Program overview
The $60 million Small Business Ventilation Program will help eligible public-facing small businesses to improve building ventilation in areas accessible to customers and reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.
Improving ventilation helps reduce the spread of COVID-19 and provides customers with the confidence that businesses are doing everything they can to keep them safe.
Under the program, two types of support will be available:
1. Ventilation Rebate – A $500 rebate for public-facing small businesses to undertake immediate actions such as purchasing equipment or hiring a qualified tradesperson to undertake minor services to improve ventilation in areas accessible to customers.
2. Ventilation Grant – Matched grants of $1000 to $5000 to enable public-facing small businesses who employ staff to invest in larger projects such as building works, engaging professional services or equipment to improve ventilation in areas accessible to customers.
A business can apply for both a Ventilation Rebate and a Ventilation Grant. The submitted applications can request funds for the same ventilation project, however the funds must not be allocated to the same eligible expenditure item.
You should check your eligibility for both before applying.
Ventilation Rebate guidelines
Businesses can apply for a $500 rebate by submitting an application with evidence of eligible expenditure such as receipts and paid invoices. To receive a rebate, purchases of goods and services must be made between 1 January 2022 and 24 June 2022 inclusive.
Applications will be assessed for eligibility on a ‘first in’ basis until available funds are allocated.
1 Who is eligible for a rebate?
1.1 This Program is for businesses that operate from a Victorian fixed address commercial premises that is physically open to the public for in-person purchases or use of the business’s products and services.
1.2 The business must:
a) hold an active Australian Business Number (ABN) and have held that ABN on and
b) from 18 February 2022
c) be registered for Goods and Services Tax (GST) on and from 18 February 2022
d) have an annual Victorian payroll below $10 million for the 2020-21 financial year on an ungrouped basis as determined by the State Revenue Office (SRO)
e) hold public liability insurance sufficient to cover its operations.
2 Eligible Ventilation Expenditure
2.1 A business must spend $500 or more on eligible expenditure to receive a rebate of $500.
2.2 Expenditure is eligible if it supports the business’ preferred ventilation strategy where:
a) it is used on work to improve ventilation and air filtration to reduce the spread of COVID-19 for areas in commercial premises that are physically open to the public;
b) the expenditure has been purchased and paid for in full between 1 January 2022 and 24 June 2022 inclusive; and
c) the ventilation upgrade will lead to an improvement in one or more of the following types of air ventilation:
· Natural ventilation – that brings air from outside through and around an indoor occupied space, or to make airflow improvements to a covered outdoor space used by customers;
· Mechanical ventilation – that uses mechanical equipment to increase airflow by replacing or diluting indoor air with outside air;
· Augmented ventilation - that uses portable filtration units to catch particles in a filter to increase the clean air delivery rate and reduce the concentration of viral particles in the air.
Ventilation Grant guidelines
Program funds can be used to invest in equipment, undertake building works and/or engage services to improve ventilation and air filtration in areas that are physically open to and accessed by the public. Businesses can request a grant between $1,000 and up to $5,000 under this Program stream to cover 50 per cent of the costs associated with the ventilation project.
Who is eligible for a grant?
1. This Program is for employing businesses that operate from a Victorian fixed address commercial premises that is physically open to the public for in-person purchases or use of the business’s products and services.
2. The business must:
a) hold an active Australian Business Number (ABN) and have held that ABN on and
b) from 18 February 2022
c) be registered with the responsible Federal or State regulator
d) be registered for Goods and Services Tax (GST) on and from 18 February 2022
e) have an annual Victorian payroll below $10 million for the 2020-21 financial year
f) on an ungrouped basis as determined by the State Revenue Office (SRO)
g) are registered with WorkSafe Victoria
h) hold public liability insurance sufficient to cover its operations.
Grant funding and applicant funding
1. Grant funding of up to $5,000 per premises is available for eligible projects under the Program.
2. Applicants can request a grant amount of between $1,000 and up to $5,000 to cover part of the costs of their ventilation project.
3. Grant funds are to cover 50 per cent of the costs associated with the Ventilation Project. This means that for every $1 of grant funding, the applicant must show $1 of expenditure of their own funds.
4. For example, if the applicant requests $2,000, they must spend at least $2,000 of their own funds on the project. For this example, this means the total ventilation project budget must be is at least $4,000.
If applying for a Ventilation Grant
· purchase equipment, undertake works and/or seek professional advice that will improve ventilation which is appropriate for your circumstance and business activities OR
· prepare ventilation project proposal if the funds will be spent after 24 June 2022. Evidence of eligible expenditure must be provided by 15 November 2022.
An online application must submitted by 24 June 2022.
Chang Accounting Advisory Pty Ltd, we are CPA practice and tax agent. If you or your families or friends need our services, please feel free to contact our team for any assistance.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not form part of our advice. This article is based on guidance from Business Victoria. Please contact our team if you need any assistance.
Claire Chang, 0497 131 419, claire.chang@changadvisory.com.au, wechat: clairechang26
Michelle Cui, 0433 539 870, michelle.cui@changadvisory.com.au, wechat: michellejc
Claire Chang