Program guidelines
The Arts Organisations Investment Program aims to build strong Western Australian arts, cultural and creative sector organisations that support the vibrancy of our State and celebrates this internationally.
It invests in a portfolio of small to medium organisations that:
The 2022 Arts Organisations Investment Program provides successful organisations 3 years of funding commencing on either:
The funding round opens 6 September 2022.
Applications must be submitted through the Online Grants portal by 4pm 20 October 2022.
Organisations will be notified in writing approximately 19 weeks after the closing date.
The Arts Organisations Investment Program has a minimum funding request of $100,000 per annum.
The Service category supports organisations that provide state-wide or geographically specific services to artists, cultural practitioners, creatives or an artform; or provide opportunities for engagement and participation in arts, cultural and creative activities for specific cohorts.
Program funding will enable service organisations to:
The Producing and Presenting category supports organisations to develop, produce and/or present professional arts, cultural and creative programs; or provide opportunities for engagement and participation in arts, cultural and creative activities for specific cohorts.
Program funding will enable Producing and Presenting organisations to:
The Arts Organisations Investment Program supports professional arts, cultural and creative organisations that:
*The Arts Organisations Investment Program will also consider, on a case-by-case basis, applications from organisations that are directly supported or owned by an academic and/or training institution or local government authority. To be considered under this exemption, an organisation must separately, and with a degree of autonomy, present professional and/or curated arts and cultural programs that primarily deliver arts and cultural outcomes.
Apply using the Online Grants web portal.
You must read the AOIP Online Application - Info Sheet 2022 before applying.
To decide which category is most suitable for you, refer to the category objectives.
You will need to enter applicant information and choose your category, plus provide the following:
Demonstrate how your organisation’s program and activities align to the program objectives, as outlined in these guidelines. Applicants are required to provide this statement as part of their online application, with a 1500-character limit.
Your strategic plan should outline what you plan to achieve and demonstrate alignment with the objectives of the program. As a guide, the length of the plan should be no more than 20 pages. It is a high-level outline of what you want your organisation to deliver annually over the next three years; who it will be delivered to; and how you will measure your success annually and overall. It should demonstrate good planning, financial and risk management and strategic marketing.
The timeframe of your strategic plan for calendar-year organisations is 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2026, and financial-year organisations 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2026.
Key components of a good strategic plan include an outline of your purpose and artistic vision addressing why your organisation exists. It should include your overall strategic approach and how you plan to resource this approach, taking into consideration the context and environment your organisation operates in. The department has developed an Outcomes Framework for the program, to ensure that the program aligns with WA Government policy commitments, and to enable a strategic approach to identifying cultural, social and economic outcomes from its investment. Please note, it is not a requirement for organisations to align strategic plans to the Arts Organisations Investment Program (AOIP) outcomes framework
A financial overview supporting how you are going to implement strategies that underpin your vision is important. This section must include an overview of your organisation's current financial situation, a high-level financial forecast (income, expenditure and balance sheet) for each year covered by the plan. The forecast figures will support and demonstrate the statements made throughout your entire plan. An outline of key business risks is recommended. It is essential to include your governance framework illustrating how decision-making and responsibilities are allocated. For an example, please refer to the Strategic Plan Framework (PDF 509 KB) that has been developed by the Australia Council. Use of this framework is not mandatory and is only suggested as a guide.
You will be required to provide an indicative budget through the online portal for your first year of funding (calendar year 2024 or financial year 2023-24). Please note that your strategic plan should include a reflection of your historical financial performance and financial forecast for each year covered by the plan.
Assistance with completing the budget, including financial definitions, can be found in the AOIP Online Application - Info Sheet 2022.
When applying, all organisations will be required to provide anticipated Organisation Outputs through the online portal for the first year of funding (calendar-year 2024 or financial-year 2023-24).
Outputs are specific measurable things generated by your activities. This information will be considered as part of your application and provide further clarity about your activities for the assessor. The outputs also provide important data for the department for research, analysis and advocacy purposes. All organisations are different, and some sections/outputs may not apply to you. You only need to provide outputs for the categories and items relevant to your activities.
If successful, you will be required to report on the outputs you have submitted.
Assistance with completing the organisation outputs, including definitions, can be found in the AOIP Online Application - Info Sheet 2022.
Support material forms an important part of your application. It is recommended you pay close attention to the support material you choose to ensure it offers the best support for your application. You can upload your support materials with your online application.
If you are submitting audio and/or video files you must upload them to file streaming sites like Vimeo, YouTube, Bandcamp or SoundCloud that do not require a log-in to access. Please do not use Dropbox to deliver audio, video or other files. You can find instructions on how to use these sites at the following links:
Previous work or interviews, Acceptable formats and limitsconfirmations, presentations that support your application.
The financial statements must be audited by an independent auditor in accordance with the Australian Auditing Standards.
One PDF document (maximum file size 5MB document).
15 pages of text and images (combined total number of all pages in documents submitted for assessment):
Maximum 15 A4 pages in PDF (maximum file size 5MB per document).
Applications must meet the program objective and are assessed by a panel of industry peer assessors. All applications are assessed against four criteria:
The panel of peer assessors will recommend a portfolio of small to medium arts, cultural and creative organisations that meet the program objective.
The department may provide moderation advice to the Minister for Culture and the Arts taking into consideration a balance of policy objectives, artform, sector role, size, geographic spread and community reach.
The panel recommendation and the department’s moderation advice will be submitted to the Minister for Culture and the Arts for approval.
The four assessment criteria (quality, reach, good planning and financial responsibility) have different weightings that reflect their priority in each category. Each criterion has a subset of dimensions and definitions to provide guidance. You are strongly encouraged to address the most relevant ones in your application.
Dimensions: imagination, authenticity, originality, inquisitiveness, excellence, captivation, relevance, innovation, challenge, risk and rigour.
The extent to which your organisation and the work that it produces and/or presents:
Dimension: diversity, platform, collaboration, leverage, number and growth
The extent to which your organisation:
Dimensions: realistic, achievable, demonstrated research and/or consultation, evaluation, sound governance.
Dimensions: value, comprehensive budget, financial stability.
Diversity, platform, collaboration, leverage, number and growth.
Realistic, achievable, demonstrated research and/or consultation, evaluation, sound governance.
Value, comprehensive budget, financial stability.
The Online Grants web portal is optimised for use with recent versions of Google Chrome, Edge, or Safari in combination with Window or Mac OSX.
You will need to register for an account in Online Grants if you have not applied before. If you are already registered, please check your information under the Account Details tab (top right).
Throughout the online grant application form you will find help text to guide you through the questions and the process of applying online.
Online Grants help text is available by hovering your mouse over the question mark symbol.
To make sure your work is being saved, please use the ‘Save & Next’ or ‘Save & Previous’ buttons instead of the browser forward and back buttons.
Make sure everything you need for your application is included because once you submit your application there is no opportunity to add or amend anything.
When you have completed all sections, click ‘Submit as Final’. It is very important you are completely satisfied your application is completed before you click ‘Submit as Final’.
A system-generated email confirming the successful submission of your application will be sent to your registered email address within 15 minutes of submission. This email confirmation is evidence that you have submitted your application by the due date and time, and it is your responsibility to contact us immediately if you do not receive it.
If you do not receive confirmation, contact onlinegrantsupportca@dlgsc.wa.gov.au quoting your application name and time of submission, and a staff member will investigate the status of your application. Claims relating to application submission errors after this time will not be investigated.
The department does not accept applications:
Organisations will be advised in writing of the outcome of your application approximately 19 weeks after the closing date. All successful applications will receive contracting information in due course.
The program will offer three-year fixed term agreements. Funding agreements will commence 1 January 2024 for organisations on a calendar-year cycle, and 1 July 2023 for organisations on a financial-year cycle.
Organisations funded through the program are required to provide regular reporting to the department each year, including the following:
The department uses these reporting mechanisms to monitor the progress of the organisations and deepen its understanding of the role and value of the arts.
The AOIP Outcomes Framework will ensure that the program aligns with the broader policy commitments of the WA Government, and will enable a strategic approach to identifying cultural, social and economic outcomes from its investment. Its objective is to support the demonstration of the program’s contribution to building strong WA arts, cultural and creative sector organisations that support the vibrancy of our State.
The AOIP Outcomes Framework is intended to identify outcomes from the AOIP program overall. Organisations applying through the program will not be required to deliver against all of the secondary outcome areas. Organisations will be able to respond to the outcome areas most appropriate to activities and area of practice.
The department, along with its project partners Pracsys Economics and the Intelligence Agency in the UK, developed Culture Counts to collect and measure standardised quality metrics from organisations, their peers and audiences by interview and online through mobile devices or computers.
Culture Counts will be available to organisations funded through the Arts Organisations Investment Program and will be supported to integrate Culture Counts into their artistic and business processes.
All Producing and presenting organisations will be required to use Culture Counts for a sample of agreed activities. With Service organisations also encouraged to use the system.
If you need more information, please read the program guide and the AOIP Online Application - Info Sheet 2022.
If you need extra assistance due to disability, language barriers or any other factor that may disadvantage you in completing your application, please contact us.
The advice provided by Grants Officers does not guarantee the success of your application.
Due to the high number of applications received, each funding round is highly competitive. All applications are considered on their own merits and against the assessment criteria and program objectives.
For help to use the portal or for technical issues, email the Online Grants Support Team: onlinegrantsupportca@dlgsc.wa.gov.au
For help relating to the grant programs, including advice or assistance with your application, email the Grants Officers: grantsprogramsca@dlgsc.wa.gov.au
To assist us in directing you to a relevant member of the team, please specify which program or category your enquiry relates to in the subject line of your email.
The department is committed to supporting applicants with disability. Information can be provided in alternative formats (large print, electronic or Braille) upon request.
If you require special assistance in preparing your application, please call 61 8 6552 7400 or toll free for regional WA callers on 1800 634 541.
Family, friends, mentors and/or carers can attend meetings with you.
If you are deaf, or have a hearing or speech impairment, contact us through one of the following:
For interpreting assistance in languages other than English, telephone the Translation and Interpreting Service on 13 14 50 and ask for a connection to 6552 7400 or 1800 634 541.
Toll free (country WA callers only) 1800 634 541.
Email the Grants Officers: grantsprogramsca@dlgsc.wa.gov.au