Plus1

Up to $50,000 in matched funding for small to medium not-for-profit organisations to develop fundraising campaigns, and secure new supporters.

Brisbane Writers Festival 2017, Angels Palace. Image: Dan Seed

About the program

Plus1 is a program to assist small-to-medium not-for-profit arts and cultural organisations develop their fundraising capacity, attract private sector support, grow stronger and broader networks and build supportive partnerships.   

The program pledges dollar-for-dollar matched funding of monies raised through a nominated fundraising campaign.   

Successful organisations are able to leverage this pledge to help develop and secure support.  

The type and scope of the project/activity presented for Plus1 support is determined by the applicant. 

 Examples include but are not limited to:  

  • Employment of artists or arts/culture workers (new contracts or continued employment of existing staff)
  • Core operational costs
  • Creating and presenting new works. E.g. artist’s fees, creative development, production, marketing and touring costs 
  • Program initiatives. E.g. education programs and/or scholarship opportunities
  • Employment of new staff. E.g. an artistic director, business development manager, or fundraising and marketing staff
  • Fundraising support. E.g. campaign expenses, customer relationship management, and IT software and hardware
  • Capital works or building upgrades

Plus1 campaigns should have a legacy impact on supported organisations, with benefits to the organisation beyond the funding period. Typical impacts include:    

  • New donors contributing to the organisation
  • Increased investment from existing donors
  • Acquisition of new skills through the undertaking of the fundraising campaign

Who can apply:

  • legally constituted entities (with an ABN).  
  • those registered as a not-for-profit organisation, as defined by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO)1  
  • with an annual turnover of less than $5 million in the calendar year 2023 or financial year 2022/23
  • based in Australia and are carrying out the majority of their arts activity or practice within Australia
  • operating with the primary purpose of providing arts and cultural opportunities for Australian artists and audiences

Who can’t apply:

  • recipients of Plus1 2023/24 funding
  • schools or tertiary training institutions. Please note: Plus1 will accept applications from organisations that are linked to a tertiary training institution, if and only when the organisation can demonstrate that they do not receive any financial income from the institution
  • organisations with an annual turnover of $5 million or more in the calendar year 2023 or financial year 2022/23 depending on which financial calendar your organisation adheres to
  • entities whose primary purpose is to support the fundraising activities of another organisation that would otherwise not meet the Plus1 eligibility requirements

Applicants should not undertake any activity that depends on support from us prior to notification of Plus1 decisions.  

Fundraising legislation varies from state to state. Before submitting a Plus1 application, please familiarise yourself with your state’s legislation. Information is available at The Funding Centre and ATO websites. 

Plus1 is divided into two streams: 

Stream A: for applicants with an annual turnover in the previous financial year of up to $500,000. Stream A applicants are eligible to request up to $25,000 in matched funding.   

Stream B: for applicants with an annual turnover in the previous financial year from $500,000 up to and including $5 million. Stream B applicants are eligible to request up to $50,000 in matched funding.  

If your organisation falls into Stream A due to annual turnover, but you believe you would like to be considered for Stream B (up to $50,000 in matched funding) please contact the Private Investment Capability team to discuss an exemption.    

Please note that all successful applicants will need to meet the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2021-2031. More information regarding the framework can be found here. 

We strongly encourage those interested in applying to contact the Private Investment Capability team or your Creative Australia State Manager Development and Partnerships here to discuss your Plus1 application prior to applying. In-person or online appointments can be arranged.  To find out more about Plus1 you can watch a short video here.   

Applications will be assessed by Creative Australia and a Plus1 industry advisory panel comprising people with expertise in arts fundraising and development.   

Final decisions will be made by Creative Australia, based on the panel assessments and Creative Australia’s Risk Assessment Methodology. Consideration is also given to ensuring that successful applicants reflect a geographical spread across all states and territories, as well as a spread across art forms.  

If your organisation has received Plus1 support in the past, your campaign proposal must demonstrate that it is designed to attract new donors.   

We will offer ‘in-principle’ support to successful applicants, up to the amount requested (capped at $25,000 for Stream A applicants and $50,000 for Stream B applicants).  

Successful applicants will need to complete an online declaration to accept program conditions and confirm participation.  

Successful applicants must undertake fundraising campaigns between Monday 7 October 2024 and 31 May 2025.  All funds sourced through Plus1 fundraising campaigns must be secured by 31 May 2025.  

Plus1 will match funds sourced from:  

  • Philanthropy, including:  
  • Individual giving  
  • Community giving  
  • Trusts and foundations   
  • Business giving  
  • Business sponsorship  
  • Fundraising events  
  • Crowdfunding   
  • Workplace giving programs


Plus1 will not match:  

  • Bequests  
  • In-kind support  
  • Loans  
  • Earned income (including membership, box office and non-deductible ticket expenses)  
  • Local, state or federal government funding  
  • Hospitality, food and beverage income  
  • Funds raised prior to 7 October 2024

Once the target is reached, recipients need to verify their funds raised prior receiving their matched funding. Recipients should retain the following documentation:   

  • Copies of bank statements with donor names, deposit amount and dates
  • Copies of bank-issued deposit receipt provided to donors
  • Written confirmation from donors that funds have been deposited

Recipients will be paid by 30 June 2025, subject to the verification being approved and a tax invoice being provided to us.  

Our Plus1 funding agreement conditions ask that organisations agree to:  

  • Seek approval in advance of any changes to the Plus1 project/activity (e.g. changes in the scope, budget or timeline)
  • Provide Plus1 project/activity information to us on request
  • Provide acquittals as outlined below
  • Satisfactorily account for funds spent or return any monies unaccounted for
  • Comply with all applicable laws
  • Acknowledge our support — including use of our logo in all promotional material associated with the project and on your website

Successful recipients can commence their funded project/activity once they have completed their fundraising and received the Plus1 grant.  

Recipients are expected to liaise regularly with the Private Investment Capability team and communicate any project changes or challenges. Any changes to the funded project/activity must be approved by us in advance.  

Recipients are required to report on the progress and results of their campaign and project, as part of the acquittal process. Templates are provided to the recipient prior to the report due date via Fluxx.  


Acquittal 1: Fundraising Verification and Campaign Report due at the end of the fundraising campaign and no later than 13 June 2025.

  • Value of funds raised and the number and type of campaign contributors  
  • Evaluation of their campaign strategy
  • Assessment of unexpected problems, challenges and opportunities encountered through the campaign and overall impact to stakeholders


Acquittal 2: Final Project Report due by 30 June 2026:  

  • How private sector funding and Plus1 matched funds were spent  
  • Overall benefits of Plus1 project/activity to the organisation and stakeholders
  • Financial reconciliation of the project/activity
  • Additional information as requested, including testimonials, media, promotional material and details of ongoing donor relationships


Long-term outcomes (on request)  

Recipients must provide all project/activity reports to us to meet their contractual obligations. We cannot provide further funding to organisations with overdue progress reports.  

All Plus1 applications must outline:  

  • Your organisation
  • The proposed fundraising campaign strategy and target
  • The key messages of support for the fundraising campaign
  • Key areas of responsibility for the campaign delivery in your organisation
  • The groups and networks to be approached during the campaign
  • How Plus1 will be used to leverage support from the private sector
  • The long-term benefits of the Plus1 opportunity on the organisation
  • The donor stewardship plan
  • The proposed project/activity
  • The budget for the proposed project/activity

All Plus1 applications must provide:  

  • Audited accounts for the organisation’s last full year of operation
  • A current profit and loss statement and a current balance sheet

Budget figures for external services or products such as consultancy fees, hardware purchases, software expenses, etc. must be supported with quotes from suppliers.  

The assessment process will consider: 

Industry Advisors will assess the quality of the fundraising plan. They may consider: 

  • A clearly articulated fundraising strategy that demonstrates a strong likelihood of success
  • An achievable fundraising target
  • Well communicated case for support for the project and its benefits to the organisation

Industry Advisors will assess the viability of the proposed fundraising activities, planning and budget. They may consider: 

  • A demonstrated track record of your arts practice
  • Evidence of any previous experience in fundraising or your willingness to learn new skills
  • Evidence of your capacity to fundraise and deliver a fundraising plan that builds private sector support (individual donations, crowdfunding, philanthropy, trusts or foundations, and business sponsorship)
  • Evidence the budget is realistic and well-planned

Industry Advisors will assess the expected impact of the opportunity on your organisation. They may consider: 

  • Evidence that your proposed plan will build skills in fundraising and increase your knowledge of philanthropy and business partnerships, to create sustainable sources of revenue into the future
  • Evidence that your proposed plan will assist in the ongoing sustainability of your arts practice

Final decisions will be made by Creative Australia. Consideration is also given to ensuring that successful applicants reflect a geographical spread across all states and territories, as well as a spread across art forms.  

Before you submit your application, read these guidelines thoroughly and contact the Private Investment Capability team with any questions. Your application can be saved and edited at any time until the application deadline. Once submitted, you cannot make further edits or amendments.   

Fundraising resources, FAQs, case studies and previous Plus1 results are available on our website.

Key dates

  • Applications closed
  • Assessment: Wednesday 7 August – Friday 4 October 2024
  • Notification: Monday 7 October 2024

Contacts 

Private Investment Capability team
T: 03 9616 0321
E: cpa.programs@creative.gov.au 

Relevant links

Plus1 case study: Barking Gecko

Plus1 case study: Abbotsford Convent

PICA Philanthropy Program: A Marathon Not a Sprint

 

 

Frequently asked questions

Plus1 aims to help organisations build new relationships and networks, increase their private sector support, and develop their fundraising capacity.

We do this by offering matched funding as an incentive to help you gather the support your organisation needs. It’s a particularly effective leverage tool.

Put simply, if your Plus1 application is successful, you run a fundraising campaign to raise money for a project of your choice; and we match whatever you raise during the campaign, capped at either $25,000 or $50,000 depending on the scale of your organisation. So you effectively double your fundraising dollars!

So far, Plus1 has supported more than 250 organisations around Australia to reach their fundraising targets and realise their projects.

Plus1 is for small-to-medium organisations in Australia’s arts industry. So that we can most effectively support this part of the sector, we’ve chosen to define eligible organisations as those that:

  • are a legally constituted entity (with an ABN) and are registered as a not-for-profit organisation (as defined by the Australian Taxation Office)
  • have an annual turnover of less than $5 million in the previous financial year
  • are based in Australia, and are carrying out the majority of their arts activity or practice within Australia
  • are operating with the primary purpose of providing arts and cultural opportunities for Australian artists and audiences

If you’re not sure if your organisation fits into this box, it’s best to get in touch.

Yes, government agencies/entities are eligible to apply, provided they can raise funds from the private sector and demonstrate that funds will be directed to a dedicated arts entity engaging professional artists (e.g. a council-run gallery or an arts and health centre that employ professional artists) and they must have an annual turnover of less than $5 million from the previous financial year.

The fundraising target and the project or activity you take on with the funds you raise is totally up to you. You don’t need to choose a project from the examples listed in the guidelines [above]; if it addresses an identified need in your organisation and presents as an attractive proposition for donors, then it’s good to go.

What’s important is that you show us how Plus1 will help your organisation find new donors, and the strategy you’ve put together to make this happen. In particular, Plus1 is about finding and developing new avenues of support. Reaching out to those who haven’t supported you before should be an important part of your fundraising strategy.

You also need to show us why your project is important, and how the campaign will benefit your organisation in the long term.

Recipients of Plus1 funding in the previous year are not eligible. Schools and tertiary training institutions are also not eligible.

There’s a range of different items and activities we can’t match, either.

Plus1 is not for individual artists or independent arts groups. We have a specific program – MATCH Lab – for individual artists and groups to develop their fundraising skills and experience.

Yes, unless you received Plus funding in the previous round.

If you received Plus1 funding in 2023/24 or earlier and your organisations does not have an existing or outstanding funding agreement or acquittal with us you can apply again.

However, if you’ve received Plus1 funding from us before, you’ll need to tell us in your application how your new fundraising campaign has built off the success of your earlier Plus1 campaign.

We suggest giving our Private Investment Capability team a call (03 9616 0321) if you want to apply for Plus1 a second time.

Yes! We strongly recommend that you get in touch to discuss your application before submitting it. We’re here to help and answer any questions you may have.

All Plus1 applications must outline:

  • Your organisation
  • What stream you are eligible for
  • The proposed fundraising campaign strategy and target
  • The key messages of support for the fundraising campaign
  • Key responsibility areas for fundraising staff
  • The groups and networks to be approached during the campaign
  • How Plus1 will be used to leverage support from the private sector
  • The long term benefits of the Plus1 opportunity on the organisation
  • The donor stewardship plan
  • The proposed project/activity
  • The budget for the proposed project/activity
  • Audited accounts (to be provided as an attachment)

You’ll also need to support budget figures for external services or products such as consultancy fees, hardware purchases, software expenses, etc. with quotes from suppliers.

No. We will only consider one application from each applicant in each round.

We can’t read over your application, but we can guide you through the process and talk through your ideas.

We’ve developed resources and case studies on our website that help you think holistically about your professional practice and develop knowledge about the various income streams available to artists across government funding, crowdfunding, donations, foundations, sponsorship, and selling products and services. Our expectation is that you have taken the time to read these important resources before applying.

If you’d like to talk to someone, no problem at all – pick up the phone and call our Private Investment Capability Team (03 9616 0321), or book an appointment with one of our State Managers Development & Partnerships.

No. You don’t need to upload or attach any support material to your application. Any additional information (letters of support etc.) that is uploaded or attached to the application won’t be included in the assessment.

The most important thing you can do is read all the resources we’ve put together for you. Read the guidelines and application forms thoroughly before you apply, and well before the closing date!

Before applying, we encourage you to chat to our Private Investment Capability team (03 9616 0321), or book an appointment with one of our State Managers Development & Partnerships.

The budget in the application is for your PROJECT that you are raising the funds for. It should also include your fundraising costs.

In your budget you must also:

  • include your private sector fundraising target AND the Plus1/MATCH Lab funding amount you are requesting in your income
  • include all income sources for your project/activity. e.g. other government sources (federal/state/local council), ticket income etc.
  • include CONFIRMED (C) or NOT CONFIRMED (NC) next to all income sources
  • balance your budget for the application to be eligible for assessment (total income = total expenditure)

See below example for how to complete the budget in your application.

Income $ Expenditure $
Plus1 or MATCH Lab grant (NC) $3,000 Expense item 1 $300
Fundraising event 1 (NC) $1,000 Expense item 2 $1,200
Online fundraising campaign (NC) $2,000 Expense item 3 $4,000
Other government grant (C) $12,000 Expense item 4 $6,708
Ticket sales (NC) $1,800 Expense item 5 $3,000
Expense item 6 $250
Expense item 7 $3,500
Expense item 8 $842
Total $19,800 Total $19,800

Leveraging is just another way of explaining how you will use the dollar-for-dollar matched funding to attract donors and partners and reach your fundraising target. This is not your typical grant or funding opportunity – the harder you work it, the better the result!

No. You only need to upload a budget quote or invoice for large expenses to qualify a large amount of money.

Please attach the latest records that your organisation has complete. You can attach either financial or calendar year records, depending on what system your organisation uses. For example, where the application form asks you to attach “Audited accounts for your last full year of operations“ you can attach your audited accounts for previous financial year.

If you do not feel that the records you attach give an accurate picture of your organisation’s real financial position, please use the “Financial commentary (optional)” text field to add further detail. This information will be read together with your attachments.

If your organisation falls below the turnover required by the ATO, you can submit unaudited financial records.

Successful applicants must undertake fundraising campaigns between Monday 7 October 2024 and 31 May 2025.  All funds sourced through Plus1 fundraising campaigns must be secured by 31 May 2025.

Plus1 will not match funds raised before or after this time.