Shopfront Business Grants Program 2026-27
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.
- Program
- Shopfront Business Grants Program 2026-27
- Provider
- City of Melbourne
- Level
- Local council
- Type
- Grant or funding
- Amount
- Up to $20,000 (excluding GST)
- Closing date
- Open until 30 June 2027 or until funding runs out
- Region
- City of Melbourne
- Industries
- Retail & local shops, Hospitality & tourism, Arts, music & creative
- Last checked
- 22 Oct 2026
We can apply for this 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, prepare the attachments and lodge it with your written authority where the funder allows. You approve it and sign the declarations. 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?
Often, yes. Many funders let an authorised contact or adviser prepare and lodge an application for a business, but the business is the applicant and must sign the declarations. We prepare the whole application and lodge it with your written authority where the funder allows. Where it doesn't, you submit the finished application yourself.
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: a success fee as a percentage of the grant, or a flat win-only fee (founding price from A$99) where the grant's rules don't allow percentage fees.
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