Applicants must demonstrate that they:  

• are a legally constituted entity (with an ABN)
• have an annual turnover of less than $5 million in the calendar year 2024 or financial year 2023/24
• 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.    

Plus1 will not accept applications from:   

• recipients of Plus1 2024/25 funding
• organisations with an annual turnover of $5 million or more in the calendar year 2024 or financial year 2023/24 depending on which financial calendar your organisation adheres to
• entities whose primary purpose is to support the fundraising activities of another organisation that have either received Plus1 funding in 2024/25 or have an annual turnover of $5 million or more in the calendar year 2024 or financial year 2023/24 depending on which financial calendar the organisation adheres to.   

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. 

Your application must comply with the following protocols. We may contact you to request further information during the assessment process, or if successful, as a condition of your funding.  

Protocols for using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property in the Arts  

All applications involving First Nations artists, communities or subject matter must adhere to these Protocols and provide evidence of this in their application. More information regarding First Nations Protocols can be found here. 

National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 

Please note that all successful applicants will need to meet the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2009-2020. More information regarding the framework can be found here.     

We received 167 eligible applications for Plus1 matched funding (a 51% increase from the previous round), closing date Tuesday 5 August 2025. 31 applications were supported.

From Tuesday 14 October, you can use our online grants database to see the list of funded applications. 

The industry advisors provided some general feedback on applications to this round below which you may find helpful:  

• Overall, the quality of applications was extremely high, reflecting the hard work and effort organisations are putting behind fundraising as an important income stream for financial sustainability, reflecting that fundraising is more than just a campaign to meet a need but engrained in organisations' operational activities.
• Industry advisors celebrated applications that were straightforward, clearly written and didn’t leave them guessing or looking for the relevant information regarding the fundraising strategy, case for support and how it would be resourced.
• Fundraising history should be considered when setting the matched funding figure. Simply going for what is available without a proven track record and little detail on why the stretch made it difficult for Advisors to have confidence in the target being met.
• Competitive applications presented a strong structured case for support that blended compelling storytelling with data-driven evidence to convince potential supporters of the need for support and the outcome their support would achieve.
• Applications that were focused on using the Plus1 matched funding opportunity to secure financial support for businesses generally required more information on their prospects and their relationship with the organisation to provide some certainty that the ambition of a financial relationship with the business could be realised during the fundraising period for the program.
• Industry advisors celebrated proposals that demonstrated the long-term benefits of the opportunity beyond the fundraising campaign to maintain and grow supporters who supported their Plus1 campaign. 

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.    

Additional support can be discussed where needed. Where the additional support required is beyond the scope of what our team can provide, we may recommend speaking to an appropriate organisation for further assistance. 

Your application can be saved and edited at any time until the application deadline. Once submitted, you cannot make further edits or amendments.    

The information you’ll need to provide in your application includes:  

• a brief outline of 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 campaign/cause
• 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. 

Assessment: Wednesday 6 August – Friday 3 October 2025 

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’s advice. 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.   

For more information on how we assess applications please visit our  Assessment page.  

The assessment process will consider: 

Quality  

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. 

Viability 

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

• a demonstrated track record of providing arts and cultural opportunities for Australian artists and audiences
• evidence of any previous experience in fundraising or willingness to learn new skills
• evidence of mechanisms in place to undertake the fundraising campaign
• 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.  

Impact 

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.  

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 7 October 2025 and 31 May 2026.  All funds sourced through Plus1 fundraising campaigns must be secured by 31 May 2026.    

Plus1 will match funds sourced from:   

• individual giving  
• trusts and foundations    
• business sponsorship  
• crowdfunding   
• workplace giving programs  
• fundraising events (see below for exclusions around earned income).

Plus1 will not match:   

• bequests  
• in-kind support  
• loans  
• earned income (including membership, box office, non-deductible ticket expenses, food and beverage income)  
• local, state or federal government funding  
• funds raised prior to 7 October 2025.

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 2026, subject to the verification being approved.  

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 logo in all promotional material associated with the project and on your website.   

Using the money raised through the fundraising campaign you deliver the intended project/activity.  

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 12 June 2026.  

• 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 2027:   

• 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.   

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)
• 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 2024/25 funding
• organisations with an annual turnover of $5 million or more in the calendar year 2024 or financial year 2023/24 depending on which financial calendar your organisation adheres to
• entities whose primary purpose is to support the fundraising activities of another organisation that have either received Plus1 funding in 2024/25 or have an annual turnover of $5 million or more in the calendar year 2024 or financial year 2023/24 depending on which financial calendar the organisation adheres to.  

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:

• A brief outline of 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 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 campaign/cause
• 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.

Our Fundraising Resources are currently under review. Resources are available on request via your State Manager Development and Partnerships by emailing cpa.programs@creative.gov.au.

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.

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.

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  7 October 2025 and 31 May 2026.  All funds sourced through Plus1 fundraising campaigns must be secured by 31 May 2026.

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