CURRENT 2024 FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
*dates listed are the closing dates for applications
⭐ indicates recently added or updated
CREATE NSW FUNDING CALENDAR
The 4-Year Multi-year funding provides core investment to the NSW arts and cultural sector to support sustainable growth of the industry, with a focus on all NSW citizens being given the opportunity to contribute to and experience arts and culture.
Application closes: 2 December 2024, 11:00 pm
Grant amount: Applicants can apply for a minimum of $100,000 and a maximum of $600,000 each year.
Creative Nations - First Nations organisations & individuals Round 1
The purpose of this funding is to strengthen First Nations artists, organisations and communities by supporting artistic expression to sustain and grow First Nations arts and culture in NSW.
Application closes: 2 December 2024, 5:00 pm
Grant amount: From $10,000 to $100,000
Next Steps - Professional & Skills Development for Individuals Round 1
This funding focuses on professional development for individual artists, arts and cultural workers to enable participation in skills development opportunities, workshops, courses and creative sector conferences and networking events.
Application closes: 2 December 2024, 5:00 pm
Grant amount: From $2,000 to $10,000
Creative Steps - New Work Development Round 1
This funding supports creative development and presentation of new work by individual artists, arts and cultural workers. Applicants are encouraged to drive and develop partnerships with arts and cultural organisations to support their new works.
Application closes: 2 December 2024, 5:00 pm
Grant amount: From $10,000 to $100,000
Cultural Access - Individuals and Organisations
This funding supports individuals and organisations that are led by and/or support specific communities to develop and deliver a diverse range of arts and cultural experiences for artists, arts workers, communities, and audiences.
Application closes: 2 December 2024, 5:00 pm
Grant amount: From $10,000 to $100,000
2-Year Multi-year funding provides core investment to the NSW arts and cultural sector to support sustainable growth of the industry, with a focus on all NSW citizens being given the opportunity to contribute to and experience arts and culture.
Application opens: 24 March 2025
Application closes: 30 April 2025, 11:00 pm
Grant amount: Applicants can apply for a minimum of $60,000 and a maximum of $200,000 per year, subject to type of organisation eligibility that is applying.
NOVEMBER:
30 Nov - OPEN: REGIONAL ARTS FUND QUICK GRANTS
Regional Arts Fund Quick Response Grants: Up to $3,000 for individuals or $5,000 for organisations. Open to regional artists, arts organisations and communities to take up professional or skills development opportunities, or respond to small project opportunities that arise at short notice. Delivered monthly from February to November. Full details here >>
Apply here: https://regionalarts.smartygrants.com.au
The Regional Arts Fund is an Australian Government program that supports sustainable cultural development in regional and remote communities in Australia. The program is managed by Regional Arts Australia and organisations in each state and territory.
DECEMBER 2024:
FRRR Strengthening Our Community – Prepare and Recover
Open: Now
Closes: Round 23, 5 December 2024
Value: Up to $25,000
Run By: Foundation for Rural Regional Renewal (FRRR)
This program focuses on building resilience and strengthening communities, and actively seek to support a more prepared and climate resilient remote, rural and regional Australia. FRRR recognises that small and remote areas are vulnerable to climate change and disasters, and experience capacity challenges in responding to and preparing for disasters where often existing disadvantage is exacerbated. Funding is available for a broad range of initiatives.
MARCH 2025:
17 Mar - Creative Industries - Connectivity
Funding for new collaborative opportunities between the arts and cultural sector and the creative industries.
Key information
Status: Open
Grant amount: From $30,000 to $50,000
Application opened: 20 November 2024
Application closes: 17 March 2025, 5:00 pm
Program objective
In response to Creative Communities, the NSW arts, culture and creative industries policy, the purpose of this funding is to:
Incentivise new collaborative opportunities between the traditional arts and cultural sector and creative industries.
Encourage innovative partnerships that have potential for ongoing sustainable outcomes.
Demonstrate possible future direction of arts and culture and creative industry partnerships.
Offer the potential to export more Australian stories to the world.
APRIL 2025:
30 April 2025 - Contemporary Music Festival Viability Fund
This program supports existing large-scale contemporary music festivals presented in NSW with a track record of delivering significant outcomes for contemporary music.
Program objective
This program is designed to grow and support the live music ecosystem in NSW through investment in the operations of established music festivals, alleviating short-term financial challenges and improve business and job retention during the cost-of-living crisis.
Funding will be available for government-related and operational costs for contemporary music festivals with event capacity of at least 15,000 people and are currently experiencing financial challenges.
Applications will be accepted on an as needs basis while the funding program is open. The program will close when the budget is exhausted, or 30 April 2025, whichever comes first.
Key information
Status: Open
Grant amount: Up to $500,000
Application opened: 18 September 2024
Application closes: 30 April 2025, 5:00 pm
ONGOING GRANT FUNDING
‘Lights On, Doors Open’ – Stipend Program Supporting Volunteer-led Museums in NSW
The ‘Lights On, Doors Open’ stipend program has been established to relieve the pressures faced by volunteer-led museums and Aboriginal cultural spaces in NSW.
Various short-term, operational projects, such as (but not limited to) the following areas:
Bills for amenities
Small maintenance jobs
IT support
Small marketing projects
Fees for service
For more information head to the Museums & Galleries of NSW website.
Funding will be allocated based on the order of eligible applications received until funds are exhausted.
Regional Event Fund: Event Development Stream
This grant supports the strategic growth of proven events that demonstrate a clear rationale for the continued development of its tourism potential. The Event Development stream supports events that have previously received the maximum funding permitted through the Flagship Event stream and can present a strategy for future growth that includes the continued development of its tourism potential to drive overnight visitation to the event.
Grant amount: Up to $50,000
Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program (rPPP) - Stream One: Precinct development and planning
The RPPP Precinct development and planning offers grants up to $5 million to develop a precinct idea through to investment-ready stage in partnership with local stakeholders to benefit regional communities.
Destination NSW - Regional Event Fund
The Regional Event Fund identifies and supports events in regional NSW that have the potential to act as a ‘cornerstone’ or flagship tourism event for their area by attracting overnight visitation and delivering long term benefits to the region. Applications for the 2023/24 Regional Event Fund will open on Thursday, 2 March 2023 for events held between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024. Grants are available through the three streams listed on the website.
Major Projects Facilitation Agency (MPFA) - Major Project Status
Major Project Status enables strategically significant projects facing complex regulatory challenges to get extra support and coordinated approvals. Developers with projects over $50 million, facing complex regulatory approval challenges, and of strategic significance to Australia.
State Heritage Register Emergency Works Funding NSW - State Heritage Register Emergency Works Funding NSW
State Heritage Register Emergency Works Funding provides owners and managers of heritage items with funding to help protect and repair damage caused by unexpected events, including extreme storms or accidents.
First Nations Tourism Mentoring Program (FNTMP) - Free mentoring support for First Nations tourism businesses
This program provides free mentoring support to eligible First Nations tourism businesses.
Screen NSW - Regional Filming Fund
The Regional Filming Fund offsets costs associated with shooting in regional areas of NSW.
The objectives of the program are to:
Increase economic activity in regional NSW, by encouraging NSW screen productions to film outside of metropolitan areas
Enable regional NSW to benefit from the growth of film and television production in the State.
Funding amount: Up to $175,000
Applications open: 31 October 2023
Screen NSW - Location Scouts and Inbounds Program
The program offers long-form footloose productions scouting assistance for location surveys for eligible projects and may include covering some of the costs associated with location surveys including accommodation, domestic flights, vehicle hire and location manager services. Eligible projects are feature films, telemovies, mini-series, TV series or reality programs.
Funding amount: Up to $3,000
Applications: Open
Screen NSW - Made in NSW
Screen NSW’s Made in NSW Program is a five-year funding program to support the advancement of NSW as a production destination for feature films and major television drama programs.
Screen NSW - Digital Games Rebate
The NSW Government is offering a 10 percent rebate on eligible digital games.
Screen NSW - Development Program
Screen NSW Development funding supports writers and producers to develop fiction or unscripted (documentary) and online projects with distinctive ideas and ambitious stories.
Funding amount: Up to $50,000 depending on the project type and level of market interest
Applications open from Monday 30 October 2023
Screen NSW - Strategic Opportunities
The Strategic Opportunities Program supports initiatives and events that strengthen NSW’s screen industry. The Strategic Opportunities Program is a big-picture funding initiative administered by Screen NSW to strengthen the NSW screen industry. This ongoing program supports initiatives and events that demonstrate long-term benefits to the NSW screen industry. Projects and events with high artistic quality, particularly those involving people from underrepresented groups and priority areas, are highly valued in the competitive assessment process.
Funding amount: From $2,000
Applications: Open
Screen Australia – First Nations Program: Sector Development (Travel Grants)
The Travel Grants program is designed to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander filmmakers in travelling to key international and Australian events. Professional development is a key objective.
Screen Australia – First Nations Program: Documentary Production
This program seeks to support strong and distinctive documentary projects primarily to assist in the professional development of the key creative team.
Lights On, Doors Open’ – Stipend Program Supporting Volunteer-led Museums in NSW
The program has been established to relieve the pressures faced by volunteer-led museums and Aboriginal cultural spaces in NSW and aims to support eligible organisations, reduce the burden of constant fundraising, and allow them to focus on collections, maintenance, and best practices. Grants of $2,000 are available for eligible applicants. Up to 113 organisations will benefit from this initiative. Note: Funding will be allocated based on the order of eligible applications received until funds are exhausted.
Microsoft for Nonprofits
Provides grants and discounts across Microsoft cloud products.
Create NSW Quick Response Grants - Small Project Grants (Quick Response) for Individuals
Small Project Grants (Quick Response) support the creation, development and presentation of new work and professional development opportunities for NSW-based professional artists, groups and arts and cultural workers (including museum workers). You can apply for funding from $500 up to $5000. Quick Response Grants are delivered each year from February to November. Please note: Your project must be urgent or time-sensitive. Your project must commence three weeks after the date you submit your application. You must complete your project within 3 months of receiving funding.
Performers’ Trust Foundation
Up to $3000 for individuals and $5000 for groups or organisations
Premier’s Discretionary Fund
Supports community-based projects which are identified by the Premier through ongoing community engagement. Please see funding provider’s website for the types of projects previously funded.
The National Ethnic and Multicultural Broadcasters’ Council Tony Manicaros Grant
Funds innovative projects which utilise, extend or develop opportunities in ethnic community radio broadcasting. Up to $2,000 can be given to a project.
Innovate Grant
Provides grants to artists and photographers to act as sparks of financial support that ignite your creative development. Grant cycles are open 4 times a year (Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter). Each quarterly cycle: Two (2) US$550.00 grants awarded and four (4) honorable mentions. All recipients will be featured and recognized on Innovate’s website.
These small and mighty bursts of financial support aim to help you:
– Develop New Ideas
– Experiment with New Forms
– Create New Work.
Institute of Community Directors Scholarships.
Offers part-scholarships to not-for-profit leaders to complete the acclaimed ICDA Diploma of Governance. The ICDA Diploma of Governance is the only Diploma-level course specifically designed for the not-for-profit sector.
William Fletcher Foundation William Fletcher Artist Grants
Provides grants for the development of talented Australian artists.
A range of support is available, including:
– Support grants for students
– Development grants for mid-career artists
– NIDA Student Grants
– Sydney Theatre Awards
– Julian Ashton Half-Scholarship
Creative Partnerships Australia Australian Cultural Fund
Helps raise funds for Australian artists, via a donation-based fundraising platform.
The Australian Cultural Fund is a fundraising platform for Australian artists. It is managed by Creative Partnerships Australia and was established by the Australian Government in 2003 to encourage donations to the arts. Through the ACF, artists upload their project, start their fundraising campaign and invite art lovers and supporters to donate.
Gandel Foundation Community Grants
Seeks to prioritise support for the most vulnerable and marginalised groups in our society, and aims to help build stronger, more resilient, more vibrant and more inclusive communities.
Community grants are allocated up to a maximum amount of $40,000. They are generally envisaged as one-off grants aimed at providing support for a defined program or part of a program.
Club Grants are now open right across the region.
Head to the Club Grants page and find out more.
EMERGENCY HERITAGE WORKS GRANTS
The Emergency works grants are open all year round to eligible applicants and subject to available funding. These grants support the protection or repairs to declared Aboriginal Places, items listed on the State Heritage Register, or items with a current interim heritage order that have been damaged by unexpected events (such as an extreme storm or accident) and where your insurance does not cover this cost.
Grant amount: Up to $10,000
Application opened: 1 July 2023
Application closes: 30 June 2025