Minister for Small Business Russell Northe stopped by Fred and Bet's Cafe in Barkly Street to announce $50,000 for Ararat Rural City Council through its OurStreet program.

The new $4 million program aims to revitalise shopping precincts and boost small business trade in towns like Ararat.

Mr Northe was joined by Nationals candidate for Ripon Scott Turner and Liberal candidate for Ripon Louise Staley to consider the potential improvements the OurStreet program could make to the amenity of the area.

"We are committing $50,000 through the OurStreet program towards helping ARRC make their shopping strips more welcoming, attractive and commercially viable," Mr Northe said.

"Ararat Rural City Council has the opportunity to co-contribute and come up with ways to improve and upgrade the capital infrastructure of the retail precincts that are the lifeblood of our communities."

Mr Northe said the OurStreet program would assist the council deliver projects to enhance the vibrancy and economic vitality of shopping strips and villages across the municipality.

"Potential OurStreet projects that could be considered by Council range from public art and visitor information services to street tree and garden planting and lighting and streetscape upgrades," he said.

"This $50,000 is a good leverage to ensure that we can improve the amenity and do some of that capital upgrade and investment that is needed across our regional townships.

"Whilst it's not a massive sum of money I think in consultation with council we can come up with some really good practical solutions and initiatives that will attract customers to our shopping strips and to our high streets, particularly in our regional communities."

"We firmly believe that if you are able to upgrade capital infrastructure and amenity that will enable better attraction for customers to come into our towns and better support our businesses."

The commitment is not election dependent and with the money already budgeted for ARRC should receive it no matter who is in government after the State Election on November 29.

Ararat Rural City Mayor, Cr Paul Hooper said he welcomed the commitment and recognised that Ararat and other communities including Buangor have some important decisions to make in the future considering the eventual construction of town bypasses as a result of the Western Highway duplication through to Stawell.

"We've got a bypass at some point in time in the future, so that will be very thought provoking for all of us on what the town is going to look like once that bypass takes place, what we need to do and the opportunities that arise from it," he said.

"I come from the business sector and we will be keen to engage with ARBA (Ararat Regional Business Association) and others to find out what the perceived needs are.

"We've spent a lot of money in recent years (courtesy of the state), in upgrading our streetscape with paving and vines and a lot of other things, but that is not to say the jobs done by any stretch of the imagination."

ARBA president Graeme Foster said the installation of vines along Barkly street was just one example of how Ararat has moved to invigorate its CBD.

"I think you can really tag your town by getting the streetscape right and I think the vines have done that," he said.

Ms Staley said as part of the $4 million OutStreet program councils across the state will be encouraged to improve amenities in a variety of ways, including installing lighting systems, upgrading visitor facilities and promoting public art.

"OurStreet is an extension of the highly successful Streetlife program, which reinforces the Victorian Government's commitment to the small business sector," she said.

"Small businesses are an essential part of our local communities, providing jobs for more than 1.2 million Victorians and the Napthine Government is reducing the cost of doing business by reducing payroll tax and work cover premiums, establishing the Red Tape Commissioner and more recently committing $19.3 million if re-elected to support the Small Business Commissioner and boost the Small Business Festival."

Mr Turner said that as well as engendering pride in residents, the OurStreet program will help ensure precincts are more attractive and user-friendly for visitors.

"These projects will help the small businesses within these precincts to better attract and retain customers," he said. "Ultimately, this will result in increased commercial activity and jobs growth."

For further information, visit business.vic.gov.au/ourstreet or call 13 22 15.