Regional Customer Facilities Program

The Regional Customer Facilities program supports regional racing clubs to improve customer infrastructure and facilities, which enable the delivery of public racing events at regional racing venues.

Strong, sustainable, and attractive racing events need high‑quality, accessible, well-designed, and well‑managed facilities to conduct racing event activities. Developing facilities that support participation and inclusion of the broader community, while boosting local economic activity is a priority.

Program objectives and outcomes

The program will support regional racing clubs to upgrade facilities with an aim of attracting the public to racing events and providing additional use of club facilities to the broader community.

The VRIF Regional Customer Facilities program objectives are to:

  • improve the standard of public facilities at regional Victorian racing venues
  • improve customer facilities used for racing and community events in regional areas of Victoria
  • support facility upgrades which are inclusive, diverse, and accessible
  • support facility upgrades which have universal design, gender neutral design, are environmentally sustainable, and strategically planned
  • develop local economic activity through the planning, building, activating, maintaining, and managing of redeveloped or new infrastructure
  • ensure that Victoria continues to be a vibrant state for racing events of every scale.

The intended outcomes of this program are:

  • improved customer facilities which attract the public to racing events and provide additional use of club facilities to the broader community
  • improved raceday event experience
  • improved access for all attendees at racing events
  • support for the ongoing viability of regional racing events.

Funding

Applicants can request grant funding up to $100,000 (exclusive of GST) per project.

Program dates

Applications will be considered in rounds, as detailed in the table below.

Closing dates
YearRound 1Round 2
202330 December 2023
202431 July 2024
202531 January 202531 July 2025
202631 January 202631 July 2026

Eligible applicants

  • Racing clubs licensed under section 24A of the Racing Act 1958. This includes racing clubs registered as part of the Wimmera Racing Club.
  • Racing clubs licensed by Racing Victoria Limited as a picnic racing club.

Applicants may apply individually or jointly. Where a project involves more than one applicant, the lead organisation must apply, but both applicants may contribute to project expenditure to meet any co-contribution requirements (refer to Section 3, Funding).

Ineligible racing venues

  • Flemington Racecourse
  • Moonee Valley Racecourse
  • Caulfield Racecourse
  • Sandown Racecourse
  • Tabcorp Park Melton
  • Sandown Greyhound Racecourse
  • The Meadows

Eligible expenditure

A full listing of eligible and ineligible project expenditure is provided within the program guidelines.

Applicants must read the program guidelines before submitting an application.

Regional Customer Facilities Program Guidelines
PDF 404.78 KB
(opens in a new window)
Regional Customer Facilities Program Guidelines
Word 1009.72 KB
(opens in a new window)
Regional Customer Facilities Budget Template
Excel 27.23 KB
(opens in a new window)

Apply now(opens in a new window)

Program area and assistance

For more information about the Victorian Racing Industry Fund and the Major Racing Events Fund please contact the Office of Racing at vrif@justice.vic.gov.au

Updated