Tourism Events Grant Program

As part of it's partnership with Yarra Ranges Tourism, Yarra Ranges Council has helped to establish funding for an annual Tourism Grants Program.

The Program will consist of sponsorships administered by Yarra Ranges Tourism and is designed to enhance the profile of, and increase visitation to, the region of the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges that falls within the Yarra Ranges Council municipality area.

Events are an important part of promoting the region locally and internationally. In response to this Yarra Ranges Tourism has developed an event strategy that seeks to guide its direction for future event sponsorship in the Yarra Ranges local government area, applicants should consider the directions of this report before applying.

Funding amounts of up to $20,000 will be considered for either:

• New Events that have not been staged before in the region; or
• Existing Events to assist with the development of an established event to improve its long term growth and visitation.

Higher funding may be considered however this will require additional support and approval from the Yarra Ranges Council. Events with other confirmed sponsorship or funding will be viewed favourably including the Visit Victoria Regional Events Fund.

A focus for this event sponsorship program is to drive new visitors and new market segments to the region, aligned to our brand strengths including, but not limited to:

• food and wine
• art and culture
• outdoor adventure
• health & well-being
• family friendly activities

Applicants should not expect consecutive support beyond two to three years and should discuss their event with the Yarra Ranges Tourism Team before making a written application by calling 03 8739 8000. Eligible applications will be submitted to the Yarra Ranges Tourism Board for final approval.

Criteria

To be successful, applications need to address how their event meets the following assessment criteria:

• Delivered by an eligible organising body with demonstrated event experience
• Demonstrate long term financial sustainability for the event's life.
• Attracts a specific market segment to the region
• Documented marketing plan that can promote Yarra Ranges Tourism (Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges tourism regions) and Yarra Ranges Council branding
• Deliver specific investment benefits for Yarra Ranges Tourism and Yarra Ranges Council

Demonstrate the event will:

• Increase the number of domestic (intrastate or interstate)/international visitors to the region
• Increase overnight or longer stays in the region
• Maximise the economic and community benefits generated by the event to the region
• Enhance the branding and reputation of the region as a tourism destination

Applications should ideally be received no later than six months before the planned event date.

Eligibility

• Event sponsorship funding sought must at least be matched from other sources
• Have considered funding application to the VisitVictoria "Regional Events Fund"
• Must be a registered legal business entity carrying appropriate public liability insurance
• Events must take place in the financial year that funding is sought

What will not be funded

• An event considered the responsibility of State or Federal Government
• Events outside the Yarra Ranges Council municipal boundary
• Capital works or maintenance costs
• Retrospective funding of events
• Events otherwise eligible for funding under Yarra Ranges Council's community development, festivals and events or arts and heritage grant programs, for more detail click here
• Political of religious events
• Events that may present a danger to public health or safety
• Events that create environmental hazards
• Events that denigrate, exclude or offend minority groups
• Events that do not reflect reasonable positive community standards and values

Applicants will be required to submit a written proposal for consideration by the Yarra Ranges Tourism Board before a final decision will be made.

Event Capability

Detailed resources are available on the Yarra Ranges Council website that help Event Organisers determine whether they can fulfill all the requirements to run and event.

See details on planning your event >

To Apply

Applications are accepted year round, Yarra Ranges Tourism staff can inform you as to whether the Event Funding Pool has been exhausted for the current financial year.

DOWNLOAD TOURISM EVENTS GRANTS APPLICATION FORM

Download the tourism events grant application form

All applications must use the Tourism Events Grants Application Form and submitted electronically along with any attachments by email to info@yarrarangestourism.com.au

If your application is successful

Successful applicants will be required to sign an agreement with Yarra Ranges Tourism. The agreement will clearly detail the expectations of both parties, the time frame set for the agreement, and an agreed measurement and reporting process for evaluating and reporting the outcomes of the sponsorship. Evaluation reports are expected to detail information as follows:

In order to pay the final milestone, the organisation is required to provide Yarra Ranges Tourism and evaluation report no later than three months after the event.

The report must include:

• Event overview - what was delivered against what was planned and why was this different.
• Event attendee target vs actuals, demographics and origin, overnight stays, Attendee feedback or survey results if undertaken
• What was ticket revenue budget vs actual and comments
• Evidence of Sponsor Acknowledgement/recognition
• How was the Yarra Ranges Tourism event grant spent Budget vs Actuals
• What marketing was delivered and how did it achieve alignment with regional brand pillars of the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges
• Plans for future event activity - will this happen again and when, and how will the event sustain itself in future years
• Event images
• Key learnings and improvement opportunities

Preferred Report Information to include:

• Average visitor spend and event economic impact analysis complete (Yarra Ranges Council’s economic development unit can assist with this, however you will need to collect the right data to allow this analysis contact business@yarraranges.vic.gov.au to get assistance with this)