Business Bushfire Recovery Grant Program (Australia)

Deadline: 13 November 2025

Applications are now open for the Business Bushfire Recovery Grant Program, which is jointly funded by the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements for the Western Victoria Bushfires which commenced in December 2024.

The assistance will go towards building resilient businesses and supporting business recovery in impacted areas.

Funding Information

The amount available is one $5,000 grant per eligible applicant (as defined by its ABN). The department will not pay GST in addition to the $5,000 grant amount.
The grant is assessable income and taxable. Grants under this program may result in financial, taxation, legal or other implications for the Applicant. Businesses may be able to claim tax deductions for appropriate expenditure funded by the grant. It is strongly recommended applicants seek independent financial advice in regard to these possible impacts.
Approved grant recipients must spend all funding provided under this program by 30 January 2026 on business related activities and retain records of this expenditure until 13 May 2029 in accordance with these guidelines.

Eligible Local Government Areas

This program is for businesses located in the six eligible Local Government areas (LGA) noted below:
- Ararat, Northern Grampians, Southern Grampians and Horsham, affected by the 2024- 25 Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park bushfires
- Hindmarsh, Horsham and West Wimmera, affected the 2025 Little Desert bushfires

Outcomes

The expected primary outcomes of this program are:
- businesses owners have increased capability and capacity to recover and/or restart business operations and meet essential costs
- improved resilience of small businesses
- strengthened local economy.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the grant, the applicant must:
- be an employing business with fewer than 20 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees on payroll and be currently registered with WorkSafe Victoria
- hold an active Australian Business Number (ABN) and have held that ABN on and continuously from 16 December 2023;
- be registered for Goods and Services Tax (GST) and have held GST registration on and continuously from 16 December 2024, the commencement of the impacted period;
- be located in an eligible LGA: Ararat, Hindmarsh, Horsham, Northern Grampians, Southern Grampians and West Wimmera;
- have experienced a decline in ordinary revenue of at least $10,000 over a three consecutive month period as a result of the 2024-25 Western Victoria Bushfires and that decline represents at least 40 per cent of ordinary revenue measured from the benchmark period;
- have been operational immediately before being affected by the 2024-25 Western Victoria Bushfires and be intending to continue operating the small business in an eligible LGA; and
- not be insolvent or have owners/directors that are an undischarged bankrupt.
- Additionally:
  - A not-for-profit organisation must be registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission (ACNC).