Economic Activation and Event Grant Program (Australia)

The City of Stonnington recognises the important role that events, public programming, activations and local businesses have in shaping the unique experiences and character of places, attracting people to commercial precincts and creating a vibrant destination for all.

Program Strategy Objectives

• The Economic Activation and Event Grants program aims to test innovative ideas in public spaces, support local businesses and create unique experiences for locals and visitors alike. The program aims to support the City of Stonnington’s Council Plan and Place-led Economic Development Strategy 2023-27:
  • Identity and Destination: Increase visitation
    • Strengthen Stonnington’s unique identity as a destination of choice, to continue to attract and create advocates of residents, businesses, and visitors.
    • Define, celebrate and promote what their residents and visitors love about their individual neighbourhoods to guide Council programs, activations and capital works.
  • Thriving and Desirable Businesses: Increase economic activity
    • Grow Stonnington’s visitor and local economy across the municipality.
    • Enable swift business activation and growth.
  • Pride of Place and Character: Improve place perceptions
    • Provide safe, inviting, accessible and well-maintained streetscapes, neighbourhoods and public realm, as defined by the community, to promote pride of place and improved health and wellbeing outcomes.

Program Objectives

• The Economic Activation and Event Grants program seeks to fund precinct activation projects that:
  • act as a drawcard to encourage visitation and awareness of the City of Stonnington’s commercial precincts
  • provide direct economic benefit to the local businesses within the precincts
  • are interactive and showcase local stories and culture
  • respond to the specific place
  • add activity and interest to the streetscape and the public realm
  • encourage sustainable practices and active transport usage
  • engage or collaborate with local communities to encourage greater connection to and pride in the precinct
  • support projects that reflect and provide opportunities for the diverse communities of the City of Stonnington’s precincts
  • provide economic benefit to traders within the precinct
  • increase pedestrian foot traffic and dwell time.

Funding Information 

• The Economic Activation and Event Grants program has a pool of $100,000 in 2024-25 and will provide grants of up to $20,000 to support business or community led unique experiences, entertainment, and events to activate commercial precincts in the City of Stonnington.

What will be funded?

• Grants are available to support:
  • businesses or registered not-forprofits that implement free public and accessible event and activation initiatives that will improve public realm experiences and drive visitation to the City of Stonnington.
  • events or activations that are free to the public and accessible to people of all abilities.
  • events or activations that are delivered within the program timeline: November 2024 – mid-June 2025.
  • events or activations that take place across more than one City of Stonnington precinct or area are especially encouraged.
  • events or activations that may be proposed in both indoor and outdoor Council-owned assets, within their commercial precincts.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible for an Economic Activation and Event Grant of up to $20,000, applicants must:
  • be a registered business or be an incorporated association (not including entities funded by the Special Rate Schemes in Stonnington) or not-for-profit (NFP) and have an Australian Business Number (ABN). Note: individuals or community groups that are not incorporated must formally enter an auspice arrangement with a not-for-profit incorporated organisation that has an ABN.
  • provide proof of current Public Liability Insurance of no less than $20 million
  • have no pending acquittals or debts to the City of Stonnington
  • be over the age of 18 years
  • propose a project within at least one precinct within the City of Stonnington
  • make a co-contribution of a minimum of 20% of total project budget to the delivery of the event or activation – either in-kind, financial and/or a mix of both.

Ineligibility Criteria

• Economic Activation and Event Grants will not be awarded to:
  • entities funded by the Special Rate Schemes in Stonnington
  • applications that do not meet the eligibility or assessment criteria
  • political organisations or businesses that have a political purpose
  • government departments or agencies, foundations or grant making bodies
  • businesses with a primary focus on fundraising
  • an employee or Elected Member of the City of Stonnington or their immediate family. This does not include an application from an organisation that an employee, Elected Member or their immediate family member may be part of an applicant who has outstanding debts to the City of Stonnington.
  • an applicant who is in legal conflict with the City of Stonnington
  • an applicant who has failed to provide satisfactory acquittal reporting for any previous City of Stonnington funding
  • an applicant who has already received City of Stonnington funding (including in-kind) for the same project within the same financial year
  • an applicant who has already applied for City of Stonnington funding (including inkind) for the same project within the same financial year and been refused
  • an applicant who conducts themselves in a way that the City of Stonnington considers to be injurious or prejudicial to the character or interests of the municipality.

For more information, visit City of Stonnington.