Nightclub Assistance Program guidelines

As part of the $67 million Level 1 COVID-19 Business Assistance Package, the $1.8 million Nightclub Assistance Program provides a one-off financial aid payment for nightclub licensees that have been impacted by capacity constraints introduced to manage the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

On this page

Objectives

To support eligible nightclub licensees that have experienced a 30 per cent decline in revenue due to the Level 1 Public Health and Social Measures requirements for density limits and social distancing. It achieves this through:

  • a one-off financial aid payment to partially offset the lost revenues associated with the Level 1 Public Health and Social Measures.

Who can apply

To be eligible for the program the nightclub business must: 

  • have a valid and active Australian Business Number for the period covered by their application (ABN)
  • be located in Western Australia (WA)
  • have a valid and active nightclub licence issued by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries
  • have an annual turnover of more than $50,000 per annum (excluding GST)
  • have incurred a 30 per cent reduction in turnover compared to the previous year* over a 6-week period between 1 January 2022 to 30 April 2022 due to the impact of COVID-19 health and social measures requirements for density limits and social distancing
    • *Note: the equivalent six-week period in the previous calendar year is the preferred comparative period. However, businesses may use the pre-COVID tax year (2018-19) instead. Also business that have been trading for less than one year can still apply but will need to demonstrate a decline in revenue to another comparable period.
  • have a bank account in the name of the business with an Australian financial institution or bank registered with the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority
  • have not applied for Performing Arts, Theatres and Cinemas Assistance Program or the Event Suppliers Support program.

What of level of financial aid is available?

The level of financial aid you can apply for is based on the following categories:

  • $12,500 one-off payment for nightclubs with patron capacity license less than 250
  • $25,000 one-off payment for nightclubs with patron capacity license between 250 and 500
  • $50,000 one-off payment for nightclubs with patron capacity license greater than 500.

One application may be made for each nightclub licence.

What are the key requirements of an application?

The key requirements for the application are providing evidence to substantiate:

  • That your business has annual turnover of more than $50,000 pa with copies of:
    • your lodged 2020-2021* financial year tax return (PDF copy). If unavailable, you may provide one or two of the following:
      • BASs for the 2020-21* financial year (PFD copies of the 4 quarters)
      • a report from your bookkeeping system for the 2020/21* financial year (PDF or Excel format)
      • a letter from your accountant.
      • * Note: If you are using an alternative 12-month period, provide the relevant tax return, BASs or bookkeeping report.
  • That the claim of a 30 per cent reduction in turnover with copies of:
    • your lodged January to March 2022 BAS and your January to March 2021* BAS (PDF copy). If unavailable, you may provide one or two of the following:
      • business bank account transactions that cover the downturn period and the comparison period (PDF copy)
      • a profit and loss statement from your bookkeeping system (PDF or Excel format)
      • a sales report from your store Point of Sale system (PDF or Excel copy)
      • a letter from your accountant (PDF)
      • * Note: If you are using an alternative comparative period, provide the relevant BASs, bank account transaction listings or bookkeeping report.
  • That your business is a legitimate nightclub by providing a copy of your valid and current Nightclub Licence (PDF copy).
  • That the business or organisation operations are active by providing documentation and links to online and social media accounts
  • That the business is legitimate by providing unedited/unredacted PDF copy of your most recent business bank statement of the account into which the grant will be paid. This is to assist in validating the eligibility of the application and protect the program from fraud.

Agree to the terms and conditions of the application, as the applicant will be legally bound by them once they have submitted their grant application.

What is involved in the application process?

  • After reading through the guidelines, you apply to this program through the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries — Culture and the Arts online portal (see link at the bottom of this page).
  • From the date you submit your application; it may take up to six weeks for your application to be processed and an initial assessment to be provided.
  • We are unable to provide an update on the status of your application during the grant application period. Please do not contact us regarding the progress of your application earlier than six weeks after lodgement as we will be unable to assist you due to the expected volume of applications.
  • If your application is successful, you will be notified by email and you will need to respond to that confirming your supplier payment details.
  • You and/or your nominated accountant/tax agent/bookkeeper may be contacted to provide additional information to substantiate your claim. If you do not respond in a timely manner, the notification of the outcome of your application will be delayed.
  • You will be notified if your application is unsuccessful.
  • You may request a review of an unsuccessful decision, only if you are able to provide additional new information that substantiates why you believe your application should have been successful. To request a review email: gtsbotr@dlgsc.wa.gov.au

Application questions

  1. What is the applicant's relationship to the nightclub?
    (Ensure this is identical to the nightclub licence documentation.)
    • business owner
    • business employee
    • accountant
    • tax agent
    • bookkeeper
    • other.
  2. What is the name of the nightclub on the nightclub licence?
    (Ensure this is identical to the nightclub licence documentation.)
  3. Has this nightclub received support for cancelled events through the Getting the Back on the Road+ program?
    (If yes, ensure that the funding received from Getting the Show Back on the Road is included in the revenue comparisons.)
  4. What is the nightclub licence’s capacity limit?
    (Ensure the capacity limit you indicate here matches the details on the nightclub licence.)
    • 250 patrons or less licence capacity
    • 250 to 500 patrons licence capacity
    • 500 patrons or more licence capacity.
  5. Have you uploaded to the support material a copy of your documentation verifying your business’s annual turnover is more than $50,000?
    (Required documents are your lodged 2020-2021* financial year tax return (PDF copy). If unavailable, you may provide one or two of the following: BASs for the 2020-21* financial year (PDF copies of the 4 quarters); a report from your bookkeeping system for the 2020-21* financial year (PDF or Excel format); and/or a letter from your accountant. * Note: If you are using an alternative 12-month period, provide the relevant tax return, BASs or bookkeeping report.)
  6. Was the nightclub's revenue adversely affected by the Level 1 Public Health and Social Measures requirements for density limits and socially distancing?
    (This is an eligibility requirement for the program.)
  7. Briefly describe how the Level 1 Public Health and Social Measures impacted the business.
    (Provide overview details of the way that the business was impacted assists in the verification process for the claim.)
  8. Did the nightclub experience a 30% reduction in revenue over a six-week period between 1 January 2022 and 30 April 2022 compared to last year? Alternative comparison years can be used if required.
    (This is an eligibility requirement for the program. Indicate the comparison year in question 13 below.)
  9. What is the commencement date of the six-week 30% downturn period in 2022?
    (Indicate the date that you will be using in this claim application for the commencement of the 30% reduction in turnover in 2022.)
  10. What was the revenue during the 2022 six-week period?
    (Indicate the revenue for the whole six-week period as a dollar amount.)
  11. What evidence have you included in the support material to substantiate the revenue for the six-week period in 2022
    (Briefly describe the documents provided to assist assessors in understanding why you have included these documents in the claim. The preferred support material is a copy of your January to March 2022 BAS quarterly statement. If unavailable, you may provide one or two of the following: a profit and loss statement from your bookkeeping system, business bank account statements covering the period, a sales report from your store Point of Sale system, and/or letter from your accountant. )
  12. Have you uploaded PDF or Excel versions of the documents to substantiate the revenue for the six-week period in 2022 in the support material section of this application?
    (Ensure you check that the supporting documents have been uploaded, as the claim will not be eligible if it does not include the required support material.)
  13. What is the commencement date of the comparative  six-week 30 per cent downturn period in 2021 (Or alternative year if applicable)?
    (Indicate the date in 2021 that you will be using in this claim application for the commencement of the comparative period to your 30 per cent reduction in turnover 6 week period (Or alternative year if applicable).)
  14. If you used an alternative comparison period to last year, explain why?
    (Describe the reasons why you have used an alternative to last year as the comparison period. If you did not use an alternative period then enter “not applicable”.)
  15. What was the revenue during the comparison six-week period?
    (Indicate the revenue for the whole six-week period as a dollar amount.)
  16. What evidence have you included in the support material to substantiate the comparison period revenue?
    (Briefly describe the documents provided to assist assessors in understanding why you have included these documents in the claim. The preferred support material is a copy of your January to March 2021 BAS quarterly statements. If unavailable, you may provide one or two of the following: a profit and loss statement from your bookkeeping system, business bank account transactions covering the period, a sales report from your store Point of Sale system, and/or letter from your accountant. )
  17. Have you uploaded documents to substantiate the revenue for the comparison six-week period in the support material section of this application?
    Ensure you check that the supporting documents have been uploaded in the support material section of this application as the claim will not be eligible if it does not include the required support material.)
  18. What is the name of the business's accountant, tax agent or bookkeeper who can independently verify the revenue information provided?
    (Ensure you list the name of the business's accountant, tax agent or bookkeeper so that the revenue provided can be independently verified.)
  19. What is the telephone contact number of the business's accountant, tax agent or bookkeeper who can independently verify the revenue information provided?
  20. What is the email address of the business's accountant, tax agent or bookkeeper who can independently verify the revenue information provided?
  21. Have you uploaded a copy of the current nightclub license in the support material section of this application?
    (To assist in validating the eligibility for the program, a copy of the current license will be used to match against our existing records.)
  22. Have you provided links to Facebook in the support material section of this application?
    (If your business has a Facebook account provide a URL link in the support material section of this application. This is to assist in substantiating your business's credentials and validating the information provided in this application.)
  23. Have you provided links to Instagram in the support material section of this application?
    (If the business has an Instagram account provide a URL link in the support material section of this application. This is to assist in substantiating the business's credentials and validating the information provided in this application.)
  24. Have you provided links to any other social presence the business may have, such as Google My Business, TikTok, LinkedIn, etc. in the support material section of this application?
    (If the business has other social media accounts provide a URL link in the support material section of this application. This is to assist in substantiating the business's credentials and validating the information provided in this application.)
  25. Have you uploaded the most recent Bank File Statement in the support material section of this application?
    (To assist in validating the eligibility of the application and protect the program from fraud, it is important we receive a copy of the most recent bank statement of the account into which the grant will be paid. The statement must clearly show the account name, the BSB and account number. Files must be uploaded in PDF format with no redactions.)

Support material

You must provide the following documents as evidence to support your claim:

  • A copy of your valid and active Nightclub licence
  • Proof that your business has annual turnover of more than $50,000 pa by providing the following:
    • your lodged 2020-2021 financial year tax return (PDF copy). If unavailable, you may provide one or two of the following:
      • BAS for the 2020-21 financial year (PFD copies of the 4 quarters)
      • a report from your bookkeeping system for the 2020/21 financial year (PDF or excel format); and/or
      • a letter from your accountant.
      • Note: If you are using an alternative period, provide the documents relevant to that period.
  • Proof of the 30 per cent reduction in turnover by providing:
    • BAS statements for January to March 2022, and
    • January to March 2021 BAS (or equivalent period if you are using a different comparable period). If unavailable, you may provide one or two of the following:
      • business bank account statements/transactions listing (PDF) that cover:
        • the downturn period
        • the comparison period
      • a profit and loss statement from your bookkeeping system (PDF or excel format):
        • the downturn period
        • the comparison period
      • sales report from your store Point of Sale system (PDF or Excel):
        • the downturn period
        • the comparison period
      • and/or a letter from your accountant (PDF)
      • Note: If you are using an alternative period, provide the documents relevant to that period.
  • Your most recent bank file statement in the name of the business under this application as an unredacted PDF.
  • Links to social media accounts or other social business presences.

Personal information and disclosure of information in an application

Applicants should be aware that DLGSC is subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1992 (WA), which provides a general right of access to records held by State Government agencies and local governments. Applicants are advised that information pertaining to the receipt of State Government financial assistance may be tabled in the Western Australian Parliament and listed in State Government media statements. This information could include the name of the recipient, name of the project, the grant funding amount, and project description. This could result in requests for more details to be released publicly.

Contact us

Online Grants portal technical support

For assistance using Online Grants or to report any related technical issues, contact the Online Grants Support Team: onlinegrantsupportca@dlgsc.wa.gov.au

Grants officers for application support

For enquiries relating to this funding program, including advice or assistance with your application, contact a Grants Officer:

  • Grants Officer telephone 61 8 6552 7400
  • Toll free (Country WA callers only) 1800 634 541
  • Email gtsbotr@dlgsc.wa.gov.au

How do I apply?

Applications are accepted via the Online Grants web portal.

Submit an application

Page reviewed 02 May 2022
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