Content Development - National Program grants 2015/16

Submissions closed at 5:00PM 29 June 2015 (AEST).

Funds are available to support the development, production and distribution of new radio content by Australian community broadcasting stations. This category is about supporting regular programs considered necessary for national distribution across the community broadcasting sector.

Consideration of Content Development grants is the responsibility of the General Grants Advisory Committee (GGAC). Applications will be considered in July with grant results announced following the CBF Board meeting in late August.

Application procedure

To apply you will need to use an online grant application system called SmartyGrants.

Read the grant guidelines and online application form; complete and submit your application online before the deadline.

Discuss your project with the relevant CBF Grants Administrator before submitting your application.

CBF Grants Administrator:

Claire Stuchbery
Telephone: (03) 8341 5900
Email: cstuchbery@cbf.com.au

For further information see:

Applying for the first time?

General information for all applicants

SmartyGrants Guide for Applicants

Return to CBF website

 

*** THIS GRANT ROUND IS NOW CLOSED ***

See grant guidelines for previous round below.

 

Guidelines for Content Development - National Program grants

Please read these grant guidelines before you apply.  The grant guidelines include important information about this grant category including what you can use the grant for and the criteria used by the General Grants Advisory Committee to assess your application.

1. What is the objective of the Content Development grant category?

To support the development, production and distribution of new radio content by Australian community broadcasting stations.

This category is about supporting regular programs considered necessary for national distribution across the community broadcasting sector.

New radio content is content that has never been broadcast before. And radio doesn’t end with the broadcast on a terrestrial service. You should consider other creative components to compliment your program, such as (and in no way limited to): photos/pictures, a blog, a zine, social media, videos of live music performances, local artists might produce art for an exhibition that can contextualise your broadcast, and an interactive online map to help listeners understand the locality and geography of your content.

Explore the Community Media Training Organisation’s AudioLab for inspiration.

2. Who is eligible to apply?

You can apply for a Content Development – National Program grant if you are:

  • a community broadcasting station with a long term or temporary license
  • a non-profit community broadcasting sector organisation

Community broadcasting sector organisations provide services and resources for the sector and hold a representative membership of stations.

A station with a temporary license must have been on air for at least two years cumulatively prior to applying.

3. How much can you apply for?

As a guide only, it is expected that weekly programs will fall within the range of $5,000 – $30,000, depending on length and production complexity.

Stations can apply as many times as they like, however a maximum of 5 Content Development applications will be funded across categories. Exemptions apply where a consortium of 3 or more stations apply for a program to the benefit of other stations. We aim to support as many stations across the sector as possible.

4. What are the priorities in this grant category?

Each priority is not required to be met but applications that do address one or more priority area will be looked on more favourably. We will prioritise programs which

  • demonstrate collaboration between multiple stations to produce programs for distribution to the broader sector;
  • have a high proportion of spoken word content or musical content recorded by the station;
  • demonstrate strong and innovative engagement with community services such as local councils, cultural organisations, community groups, schools, emergency services, Indigenous groups, migrant and refugee services and sporting organisations;
  • encourage multiple contributors in the production and/or presentation of the content; and/or
  • utilise multimedia platforms such as digital radio, video, social media, art forms and online distribution.

5. What can't you use the grant for?

  • Programs that are currently or more appropriately funded in other CBF grant categories.
  • Station operational costs.
  • Overseas travel.
  • Studio equipment.
  • Costs that could easily be met by a station’s in-kind contribution such as studio hire fees and admin staff work time.
  • Contingency costs.

6. What should you include in the application?

  • A program pilot or previous production. This should be of maximum length 10 minutes and 25mb and should showcase a typical program.
  • A letter of support from any other national distribution platform manager you plan to distribute your program through, including National Indigenous Radio Service (NIRS), CMA MediaPoint, RPH MediaPoint and satellite service; and/or Program Distribution Service (PDS).
  • Most recent Annual Report with audited financial statements
  • A program demo or pilot. This demo should be of maximum length 10 minutes and 25mb and should showcase a typical program. For OB’s, please include a brief excerpt of a previous OB produced by your station.
  • A program guide showing content that is currently locally produced by station volunteers and staff.
  • Most recent Annual Report with audited financial statements, even if you have supplied this information to the CBF previously.