ 10,000 |
| Small Business Co-Contribution | $ 5,000 |
| Small Business In-Kind Contribution | $ 5,000 |
| Project Cost | $20,000 |
Summary for Small Businesses
| Description | Financial assistance to tourism providers wishing to provide accessibility improvements for visitors. |
| Maximum Grant Amount | $25,000 ($27,000 inc. GST) |
| Project Examples |
See more project examples in the guidelines: |
| Co-Contribution Requirements for Small Business |
50% of total project cost In-kind contributions of up to 50% of the applicant’s total contribution are permitted. |
| Key Dates |
Opening Date: August 11, 2025 Closing Date: 21 September 2025 (6 weeks from opening date) Assessments: October 2025 Notifications: October/November 2025 |
| Council webpage for grant | The Universal Tourism Grant (UTG) |
| Reporting Requirements | Signed acquittal, a summary of income and expenditure, including copies of invoices and photos of completed project. |
| Application Process | Apply Now |