BUSINESSES from across the Mansfield Shire are being denied bushfire funding support as the bizarre criteria behind the Small Business Grants come to light.

$10,000 Small Business Bushfire Support grants are available to those directly and indirectly affected by the 2019/2020 bushfires, but not if they are located in the Mansfield Shire.

On January 2, Premier Daniel Andrews declared the entire North East a State of Disaster, encouraging people to leave the area ahead of the worsening bushfire situation.