We’re here to help as your partners in growth, so explore the resources available below or touch base with the Sustainable Destination Development Team to see what support is available to you.
Regional Events Fund
The Regional Events Fund (REF) has been established by the Victorian Government and is managed by Visit Victoria. It supports events that bring thousands of visitors to regional Victoria, delivering economic impact, creating jobs, and supporting local business.
Applicants seeking a letter of support for this fund should:
- Speak with a member of the Sustainable Destination Development team to brief them on your project.
- Share your application and/or supporting information as soon as possible, and no later than five (5) working days prior to the grant deadline for this to be reviewed by an independent panel. Please note that Regional Events Fund deadlines depend on the stream of funding you are interested in. Please find the dates listed here or reach out to one of our team to discuss.
- Round 8: Submissions due to TMV by 9 September 2026
- Round 8: Panel review all submissions on 16 September 2026 and advise Letter of Support outcome within 5 business days
- Round 8: Application close 30 September 2026
- Round 9: Submissions due to TMV by 10 March 2027
- Round 9: Panel review all submissions on 17 March 2027 and advise Letter of Support outcome within 5 business days
- Round 9: Application close 30 March 2027
- Round 10: Submissions due to TMV by 9 June 2027
- Round 10: Panel review all submissions on 16 June 2027 and advise Letter of Support outcome within 5 business days
- Round 10: Application close 30 June 2027
Support is available across three streams:
Stream 1
Regional Event Acquisition
One off or ongoing major events for the State, held in regional locations that:
- are exclusive to Victoria
- have the capacity to attract large scale visitation from core markets
- are of international or national significance
- deliver state-wide profile to a region due to the scale of the event
- are aligned to the strategic pillars of Sport, Creative, Culinary and Festivals.
Stream 2
Event Growth and Development
Funding of up to $500,000 to grow the economic impact of medium to large-scale events.
Key dates
Round 8
- Submissions due to TMV by 9 September 2026
- Panel review all submissions on 16 September 2026 and advise Letter of Support outcome within 5 business days
- Application close 30 September 2026
Round 9
- Submissions due to TMV by 10 March 2027
- Panel review all submissions on 17 March 2027 and advise Letter of Support outcome within 5 business days
- Application close 30 March 2027
Round 10
- Submissions due to TMV by 9 June 2027
- Panel review all submissions on 16 June 2027 and advise Letter of Support outcome within 5 business days
- Application close 30 June 2027
Stream 3
Event Industry Support
Funding of up to $50,000 to build capability and support the marketing and operations of events that attract intrastate or interstate visitors.
Key dates
- Stream 3 funding is opened monthly each year, with the exclusion of December and January, through to June 30, 2027.
- To start an application, click here.
- Applications will be batched in the month received and assessed to align with a Stream 2 funding announcement window.
- Applications received in the October and November funding rounds of each year can expect a funding decision in the January/February of the following year.
- Applications will not be considered if the event is scheduled to start before the expected funding decision window.
Your checklist
Following these steps will give you the best chance to secure funding for your event.
Please ensure you have confirmed:
- Which funding stream is appropriate for your event
- That your event falls within the current funding round dates
- Your event meets the minimum lead times required under the guidelines
Important: This is a highly competitive grant program. Even strongly aligned events may only receive partial funding or be unsuccessful.
To help strengthen your application, we suggest providing:
- Realistic attendance projections
- Estimated visitor numbers and visitor origin
- Forecast overnight stays and visitor expenditure
- A clear methodology for measuring and reporting outcomes
Hot tip: Ticketed events are often easier to assess because attendance and economic outcomes can be measured more accurately.
Many applicants approach funding too late in the planning process. Check your timing before investing significant effort into an application.
Events must generally commence no less than:- 6 months after the funding round announcement date for Stream 2 applications.
- 3 months after the funding round announcement date for Stream 3 applications.
Funding round dates are available here.
The guidelines clearly outline what grant funding can and cannot be used for. Please ensure that you:
- You are not relying on grant funding for costs specifically excluded by the program. ned events may only receive partial funding or be unsuccessful.
- Have read the guidelines.
- Have reviewed the eligible and ineligible expenditure sections of the guidelines.
- The funding request aligns with eligible project costs.
Applications are assessed on the value they deliver to the region and state.
Larger funding requests should be supported by correspondingly strong visitor and economic outcomes.
To do this make sure that:- The funding amount requested is proportional to the expected economic impact.
- You can demonstrate a strong return on investment from the grant.
- The scale of the event justifies the level of funding being sought.
Applications are assessed on the value they deliver to the region and state.
Larger funding requests should be supported by correspondingly strong visitor and economic outcomes.
To do this make sure that:- The funding amount requested is proportional to the expected economic impact.
- You can demonstrate a strong return on investment from the grant.
- The scale of the event justifies the level of funding being sought.
Before requesting a Letter of Support from TMV, please provide:
- Event overview and key details.
- Proposed event dates and location.
- Expected attendance and visitation figures.
- Economic impact estimates.
- Funding stream and amount being sought.
- Draft application (if available).
- A summary of how the event aligns with the TMV Sustainable Destination Management Plan and Regional Events Fund objectives.
Please note: Letters of Support require internal review and approval before being signed, including management review and Chair endorsement. Please allow adequate time before application deadlines
If you cannot confidently answer yes to most of the questions above, your event may not yet be ready for a Letter of Support.
The strongest applications clearly demonstrate:
- Tourism outcomes — attracting visitors from outside the region.
- Economic impact — generating measurable expenditure and overnight stays.
- Alignment — supporting the objectives of the Regional Events Fund and the TMV Sustainable Destination Management Plan.
- Evidence — realistic forecasts and a clear plan for measuring outcomes.
- Eligibility — meeting all guideline requirements, timing requirements and eligible expenditure criteria.
You may wish to review the guidelines and strengthen your event proposal before seeking TMV support.
Letters of support
We are pleased to provide letters of support for projects that meet eligibility criteria, and that help to drive tourism to Victoria’s Midwest.
You can request a letter of support by emailing development@tourismmidwestvic.com.au
Discover available grants
Find available grants and other support available to you as a tourism or hospitality business.
If you’d like help with finding grants or making a submission, book a chat with one of our friendly Tourism Midwest Victoria team members. Or, explore these useful links for grants relevant to your business:
Key contacts in the tourism industry
Contact our team by emailing development@tourismmidwestvic.com.au if you know of a grant that’s not listed but should be included.
The tourism industry is filled with various industry bodies and state organisations. Tourism Australia and Visit Victoria have provided some information on who’s who in the industry to help you navigate this diverse landscape.