City of Melbourne refunds of up to 50% of the cost of energy benchmarking (up to $2,500) and energy action planning (up to $7,500) for older office buildings.
Who can apply
Private owners of commercial office buildings in the City of Melbourne (or people authorised to act for them), including companies, trusts, individual owners and owners corporations. Buildings must be over 15 years old, mainly used as offices, and either unrated or rated 4 NABERS stars or less. You need an ABN, 12 months of operation and $20 million public liability cover.
Open rounds
- Retrofit Melbourne Financial Incentive Scheme - 2026-2027 - Activity A (closes 5:00pm 30 June 2027 (AEST))
- Retrofit Melbourne Financial Incentive Scheme - 2026-2027 - Activity B (closes 5:00pm 30 June 2027 (AEST))
We can write this application for you
Tell us about your business and we'll check it against every criterion for Retrofit Melbourne Financial Incentive Scheme 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.
- Trading history: at least 1 year
- Location: your business must be in the City of Melbourne area.
- Industry: aimed at office building owners.
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 Retrofit Melbourne Financial Incentive Scheme 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.
Retrofit Melbourne Financial Incentive Scheme 2026-27: common questions
Who can apply for Retrofit Melbourne Financial Incentive Scheme 2026-27?
Private owners of commercial office buildings in the City of Melbourne (or people authorised to act for them), including companies, trusts, individual owners and owners corporations. Buildings must be over 15 years old, mainly used as offices, and either unrated or rated 4 NABERS stars or less. You need an ABN, 12 months of operation and $20 million public liability cover.
How much is Retrofit Melbourne Financial Incentive Scheme 2026-27 worth?
Up to $2,500 (benchmarking) or $7,500 (action plan)
When does Retrofit Melbourne Financial Incentive Scheme 2026-27 close?
Closes 30 Jun 2027. Late applications are rarely accepted.
Can sole traders apply for Retrofit Melbourne Financial Incentive Scheme 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 Retrofit Melbourne Financial Incentive Scheme 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
- Shopfront Business Grants Program 2026-27 · City of Melbourne · Open until 30 June 2027 or until funding runs out
- Accommodation Provider EV Charger Grant · Murrindindi Shire Council · Open, no fixed closing date
- Launchpad Program · Australian Government · Closes 28 Oct 2026
- Victorian Trees on Farms Program · Victorian Government · Closes 1 Nov 2026
- BushBank Private Landowner Opportunity VIC · Victorian Government · Closes 30 Nov 2026
- SME Industrial Decarbonisation Fund · Australian Government · Closes 31 Dec 2027
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