VIC Regional Events Fund – Round 6

  • Regional Event Acquisition (Stream 1):
    • No maximum grant funding
  • Event Growth and Development (Stream 2):
    • Funding up to $500,000 is available.
  • Event Industry Support (Stream 3):
    • Funding up to $50,000 is available
  • Stream 2 and 3 R6 applications close March 23rd, 2026
  • Stream 1 R6 applications ongoing, EOI must be submitted first, then successful applicants are invited to apply for funding.

The Regional Events Fund (REF) is a grant to attract, develop and support events held in regional Victoria that deliver measurable economic and tourism benefits. The program aims to build a sustainable calendar of events that drive visitation from outside the host region, extend visitor length of stay, generate local employment, and strengthen Victoria’s reputation as a leading events destination.

The REF operates across three funding streams: Regional Event Acquisition, Event Growth and Development, and Event Industry Support, enabling support for events at different stages of maturity and scale.

Priority is given to events that can demonstrate economic impact, attract intrastate and interstate visitors, align with state and regional tourism brands, and deliver strong community benefits. Consideration is also given to sustainability practices, showcasing Victorian First Nations culture, rebuilding tourism in disaster‑impacted regions, and supporting local supply chains.

Key Requirements

  • Economic impact and visitation growth Events must demonstrate the capacity to drive new expenditure in regional Victoria by attracting visitors from outside the local area and extending length of stay. Priority is given to multi‑day events and those with clear attendance and expenditure projections.
  • Regional and community benefit Events should deliver tangible benefits to host communities, including local employment, use of regional supply chains, and opportunities for community engagement and participation.
  • Alignment with tourism and government priorities Funded events are expected to align with Victorian and regional tourism brand attributes, broader government priorities, and, where relevant, showcase First Nations culture, diversity, inclusion and sustainability.

Key Requirements – by Funding Stream

Stream 1: Regional Event Acquisition (REA) stream

The Regional Event Acquisition (REA) stream supports the attraction and delivery of major one‑off or ongoing events to regional Victoria. This stream focuses on events of national or international significance that are exclusive to Victoria and capable of generating large‑scale visitation and state‑wide profile for host regions.

Applications to the REA stream are invitation‑based and require early consultation with Visit Victoria prior to submission.

Stream 2: Event Growth and Development (EGD) stream

The Event Growth and Development (EGD) stream supports medium to large‑scale regional events that can demonstrate a proven or emerging ability to deliver economic impact and visitation growth in regional Victoria. This stream is designed to help events expand their reach, innovate their delivery, and increase their contribution to regional visitor economies.

The EGD stream prioritises events aligned with state and regional tourism strategies, capable of delivering strong community benefits, and positioned to maximise visitation outside peak holiday periods.

Stream 3: Event Industry Support (EIS) stream

The Event Industry Support (EIS) stream provides targeted funding for smaller regional events that deliver strong community and visitation benefits and demonstrate potential to grow their audience base. This stream focuses on improving event capability, marketing reach and operational effectiveness.

Funding is intended to offset marketing costs, particularly to intrastate audiences, and support initiatives that strengthen event delivery and sustainability.

 

What is eligible for funding?

Regional Event Acquisition (Stream 1):

  • Event acquisition and hosting costs
  • Marketing and promotion of the event
  • Event delivery activities

Event Growth and Development (Stream 2)

  • Event development and delivery
  • Marketing to intrastate audiences
  • Feasibility planning and innovation initiatives

Event Industry Support (Stream 3):

  • Event marketing activities
  • Capability‑building initiatives
  • Operational and resource support

Note: Operational support is capped at 50% and event resources at 25% of the total funding request for Streams 2 and 3.

What companies are eligible for funding?

Eligible applicants include:

  • Private sector organisations (where a clear public benefit is demonstrated)
  • Victorian Local Government Authorities
  • Regional Tourism Boards (RTBs) and Visitor Economy Partnerships (VEPs)
  • Not‑for‑profit organisations (incorporated bodies, cooperatives or associations)
  • Joint proponents or consortia (with a nominated lead agency)

Additional considerations:

  • Applicants must hold an ABN
  • Applicants must have minimum $20 million public liability insurance
  • Certain event types are ineligible, including community events, charity fundraisers, agricultural shows, conferences, and events held outside Victoria

Is this grant competitive or entitlement based?

Competitive. Your application will be assessed among other applications by a judging panel.

How can I increase my chances of winning this grant?

By engaging an accredited government grants consultant, such as Avant Group.

Competitive grants often require significant business case development and project analysis to support the application, this may include detailed presentations supporting the project’s merit, projected sales, cost-benefit analysis and more.

As part of your engagement with Avant Group, your account manager will assess the required documents and will provide the following as needed to support your grant submission.

Grant application writeup including a detailed presentation illustrating how the grant funding will contribute to your project, how the funding will contribute to the project’s budget, a project milestone plan, delivery timeline, impact on employment if applicable and a breakdown of the management and leadership team for the project

  • Industry analysis presentation
  • Competitor Analysis Presentation
  • Marketing and Sales Analysis Presentation
  • 3-5 year Cashflow Forecast
  • 3-5 year Balance Sheet Forecast
  • Cost-Benefit Analysis of Grant Funding
  • End-to-end grant application including information collating, analysis and application writing
  • CAPEX (Capital Expenditure) cost-benefit analysis
  • Stakeholder relations and Risk Mitigation Plans
  • Any other relevant forecasting that will support your application

How can I get help with my application? Or know if I’m likely to win funding?

Avant Group offers a no-obligation assessment of your eligibility for funding and will assess your likelihood of a successful grant application.