Forestry Business Transition Voucher Program

Deadline: 31-May-23

The Forestry Business Transition Voucher program offers up to $25,000 to access to tailored support through business services to equip affected businesses with a better understanding of their business capabilities, options and strategies for transition.

The Forestry Business Transition Voucher program is part of the Victorian Government’s Victorian Forestry Plan to assist in retaining industry and community capability and jobs.

Objectives

The program aims to assist eligible businesses directly impacted by the Victorian Forestry Plan with the help they need to plan for their future.
It offers access to tailored support through professional business services to help affected businesses to better understand their capabilities, options, and strategies for transition.

Funding Information

Under voucher-type programs, funding is paid to the Registered Service Provider once the Services have been provided to the satisfaction of the Participant and the Department.
Round 2 vouchers for the Forestry Business Transition Voucher program are capped at a maximum value of $25,000 (exclusive of GST).

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the FBTV-2 program, Participants must be businesses that, at the date that a voucher application is submitted, either:
- hold a current VicForests Timber Sale Agreement; or
- hold a current Forest Produce Licence issued by VicForests; or
- are a timber harvest and/or haulage business with a current agreement to provide those services to VicForests; or
- are a harvest and/or haulage sub-contracting business providing those services to a harvest and/or haulage business with a current agreement with VicForests, with at least 70 per cent of its annual financial year 2020-21 revenue derived from VicForests contracted businesses
- are a seed collector providing seed collection services to VicForests with at least 70 per cent of its annual financial year 2020-21 revenue derived from services provided to VicForests.
In addition, businesses must also meet all the following criteria to be eligible for assistance under the FBTV-2 program:
- hold a current Australian Business Number (ABN);
- conduct business operations within Victoria; and
- meet all industrial relations obligations as an employer in accordance with the National Employment Standards under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth).