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Get up to $40K to host your business event in regional Victoria

07 February 2025

A new round of the National Business Events Program is now open, offering funding to eligible event organisers to host new business events in regional Victoria. Grants of up to $80 per delegate (up to a maximum of $40,000) are available through the program being delivered by Business Events Victoria in partnership with Melbourne Convention Bureau.

The National Business Events Program is focused on attracting new conferences, trade exhibitions or association meetings, as well as corporate meetings and incentive group events with a business event program to regional Victoria. The funding can be used for accommodation, venue hire, food and beverage, transport and other event costs.

The National Business Events Program is part of the Victorian Government’s $170 million Regional Tourism and Events Fund, which is supporting new events, new attractions and more accommodation for visitors in regional Victoria.

Mandatory eligibility criteria

All submissions to the National Business Event Program – Regional Victoria will be assessed against mandatory criteria. Before submitting your application, please ensure you have reviewed and assessed your event’s eligibility.

  • The event must be a business to business (B2B) A B2B event is defined as ‘A professional gathering where businesses or organisations interact, exchange ideas, build partnerships or conduct transactions’.

To qualify for the National Business Events Program – Regional Victoria, the event must meet one of the following specific B2B criteria:

  • Corporate or Association Meetings, Conferences, Conventions or Trade Exhibitions. These are formal gatherings of business professionals, business leaders, organisational employees or associations within a specific industry sector. Examples include:
  • National Industry Conferences: Events where professionals from sectors such as healthcare, finance, technology or education gather to explore key topics such as emerging trends, regulatory changes, technology innovations, and best practices. For instance, a healthcare conference bringing together hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and suppliers to discuss the latest advancements or new product developments.
  • Sector-Specific Conferences: Conferences that bring together industry professionals together to enhance knowledge and ideas on important industry issues. An example could be an IT conference, which may or may not feature a trade exhibition showcasing products and services relevant to the technology sector.
  • Annual General Meetings (AGMs): Formal gatherings where business leaders, stakeholders and members of an organisation come together to review the organisations past performance, discuss future goals, and address financial matters.
  • Product Launches: Corporate events designed for businesses to introduce new products or key services to key stakeholders, such as partners, clients or industry leaders. These events typically include product demonstrations, networking opportunities, and discussions about potential collaborations or partnerships.
  • Corporate Incentive Events. These are events organised by businesses to reward, motivate or recognise employees, clients or business partners. Examples include:

– A team-building program for a company’s sales division.

– An incentive program to a regional destination for top performing staff or clients.

– Corporate incentive events must include a gala/awards dinner and business events

  • The event must take place at a regional Victorian business event venue or venues (refer to Guidelines for list of eligible Local Government Areas).
  • The event must represent new business for regional Victoria that is not yet confirmed, contracted or advertised for regional Victoria.
  • The event must be attended by at least 25 in-person delegates per day. Virtual participants cannot be included in delegate numbers.
  • The event must have a minimum two-day business event program, with at least one-night stay, and at least 1.5 days meeting/program component, with travel times outside the 1.5 days.
  • The event must generate a minimum of 20 room nights, or at least 40 per cent of total delegates requiring the use of local accommodation, whichever is the greater.
  • Event dates must occur after 1 June 2025 and before 31 March 2026.
  • If funding is granted, the event venue must be secured via deposit payment, and an MCB Event Sponsorship Agreement must be signed within 4 months of being notified.

Applications are now open. Grants are available for a limited time with applications closing on 28 February 2025. The program is competitive with consideration given to supporting a spread of event types, sectors and locations across regional Victoria.

Apply here
RBEP Guidelines 2025-2026 – Rd 2 – 5 Feb – Final
Grants, funding and finance Tourism

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