Program guidelines
The objective of the Arts Organisations Investment Program is to invest in a portfolio of small to medium organisations that collectively:
The Service category supports organisations to provide state-wide or geographically specific support for artists, cultural practitioners, creatives or an artform; or provide opportunities for engagement and participation in arts, cultural and creative activities for specific cohorts.
The Producing and Presenting category supports organisations to develop, produce and/or present professional arts, cultural and creative programs.
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.
Please apply using the Online Grants web portal.
More information on how to apply can be found in the application manual.
Applications must meet the program objective and are assessed by a panel of peer assessors.All applications are assessed against the 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 assessment criteria (Quality, Reach, Good Planning and Financial Responsibility) has 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.
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:
• explores new possibilities, views and/or artistic approaches;• promotes curiosity and interest in artist and audience;• is highly regarded within a local, national and international context;• respects cultural tradition and/or is unique in the State.
Diversity, platform, collaboration, leverage, number and growth.
The extent to which your organisation:
Realistic, achievable, demonstrated research and/or consultation, evaluation, sound governance.
Value, comprehensive budget, financial Stability.
• demonstrates sound planning, effective use of resources and accurate costings;• builds the long-term resilience and sustainability of the organisation;• leverages income from sources other than the department;• represents value for money – the cost is realistic in regard to the scale and impact of program/project.
Value, comprehensive budget, financial stability.
Apply using the Online Grants web portal. 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:
Your strategic plan should demonstrate how your organisation delivers against the outcomes you are seeking to achieve and where they align to the objective of the Arts Organisations Investment 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.
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.
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 a budget through the online portal for your first year of funding (2020 or 2020-21).
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.
All organisations will be required to provide targets through the online portal for activities and program outputs for the first year of funding (2020 or 2020-21). If successful, you will be required to report against the targets you have submitted. The department acknowledges that organisations are different and some sections may not apply to you.
You will be asked to provide target figures for each of the planned outcomes below:
You will be asked to provide target figures for each of the planned outcomes below separated into metro, regional, interstate and international:
• for paid and unpaid attendances and broadcast audience including streaming, broadcast and podcast;• for paid and unpaid participants, level of services, members and subscribers.
You will be asked to provide target figures for each of the planned outcomes below separated into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, people with disabilities, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse, regional and remote, young people and early career artists:
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, confirmations, presentations that support your application.
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 5 MB per document).
Evaluation Summary Charts from one event including:
In addition to:
One PDF (max file size 5 MB).
Most recent audited accounts, audited in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards by an approved auditor (2018 accounts for calendar year; or 2017/2018 accounts for financial year).
The Online Grants web portal works best with the latest version of Google Chrome.
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 14 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 2020 for organisations on a calendar year cycle, and 1 July 2020 for organisations on a financial year cycle.
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 is available for free 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 commencing in 2020 will be required to use Culture Counts for a sample of agreed activities.
If you need more information, please read the program guide.
Grants Officers are available via telephone and email to answer queries about applications and suitability of activities to specific programs.
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.
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