Regional Tourism Investment Fund Open

November 15, 2021

The Victorian Government has announced applications for the Regional Tourism Investment Fund – Competitive Round are open.

Program overview

The Regional Tourism Investment Fund will support new and innovative tourism infrastructure projects that will increase visitation, drive private investment, and deliver more jobs.

This investment will help revitalise and grow Victoria’s visitor economy and is a key part of the Visitor Economy Recovery and Reform Plan. The fund will deliver grants up to $10 million per project, with a minimum funding amount of $150,000 per project, focussing on four growth sectors identified in the Visitor Economy Recovery and Reform Plan – nature, epicurean, arts and culture, and First Peoples’ led experiences.

Please read the information on this page, including the program guidelines and frequently asked questions (FAQs).

Program Guidelines

Regional Tourism Investment Fund — Competitive Round program guidelines (PDF 887.54 KB)

FAQ’s

Read the full list of FAQs.

Registrations of Interest will be accepted until 11:59pm on Friday 7 January 2022.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible, businesses must be:

private sector proponents (defined as an individual, privately-owned or commercial organisation that has overall control and responsibility for project that is predominantly funded through private capital)
local and State Government entities, including Public Land Managers, Land Management Authorities and Committees of Management, Local Government Authorities, Alpine Resort Management Boards and State or Local Government owned entities
incorporated associations, or;
not-for-profit organisations, including community groups that are an incorporated body, cooperative or association; or Traditional Owner Corporations, organisations and groups, and Aboriginal-owned businesses.

Eligible businesses must also:

be an incorporated body, cooperative or association (including business associations)
hold an Australian Business Number (ABN), and
be financially solvent.

Projects eligible for funding must be in an eligible project location (see program guidelines) and must be:

new tourism infrastructure and/ or significant enhancements that build on existing infrastructure; or
enabling infrastructure that directly and demonstrably unlocks private tourism investment.

Grant amount

Eligible applicants may seek funding for up to $10 million per project, with a minimum funding amount of $150,000 per project.

Co-contributions are required as part of the Regional Tourism Investment Fund (RTIF) grant funding. The rate of co-contribution varies depending on the applicant, and is detailed below:

Private: Applicants must contribute $2.00 for every $1.00 of RTIF grant funding
Public and Not for Profit:
- Applicants in a Tier 1 Location (see program guidelines for LGA list) must contribute $1.00 for every $2.00 of RTIF grant funding
- Applicants in a Tier 2 Location (see program guidelines for LGA list) must contribute $1.00 for every $3.00 of RTIF grant funding
Traditional Owner: Applicants must contribute $1.00 for every $3.00 of RTIF grant funding

How to apply

Registrations of Interest will be accepted until 11:59pm on Friday 7 January 2022.

After you submit your Registration of Interest, a DJPR representative will contact you within three (3) business days to provide advice around suitability for the fund.

If appropriate, an application form will be provided following this discussion.

As part of the application process you must certify that your business meets all eligibility criteria and provide any supporting evidence requested.

The Victorian Government or our representatives may audit your application, so you will need to produce evidence on request.

If any information in your application is false or misleading, you may be asked to repay the grant.

Please read all the information on this page, the program guidelines, and the Regional Tourism Investment Fund — Competitive Round frequently asked questions (FAQs) before applying.

Templates to be used in your application

Project plan (DOCX 1470.92 KB)