City of Melbourne grants of up to $20,000 (excluding GST) to help small businesses fit out and open in a vacant shopfront in the municipality.
Who can apply
Small businesses with an ABN and fewer than 20 full-time equivalent staff that have signed a lease on a street-facing shopfront in the City of Melbourne (CBD, Docklands, Southbank, Carlton, North Melbourne, Kensington and nearby suburbs) that was vacant for at least 6 months before the lease. Franchises and subsidiaries of larger companies are excluded. Funding goes to retail, hospitality or creative space fit-outs.
We can write this application for you
Tell us about your business and we'll check it against every criterion for Shopfront Business Grants Program 2026-27. If it's a fit, we write the application, build the budget, and check the attachments. You read it, sign it and submit it yourself. Nothing to pay unless you win.
Eligibility quick-check
- Business structure: the listed criteria don't require a company. You'll usually need an active ABN, and often GST registration.
- Size: fewer than 20 staff
- Location: your business must be in the City of Melbourne area.
- Industry: aimed at retail/hospitality/creative.
A quick guide from our reading of the official criteria, not a decision. The funder's guidelines are what count.
Check if I qualifyHow to apply for Shopfront Business Grants Program 2026-27
- Check every eligibility criterion in the official guidelines, not just the summary. One missed criterion usually means rejection.
- Confirm your ABN details (legal name, entity type, GST status) match the ABN Register exactly. Mismatches are a common reason applications fail.
- Gather evidence: quotes for the project, recent financials, and proof of any co-contribution or lease, depending on what the guidelines ask for.
- Write the answers to each assessment criterion with specific numbers (costs, jobs, sales, timelines), and build the budget in the funder's format.
- Lodge it through the official portal before 30 Jun 2027. Keep a copy of the submitted application and the receipt.
- If you're successful, read the funding agreement before signing, keep every receipt, and diarise the report and acquittal dates.
Shopfront Business Grants Program 2026-27: common questions
Who can apply for Shopfront Business Grants Program 2026-27?
Small businesses with an ABN and fewer than 20 full-time equivalent staff that have signed a lease on a street-facing shopfront in the City of Melbourne (CBD, Docklands, Southbank, Carlton, North Melbourne, Kensington and nearby suburbs) that was vacant for at least 6 months before the lease. Franchises and subsidiaries of larger companies are excluded. Funding goes to retail, hospitality or creative space fit-outs.
How much is Shopfront Business Grants Program 2026-27 worth?
Up to $20,000 (excluding GST)
When does Shopfront Business Grants Program 2026-27 close?
Open until 30 June 2027 or until funding runs out. Late applications are rarely accepted.
Can sole traders apply for Shopfront Business Grants Program 2026-27?
The listed criteria don't require a company, so sole traders may be eligible if they meet everything else (for example ABN, location, trading history and industry). Check the guidelines.
Can someone apply for Shopfront Business Grants Program 2026-27 on my behalf?
Someone else can prepare it, but your business is the applicant: you sign the declarations, and most funders expect you to submit it yourself. We prepare the whole application so it's ready for you to review, sign and submit, usually in about 10 minutes. If a funder's rules expressly allow an agent to lodge, we can do it with your written OK after you've approved the final version.
How much does it cost to get help applying?
Freelance grant writers in Australia typically charge by the hour or a fixed fee per application, whether you win or not. With Vic Grants Weekly, there's nothing to pay unless you win. If you do, the fee is 12% of the grant money you receive, capped at A$3,000 + GST, and due only once the money is in your account. Where a grant's rules don't allow percentage fees, it's a flat win-only fee from A$99.
Related grants
- Retrofit Melbourne Financial Incentive Scheme 2026-27 · City of Melbourne · Closes 30 Jun 2027
- Hume City Shopfront Improvement Grant Program 2026/27 · Hume City Council · Closes 30 Oct 2026
- Love Your West: Night Time Diversification (Quick Response) 2026/27 · Maribyrnong City Council · Closes 12 Nov 2026
- West Wimmera Shopfront Improvement Grant 2026/27 · West Wimmera Shire Council · Closes 30 Jun 2027 or earlier if the yearly budget runs out
- Bayside Business Accessibility Grants 2026-27 · Bayside City Council · Guidelines say open until June 2027 or until funds run out (the application portal shows 6 Jun 2028)
- Regional Events Fund VIC · Victorian Government · Closing date not stated
Guides
- Grant application help: a step-by-step guide
- Help applying for small business grants in Victoria
- Grant writer in Melbourne and Victoria: costs and options
- Grants for sole traders in Victoria