Ararat business owner Stephen Hughan said his shopfront received a desperate makeover last year, thanks to the Ararat Rural City Council's Facade Improvement Grant.
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Mr Hughan refurbished Hughan Nursery under the council's Facade Improvement Grants scheme in 2019.
"I am very pleased with the way it turned out. I had a vision in the back of my mind for a number of years and it was great to see it happen," he said.
"The grant enabled us to refurbish our store at a reduced cost and we are very grateful to the council for their contribution because we probably wouldn't have done it otherwise.
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"The grant is great for businesses looking to do new sign work, repaint and complete minor repairs.
"My shopfront was well and truly overdue for a paint ... There has been a lot of positive comments from the community."
Applications are now open again for Ararat business owners who want the opportunity to give their business a facelift.
Valued at up to $5000 on a dollar-for-dollar basis, the grant offers local businesses the ability to maintain and refresh their stores. Budgets for this round of grants is $50,000.
ARCC executive officer Dr Tim Harrison said he was pleased to see the scheme return.
"In such a difficult and uncertain year, schemes such as this allow for us to focus on the positive things and help lift the spirit of our local businesses, who may be having an especially difficult time," he said.
The 2019 grants saw many local businesses receive funding to keep Ararat's streetscapes vibrant.
"Our 2019 recipients put these funds to great use, freshening up their paint, updating their signage or just for some maintenance and repairs," Dr Harrison said.
"It will be great to read through the applications and get excited about the next round of changes coming to our towns."
All Applications will be accessed by an internal panel from the ARRC and Dr Harrison will notify those that are successful.
Applications will close on Friday, October 30, 2020. All eligibility and application requirements are available through the ARRC website at ararat.vic.gov.au.
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