Monday 30 November 2020

Members of four local business chambers will benefit from grants awarded through the Andrews Government’s Grants for Business Chambers and Trader Groups program.

Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing announced that the Drouin Business Group and the Yarragon Business Association will each receive $10,000 to provide critical advice, connections and resources to businesses to support their members’ transition to COVID Normal.

The Warragul Business Association will also receive $20,000 while Wines of Gippsland will receive $50,000.

The program has provided $4.15 million in support through grants of $10,000, $20,000 or $50,000 to business chambers and trader groups across Victoria to support their local business community’s recovery and restart.

Grant recipients will use the funding for business activation initiatives like facilitating members’ adaptation to COVID Normal, ‘buy local’ campaigns and improving access to programs and services focused on resilience and recovery.

These organisations are among the 182 local organisations that have so far received grant funding through the initiative.

The Grants for Business Chambers and Trader Groups program is part of more than $7 billion in direct economic support provided by the government to Victorian businesses and workers to help them weather the storm of the pandemic.

Some $2.6 billion in funding has supported more than 130,000 small and medium businesses to date through the Business Support Fund while $87.5 million has been provided to support hospitality businesses prepare for COVID Normal.

For more information about the Grants for Business Chambers and Trader Groups program, go to business.vic.gov.au/businesschambers.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Small Business Jaala Pulford

“These local associations are fantastic advocates for the business community in West Gippsland and the Latrobe Valley and this funding will help local business recover and prepare for COVID Normal.”

“We appreciate the leading role Victorian business chambers and trader groups play in helping local businesses rebound and recover – that’s why it’s important to back that leadership with funding for local solutions to this global pandemic.”

Quote attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing

“We’re committed to assisting businesses throughout West Gippsland and the Latrobe Valley recover from the coronavirus pandemic and these local business chambers will be key to this recovery.”