Deadline: 16-May-22
The Buloke Shire Council is pleased to launch an open call for the Tourism Business Innovation Grants to encourage and support tourism business pilots within the Buloke Shire.
Buloke Shire Council in partnership with the Victorian Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions will this year be supporting new and innovative tourism business ideas in Buloke.
The Tourism Business Innovation Grants fund aims to maximise benefits from increased tourism, through the provision of seed funding to new and innovative tourism business ideas in Buloke.
Strategies
Applicants must be able to demonstrate how their business idea aligns to all key Buloke Shire strategies:
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Activities must align with key strategies in Buloke Shire Interim Economic Development and Tourism Strategy 2022-2024:
- Theme 1: COVID Recovery – “Positioning Buloke for Domestic Visitor Experiences”
- Theme 4: Targeted industries investment – “Tourism Attractions and Responsive Town Businesses”, and “Enhance agribusiness diversification and value-adding”
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Activities must align with priorities identified in Silo Art Gap Analysis for Buloke:
- Improved visitor servicing (improved and consistent offering, innovative offerings)
- Adding value to the existing Silo Art Trail through innovative activation of current tourism product, or development of new tourism product
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Activities which will increase visitor expenditure by 2023-24 through:
- Attracting new target markets to the region, in line with Council’s tourism target markets, or
- Extending overnight stay within the region through traditional target markets
Funding Information
Businesses, individuals and organisations are invited to apply for funding up to $30,000 to establish their new business, idea or venture within Buloke.
Types of Projects
Examples of types of projects which may be funded:
- Activities/ideas that are unique to Buloke such as star gazing, astronomy,
- Innovative and new ‘destination’ accommodation offerings which showcase and celebrate the region, or
- Tourism product offering such as hot air ballooning, joy flights, tours, night art, paddock to plate experiences,
- Traditional owner experiences, cultural partnerships to deliver educational experiences on Country and cultural arts trails,
- Experiences which encourage improved visitor dispersal throughout Buloke townships, or partner with neighboring regions to develop trails such as culinary trails, arts trails and nature–based trails,
- Development of a new annual ‘destination’ tourism event which will attract significant numbers to the region and encourage repeat visitation,
- Activities which add value to the existing supply chain such as microbreweries or distilleries, or other experiences which develop new products and experiences derived from primary production in Buloke
Eligibility Criteria
- Only one application per individual or organisation
- Applicants must submit a business plan with their application
- All funds must be expended in accordance with the funding agreement
- Applications will be accepted from community groups, if they are an Incorporated Association, or are under the auspices of a business or Incorporated Association
- Successful applicants will be required to submit a funding acquittal by the end of the funding period
- A full project budget must be submitted with the application which details all expenditure and income items
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All organisations must submit one of the following to receive payment:
- Organisations with an Australian Business Number (ABN) registered for GST – A tax invoice, inclusive of GST stating the organisation’s ABN
- Organisations with an Australian Business Number (ABN) not registered for GST – An invoice stating the organisation’s ABN
- Organisations without an Australian Business Number (ABN) – An invoice for the Grant amount and a completed Statement by Supplier form.
For more information, visit Buloke Shire Council.
For more information, visit https://www.buloke.vic.gov.au/tourism-business-innovation-grants