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$1.5 million in Victorian grants could help small businesses strengthen cyber awareness

Cybernao

Key Facts:

• Victorian business organisations and councils can apply for up to $1.5 million in new government grant funding, with up to 300 grants of $5,000 available across the Multicultural Business Skills Fund and Shop Local Business Fund.
• The funding comes as Victorians reported over $64.4 million in scam losses in 2025 and the government-funded Cyber Wardens programme for small businesses is ending this month.
• Cyber security is an eligible training area under the Multicultural Business Skills Fund, whilst the Shop Local Business Fund supports business training, continuity, and resilience initiatives; both funds allow organisations to engage expert trainers or speakers.
• Cyber security specialist Tegan DeClark emphasised that businesses need practical skills to recognise manipulation tactics such as urgency, fear, trust, and authority, rather than attempting to memorise every known scam.
• Applications for the Multicultural Business Skills Fund close 28 September 2026 and the Shop Local Business Fund closes 30 September 2026, though funding may be allocated before these dates.

MELBOURNE, VIC, 6 September 2026: Victorian business organisations and councils are being encouraged to use up to $1.5 million in new government grant funding to strengthen small business skills, including cyber awareness and resilience.

Victorians reported more than $64.4 million in scam losses to Scamwatch in 2025, while Cyber Wardens, the government-funded cyber security education program for Australian small businesses, is ending this month.

Across the Multicultural Business Skills Fund and Shop Local Business Fund, up to 300 grants of $5,000 are available to eligible organisations.

The Multicultural Business Skills Fund specifically includes cyber security as an eligible training area. The Shop Local Business Fund supports business training, continuity and resilience initiatives. Both allow eligible organisations to engage expert trainers or speakers.

Cybernao founder, cyber security specialist and educator Tegan DeClark said the funding could help keep practical cyber education accessible to small businesses.

“Cyber Wardens is ending, but the need for practical cyber awareness isn't,” DeClark said.

“Scams keep changing, so we can't expect people to memorise every scam that's out there. Businesses need practical skills to recognise when someone is using urgency, fear, trust or authority to manipulate a decision, and know when to stop, question and verify.”

Cybernao delivers live cyber awareness and social engineering training for businesses and communities, including immersive simulated cyber incidents designed to help teams recognise and respond to realistic threats.

Eligible organisations interested in using the grants for cyber awareness training can find more information http://cybernao.com/media/business-victoria

Applications for the Multicultural Business Skills Fund close 28 September 2026 and Shop Local Business Fund applications close 30 September 2026. Funding may be allocated before the closing dates.

About us:

Cybernao is a Melbourne-based cyber awareness training business specialising in scams, social engineering and the human side of cyber security. Cybernao provides practical live training for businesses and communities designed to help people recognise manipulation and make safer decisions before they act.

Contact details:

Tegan DeClark
0478 292 141
[email protected]
cybernao.com