Innovative and Productive Communities

The City of Stirling is a great place to do business with several retail and industrial precincts that are home to a variety of businesses and organisations. We are committed to facilitating local business and employment growth, embracing technology and supporting an environment to help our local industry grow and thrive.

Overview

The Innovative and Productive Communities grant stream aims to support the achievement of the objectives in Sustainable Stirling 2022-2032, specifically to:

  • Attract and promote investment and partnership opportunities
  • Support innovation and entrepreneurship in local business
  • Activate local centres to increase visitor and economic activity.

The Innovative and Productive Communities grant stream seeks proposals for projects, programs or activities that will:

  • Improve shop frontages and/or street outdoor dining areas to attract visitors and improve customer experiences 
  • Attract new customers, business investment and reduce vacancies for landlords and existing business
  • Increase patronage numbers and spend in local retail precincts
  • Drive better economic outcomes for businesses
  • Provide a point of difference or offer a unique experience/product/service
  • Connect local businesses (to other businesses and/or organisations)
  • Address a local workforce/service gap
  • Demonstrate entrepreneurship and innovation
  • Assist in growing the reputation of the City as a great business location.

Eligibility

Eligible applicantsIneligible applicants
Small businesses with an ABN, not for profit organisations and charities, strata bodies and property owners (that lease to a small business) in the CityApplicants who have been approved for an Innovative and Productive Communities Grant in the same or preceding financial year under the same ABN
Businesses with 20 or fewer full-time equivalent employeesOnline businesses or businesses operating from home or virtual/serviced offices/co-working spaces
The business is located within the City’s boundaryBusinesses the City considers has an adverse effect on public health, safety, the environment and or/heritage
Hold all appropriate insurances, licences and permits with a current public liability insurance which must be submitted with applicationFranchise businesses i.e large corporates such as supermarkets and bottle shops
Match funding received from the CityBusinesses located in major Shopping Centres
Have fulfilled the conditions of a previous City of Stirling grant by the due date and has no overdue debts with the CityPolitical parties
 Individuals including employees or Elected Members of the City

Quick response grants

Quick response grants are for small amounts up to $2,000 and will be quickly approved.

Applicants must be able to demonstrate that the proposed activity/event/project benefits the City of Stirling community.

Quick response grants may include but are not limited to:

  • Expenses associated with becoming incorporated – Up to $1,000
  • Public Liability Insurance – Up to $500.

For grants over $2,000, please refer to information on the following pages.

What will we fund?

This list is not exhaustive, and we recommend discussing your project with a grants officer prior to submitting an application.

  • E-commerce activities
  • Online platform, content & app development and game development
  • Development of smart products or services
  • Applicants are encouraged to implement ideas that activate the outdoor areas in front of the business or organisation with building works such as:
    • Fixed external heating and cooling devices
    • Façade and/or awning enhancement (shop fronts), upgrades and/or repairs
    • Non-fixed outdoor dining furniture including portable outdoor heaters
    • Repainting of external shop frontage, including artwork and murals
    • Improving accessibility for all users
    • Adding greening elements such as planting vines, green walls or window boxes
    • Additions to windows and street frontages to increase attraction
    • Activation of underutilised spaces and/or adaptive reuse of a property that supports increased patronage, vibrancy and passive surveillance (for example, fit outs to rooftops, upper floors and basements)
    • Replacement or new signage in accordance with relevant regulatory requirements
    • Installation of new or upgrade of existing external lighting
  • Other activities which address the objective or scope of the grant stream.

What won't we fund?

This list is not exhaustive, and we recommend discussing your project with a grants officer prior to submitting an application.

  • Recurrent operational costs including, but not limited to wages, salaries, or administrative overheads
  • Legal expenses, statutory and regulatory fees
  • Projects and activities that relate to politics or the advertising or promotion of gambling, alcohol, electronic gaming machines or tobacco in any way
  • Upgrades that have already been completed or committed to prior to submitting an application
  • Property extensions
  • Consumables (for example, food and office stationery)
  • Relocatable equipment (for example, coffee machines and computers)
  • Internal fit-out items for non-customer facing areas
  • Standard operating equipment (for example, cash registers and EFTPOS facilities)
  • Advertising and/or marketing campaigns.
Ready to start your Innovative and Productive Communities grant application?
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Further information

The property owner’s consent must be obtained as part of this application. For most proposals, this will likely be the owner of the tenancy. If your proposal involves public land (i.e. the footpath), permission from the City of Stirling will be required.

Improvement works should be undertaken by a local business/local tradesperson within the City of Stirling boundary where practicable.

Grant recipients are responsible for obtaining any planning and/or building approval that may be required before completing improvements. Please ensure these costs are included in your budget. For further information about planning and building requirements you can contact the City of Stirling Approvals team via (08) 9205 8555 or by submitting an online enquiry at www.stirling.wa.gov.au/enquiries

Grant recipients need to ensure that any signage that is part of the shopfront improvement complies with the City of Stirling Advertising Signage and Road Signage regulations.