Summary

The Government of South Australia has established a Major Events Support Grant to support South Australian organisers of major public events scheduled to take place between 12:01am on 20 July 2021 and 11.59pm on 10 August 2021 that were cancelled or postponed as a result of COVID-19 related trading restrictions.

Operators of eligible events with expected attendance of more than 1,000 will be provided with a once-off grant of up to $25,000 to support them in these difficult circumstances. A grant of up to $100,000 is available in respect of larger eligible events with expected attendance of more than 10,000.

This document provides guidance for Major Events Support Grant applicants. Please read these Guidelines before applying.

Eligibility

Major public event organisers are eligible to apply for a Major Events Support Grant provided they meet all the following criteria as at 12:01am on 20 July 2021:

  • Have a valid and active ABN (Australian Business Number) and be registered for the GST.
  • Have a total Australian grouped payroll of less than $10 million in the 2019-20 financial year.
  • Employ people in South Australia*.
  • Be the organiser/operator of an event that:
    • commenced on or prior to 20 July 2021, and was required to be cancelled/postponed as a result of State‑wide lockdown and further restrictions commencing 20 July 2021 up to 10 August 2021; or
    • was scheduled to be held over period of State-wide lockdown or restrictions commencing 12:01am on 20 July 2021 up to 11:59 pm 10 August 2021 and has been cancelled/postponed as a result of the restrictions.
  • The event was a one-off event with an SA Health approved COVID Management Plan or COVID-Safe Plan catering for an event of over 1,000 combined capacity in one or across multiple locations.
    • Entities with an on-going COVID-19 Management/Safe Plan for regularly scheduled events (regular sporting events for example) are not eligible.
    • Where an event was scheduled to be held under an approved COVID-Safe Plan over multiple days, the applicant must provide evidence that combined attendance over the entire period was expected to exceed 1,000.
    • Where an event was scheduled to be held at multiple venues, with expected combined attendance of over 1,000, the applicant must provide an approved COVID Management Plan or COVID-Safe Plan for each venue.
    • Where an event is part of an ‘umbrella festival’ or similar, the individual event that sits under an ‘umbrella festival’ must have an approved COVID Management Plan or COVID-Safe Plan and provide evidence that the individual event had an expected attendance  of over 1000 to be eligible.
  • Have incurred a non-recoverable financial loss^ as a result of the cancellation or postponement of the event.
  • Trading solvently.
  • Does not engage in illegal activity.

Events with expected attendance of more than 10,000

Operators of eligible events with expected attendance of more than 10,000 may be eligible for a larger grant of up to a maximum of $100,000.

To be eligible, an event must meet the above eligibility criteria as well as the following additional criteria:

  • The operator of the event must provide evidence that expected combined attendance over the period of the one-off event was over 10,000 (e.g. ticket sales information).
  • The operator of the event must provide detailed evidence of a non-recoverable financial loss as a result of cancellation or postponement of the event.

Operators of larger events who have already received a grant of up to $25,000 under a previous application for the Major Events Support Grant may apply for an additional grant. The additional grant will be reduced by $25,000 to recognise the grant already received.

* To be considered an employee, staff must be under the control of the business, receive regular PAYG salary or wages, and have Pay As You Go Withholding amounts as well as superannuation paid by the employer. An owner, partner, or beneficiary of a trust is not considered to be an employee for the purpose of this grant.

^ Businesses will be required to declare the value of non-recoverable costs due to the cancellation or postponement of the relevant event. They will not be required to provide detailed supporting information at the time of application but will be required to retain supporting information that could be made available if required, for example, but not limited to:

  • booking cancellations;
  • ticket reimbursements;
  • marketing costs;
  • utilities, wages, paid leave for staff unable to attend work;
  • rent;
  • loss of perishable goods;
  • or any other direct non-recoverable costs resulting from the cancellation or postponement of the public event due to the COVID-19 related trading restrictions over the period .

These costs may have been incurred prior to, on or after 20 July 2021. The cost must not be recoverable, including through insurance or refunds. The costs must be incurred by the applying business, as defined by its ABN.

Applicants must certify that they meet the eligibility criteria at the time of application.

Applicants will be subject to audit by the Government of South Australia or its representatives and will be required to produce evidence at the request of the Government for a period of 2 years after the grant has been approved.

If any information in applications is found to be false or misleading, the grant will be repayable on demand.

Ineligible businesses or events 

The following businesses or types of events are not eligible for funding under this program:

  • Entities with an on-going COVID-19 Management / Safe Plan for regularly scheduled events or activities.
  • Suppliers of major events.
    • Suppliers of major events may be eligible for other COVID-19 business assistance measures provided by the Government, including the COVID-19 Business Support Grant – July 2021, the COVID-19 Additional Business Support Grant, COVID-19 Tourism and Hospitality Support Grant or COVID-19 Business Hardship Grant subject to meeting the relevant eligibility criteria.
  • Individual events held by different organisers under an “umbrella festival” or similar, where that event does not have an individual COVID Management Plan or COVID-Safe Plan and an expected attendance  of more than 1000.
  • Government entities and education institutions.

Grant Amount

The Major Events Support Grant amount is up to $25,000 per eligible business in respect of an eligible event with expected attendance of more than 1,000 and up to $100,000 per eligible business in respect of an eligible event with expected attendance of more than 10,000.

  • Where the non-recoverable financial loss incurred due to the cancellation or postponement of an eligible event is less than $25,000, the amount of the grant will be equivalent to the non-recoverable financial loss.
  • Where the non-recoverable financial loss is $25,000 or more and the event had an expected attendance of more than 1,000 but less than 10,000, the amount of the grant will be $25,000.
  • Where the non-recoverable financial loss is $25,000 or more and the event had an expected attendance of more than 10,000, the amount of the grant will be equivalent to the non-recoverable financial loss, up to a maximum of $100,000.

To the extent that the business received support under the COVID-19 Business Support Grant – July 2021, COVID-19 Additional Business Support Grant, COVID-19 Tourism and Hospitality Support Grant or COVID-19 Business Hardship Grant, these amounts will be deducted from the Major Events Support Grant.

Events held over multiple sessions or days will be considered as a single event.

Grant are provided to assist meet unrecoverable costs associated with the cancellation of postponement of the major event.

How to Apply

Applicants are required to submit an application via the COVID-19 Support Fund inbox. All questions in the application need to be completed to ensure timely assessment and grant payment.

The application must be completed by an Authorised Officer, being:

  • In the case of a business that is a sole trader that employs, the sole trader.
  • In the case of a business that is a partnership that employs, a partner.
  • In the case of a business that is a body corporate that employs, a director, secretary, public officer or equivalent.

Note: It is permissible for an agent such as an accountant or lawyer to submit the application on behalf of business provided they have been instructed to do so by the above Authorised Officer.

Applicants must meet the requirements of the grant to be eligible.

Major Events Support Grants will be provided to successful applicants by the Department of Treasury and Finance (DTF). Whether an applicant is successful or not will be determined by DTF in its absolute discretion. To access grant funding, applicants will be required to agree to the Terms and Conditions at the time of application stipulating obligations and conditions under which assistance will be given to eligible applicants. DTF will not be legally obliged to pay any grant monies to an applicant.

Potential applicants should note that information received in connection with an application may be used and communicated outside the Government of South Australia for due diligence purposes and may also be provided to the Commonwealth Government and third parties engaged by DTF to assist with the assessment and processing of the applications received, together with program monitoring, reporting, auditing and evaluation purposes.

Opening Date

Applications opened on 16 August 2021.

Applications for the larger grant of up to $100,000 open on 17 September 2021.

Applications must be submitted via the COVID-19 Support Fund inbox.

Closing Date

Applications close midnight 17 October 2021.

Further Information

If you require further information to participate in the program please contact COVID-19 Support Fund.

DTF reserves the right to amend these Guidelines and application terms as required.

Applicants should be aware that DTF is subject to certain legislative and administrative accountability and transparency requirements of the Commonwealth Government and Government of South Australia, including public disclosure in accordance with Premier and Cabinet policy.

DTF will treat all information provided by applicants sensitively. Any information contained in, or relating to, an application, including information identified by an applicant as confidential, may be disclosed by DTF:

  • to its employees, advisers or third-parties in order to assess, process and/or audit an application;
  • within the Government of South Australia or other entities where this serves the legitimate interest of DTF;
  • in response to a request by a House or Committee of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia or South Australia;
  • where information is authorised or permitted by law to be disclosed; and/or
  • where the information is already in the public domain.