Frequently Asked Questions

Application process

What is community media?
What grants are available?
How are CBF funding streams allocated?
When do I apply?
How do I apply?
Can I apply for more than one grant?
How long does a grant application take to complete?
Can I get help using SmartyGrants?
What if I miss the grant deadline?
What if my organisation received funding in Round 1?

Application form

Why are some sections of the application form grey?
Why is the CBF asking questions about diversity, inclusion and accessibility?
How do I complete the budget table?
What are in-kind contributions?
Do I have to provide supporting documents?
How should I format my attachments?
What if we don’t have a Strategic Plan?
What are the Annual Report and financial statements requested in the application?
Why do we ask questions about your organisation’s current cash balance?
What is meant by a Strategic Plan or Business Plan?
What does building capacity mean?

Development & Operations grants

What do the CBF Development & Operations funding objectives mean?
How much should we apply for?
What is an exceptional business case?
Are some activities prioritised over others?
How much funding is available?
What is meant by membership fees?
Are basics like studio rent, power and insurance considered operational support?
Can we apply for funds to keep just in case some equipment breaks down unexpectedly?
Where can we get advice about which equipment is best?
Could we employ a full-time Station Manager funded by an annual grant?
What should I include in a Position Description?
What is an organisational chart?
What additional documentation should I provide to support my application?

Content grants

What do the CBF Content funding objectives mean?
What are Community media sector organisations?
How do we define who is a recognised community media organisation?
What is a TV pilot?
Are some activities prioritised over others?
How much funding is available?
Can I apply for wages under Content grants?
My proposal is for a new program, do I have to provide a demo?
My project has a First Nations focus, is there anything I need to consider?

Specialist Radio Programming

Summary of Programs
Programs in development
What activities are incentivised?
Where can I learn more about radio reading?
Do I have to provide a budget for each Specialist Radio Program?
What is the community/broadcaster engagement admin fee?
How much should we apply for on behalf of our Specialist Program groups?
Are the figures in how much to apply capped amounts?
How will Specialist Radio Programming requests be assessed?
Should I request the same amount as last year?

Assessment

When will I find out the outcome of my application?
When will the grant be paid?
How does priority loading work?
Will the priority loading change in future years?
Why is there a question about suggesting Grant Assessors in the application form?
How will the application be assessed?

Grant process

How will grant reporting work when there are lots of components to each grant application?
How will multi-year funding work?
Are there any salary restrictions?
What are my obligations if I receive a grant?
Why does my Grant Agreement ask about compliance with legislation related to vulnerable people?
Is GST payable on my grant?

Grant Reports

What’s included in the report?
When will we need to report on the grant?
How do you complete a Grant Report?
Why do I need to complete a Grant Progress Report?
What’s involved in providing an Auditor’s Financial Certificate?
Who can sign my Auditor’s Financial Certificate?
Do I need to provide audited annual financial statements?
Will the CBF need further information about the spending of my grant?
What happens if my Grant Report is overdue?
What if I don’t spend all my grant funds?
Why do I need to include photos?

What is community media?

Roadmap 2033 is a ten-year plan for community broadcasters to achieve greater impact in every Australian community. The Roadmap outlines a shared vision for the future where: “Community broadcasting is at the heart of every community – where informed, connected communities are strengthened by trusted, creative, independent media.” 

Community media is community-owned media: radio, TV and their related online activities. It is independent and not-for-profit and predominantly relies on community volunteers to produce, present and develop their own programs and share information in languages relevant to the community served.

Although there is no single definition for community media, there are at least four general characteristics widely agreed on.

– It is not-for-profit: any surplus made is reinvested in the station and the community.
– Participation is possible for community members at all organisational levels – governance, programming and operating.
– Community media outlets support and contribute to their community’s social, economic and cultural development.
– It is independent from governments, advertisers and donors.

If you are an incorporated not-for-profit organisation producing content or auspicing on behalf of an independent producer you will need to demonstrate in your grant application that you have an agreement for the distribution of your content via a recognised community media organisation. Please refer to the conditions in the grant guidelines and contact the Grants Support Team before applying.

What grants are available?

There are two grant categories that stations can apply for during regular grant rounds.

• Development & Operations grants
• Content grants including Specialist Radio Programming grants
• Sector Investment grants

Projects meeting the eligibility criteria and funding conditions of our Quick Response grants are welcome at any time.

How are CBF funding streams allocated?

Each year we receive funding from the Australian Government to distribute to the community media sector via our grants programs. Our formal agreement with the Government specifies the funding streams available which include funding for specific target areas and sector-wide development initiatives. After the CBF’s administration costs are taken out, the remaining funds from the below streams are split between Content, Specialist Radio Programming, Development & Operations and Sector Investment grants as follows (click to enlarge):

When do I apply?

There are two grant rounds in the year. Organisations are encouraged to apply for support for the upcoming financial year in Round 1 (opens January) and seek support for unexpected needs that arise in Round 2 (opens mid-year). View Grants Available to confirm if we are accepting grant applications at this time.

We understand that sometimes unexpected things happen – emergencies occur, and opportunities arise that might not time well with our grant rounds. Outside of our regular grant rounds, projects meeting specific criteria and funding conditions may be eligible for a Quick Response grant.

How do I apply?

1. Read the grant guidelines for the two grant categories: Development & Operations and Content. Make sure you’re eligible to apply and take note of what may be funded and the maximum amount you can apply for. It may be useful to view what the CBF has funded previously (view Successful grants, Stories and our Annual Report) and read our Application Tips.
2. Make a plan outlining your organisation’s various funding requests. These can be for:
   -specific projects or programs, e.g. addition of an online shop to a station website, continuing a weekly environmental program, station open day.
   -infrastructure requirements e.g. studio equipment upgrade, transmission site relocation
   -operational expenses e.g. salaries, electricity for transmission site, accounting software
3. Engage your management committee, the people who will help write your application, manage the project, report back
4. Identify the grant categories your requests fall into either Development & Operations or Content. Review the details of each category on our grants page and contact a member of our Grants Support Team to chat about your proposed approach.
5. Preview the application form to get an idea of any attachments or information to you’ll need for your application, e.g. your station’s strategic plan, supplier quotes, financial reports etc.
6. Prepare your budget. Ensure it’s realistic and accurate as you’ll be reporting back on it if you’re successful.
7. Start work on your application in the SmartyGrants online grant application system. First-time users will need to create a log-in.
   -Development & Operations grants – one application can include multiple items and projects. You will need to detail information about the ideas, impacts and expenses for each project.
   -Content grants – you can submit multiple applications for different content projects. Firstly, complete a primary Content application form including your organisation details. For all the subsequent content applications in this round, you don’t need to fill out your organisation details; we will link them up for you.
   -For Specialist Radio Programming, you will need to complete a separate Content grant application form if your organisation is seeking support for ongoing ethnic, Indigenous or RPH programs.
8. Review your grant application to ensure it’s easy to read. Poorly presented applications may be more difficult to read and may be scored lower when assessed. Ensure you ask others to review your application before submitting to ensure your writing is clear and free of errors.
9. Submit your grant application by the grant deadline, ensuring all fields are completed and supporting material provided.

Can I apply for more than one grant?

Yes. You can apply for a Development & Operations and multiple Content grants in the same round. You can apply for any number of content projects, although a maximum of six projects can be supported per organisation, per financial year (excluding support for Specialist Radio Programming). You can also apply in both Round 1 and Round 2 within the same year.

How long does a grant application take to complete?

Generally, the time spent in producing an application and the level of detail involved depends on the amount requested, and the complexity of the project, e.g. The CBF would expect more planning and detail in a grant application for a $10,000 regional conference than for a $1,500 equipment purchase. Grantees have reported that applications take less than 12 hours to prepare.

Can I get help using SmartyGrants?

SmartyGrants is software used by the CBF to capture the information needed from our grant applicants. For technical support specifically related to SmartyGrants, view their Help Guide or contact a member of our Grants Support Team who may be able to guide you over the phone.

What if I miss a grant deadline?

Late applications will rarely be accepted unless you can make a case for truly exceptional circumstances (e.g. station fire or death in the family). Don’t risk missing out on grant funding – start your application well before the due date. We encourage all applicants to submit your proposal before the due date to avoid last minute issues.

What if my organisation received funding in Round 1?

You can apply in both Round 1 and Round 2 within the same year. The majority of grant funding is allocated in Round 1, with Round 2 primarily supporting unforeseen needs that have emerged during the year.

Why are some sections of the application form grey?

Some sections of the application form may appear in a faded grey, and you won’t be able to type responses. If a section of the form is greyed out, skip past it because it means you don’t need to complete it based on your answers earlier in the form. Alternatively, check back over your responses to earlier questions to make sure you didn’t miss a question that is relevant to your application.

Why is the CBF asking questions about diversity, inclusion and accessibility?

Supporting diverse communities sits at the heart of the CBF. Despite considerable advances made in recent decades, certain groups still experience disadvantages in our society – including in the community media sector.

We are committed to supporting diversity, inclusion and accessibility as outlined in Roadmap 2033 – the long-term strategy for community broadcasting in Australia. Because policies, practices and programs can affect groups of people in different ways, we give preference to applications and organisations that demonstrate participation, inclusion and equity for all people in your community with a focus on women, young people, First Nations Australians, multicultural, disability, LGBTQIA+, faith-based and regional and remote communities. 

We want community media organisations to think about how to be more inclusive and diversify representation at their station e.g. through volunteer participation (presenters, committees, Board members) or through producing and broadcasting diverse content.

Increasing the diversity of people you have at your station helps to bring different perspectives and can diversify your audience. For the people involved, it can be life-changing. We’re interested to hear about what you are doing currently or what you plan to do in the future to encourage members of diverse communities to participate at your organisation and how we can support you to do this work. 

How do I complete the budget table?

Each CBF grant application requires you to complete a budget. Some dot points including hints and tips on completing the budget table are listed in the application forms.

Content, Development & Operations and Sector Coordination grants all follow the same budget format as follows (Specialist Radio Programming grants contain a simpler format).

The first column in the budget table asks you to select from a drop-down list of eligible expenditure categories for the grant program. Select the category that best fits what you are applying for in the next column – Expenditure item. Note there is an Other option if you feel your item sits outside the categories listed but be sure to refer to ‘What can’t you apply for?’ in the grant guidelines to check if your item is eligible for support.

Provide specific detail in the Expenditure item column e.g. ‘Station Manager @ $40p/h x 30 hours p/w x 40 weeks’ or ‘Portable recorder and headphones.’

The total cost column refers to the entire expense for the item and then the following two columns – CBF request (the funds requested from the CBF grant you are applying for) and Other funds (additional funding contributed from e.g other funding partners, sponsors, crowdfunding or financial contributions from your organisation’s own resources) should add up to the total cost column. Provide detail in the Contributor-other funds column of the source of Other funds e.g. ‘Merri-bek council community grant’. The CBF request column or Other funds column may be listed as zero if applicable. Note: Applications in the Development & Operations category that are requesting $25k or more must demonstrate financial contributions from other funding sources.

You can attach quotes for items requested in the final column.

Tip: Your total cost must equal the total CBF request plus total Other funds. These are auto-calculated below the table for easy reference.

The multiyear budget section is formatted as described above but is separated out across three years with a budget table for each year funding is requested and an additional Budget comments field where further detail can be provided.

What are in-kind contributions?

In your grant application budget we ask you to include any financial and in-kind contributions from your organisation and partners. An in-kind contribution is a contribution of goods or services other than money. Some examples include: voluntary labour, donated goods or donated services. In-kind contributions demonstrate that your organisation is helping to cover costs associated with your project or activity request and indicate the financial worth of such activities. They assure the assessors that you are committed to the project or activity and make for a more robust budget. A common in-kind contribution included in applications from community media organisations and content-makers is volunteer labour e.g. Audio Production @ $40p/h * 1 hours p/w * 12 weeks (in-kind) = $480. Other in-kind contributions may include Studio hire, technical support, infrastructure/IT. The calculation of your in-kind contribution is based on your best estimates. Our Wage Rates Guide may assist you with calculating volunteer labour.

For more information on in-kind contributions see: Grants: Understanding in-kind contributions.

Do I have to provide supporting documents?

Your application will be stronger if you attach documents that help demonstrate evidence of need, partnerships or project planning, e.g. run sheets. Supporting documents help Grant Assessors understand your proposal more clearly and are particularly useful for larger requests. Check the section of the grant guidelines titled ‘what should you include in the application?’.

How should I format my attachments?

Follow this guide when attaching files to your grant application: 

• PDF (.pdf) is the preferred format for all attachments where appropriate. 
• Excel spreadsheets (.xlsx) may be more appropriate when attaching e.g. financial information or production schedules. 
• JPEG’s (.jpeg) or PNG (.png) files are the preferred format when attaching photos.
• NAME your files appropriately so they make sense and are easily locatable for assessors e.g. ‘2MCR block diagram June 2023’ or ‘Letter of support from Mansfield Men’s Shed June 2023.’ 
• Combine files with multiple pages so that you aren’t attaching them separately page by page to an application. 
• A group of files that can logically be grouped together and combined into a single PDF also makes things clearer and easier to navigate for assessors e.g. a series of letters of support from different organisations.
• Please keep your attachments to a reasonable minimum – assessors don’t have time to read, for example, 15 letters of support.  
• Ensure file size is not too large to allow easy access to assessors. SmartyGrants has a maximum file limit of 25 megabytes. However, it is strongly recommended you try to keep files under 5 megabytes.
• If you are attaching files, you need to allow sufficient time for the file to be uploaded to the page. You should not navigate to another page until the file has been successfully attached, otherwise the file upload will be cancelled. 
• After attaching files, check they are downloading correctly before submitting your application form. 

What if we don’t have a Strategic Plan?

Apply for help to get one! Our application forms ask you to attach a Strategic Plan, but we recognise that not all organisations have an up-to-date plan. If that’s the case for your organisation, you can request funding assistance to undertake a planning process as a development project in your Development & Operations grant application.

Grant funds might be used to help your organisation access a facilitator to guide this process, cover meeting expenses, printed materials or implementation resources to get planning documents together. You’ll be better placed to connect your grant application with your new Strategic Plan in the next grant round.

An application without a Strategic Plan or a timeline to develop one may be disadvantaged.

What are the Annual Report and financial statements requested in the application?

An Annual Report is a document in which the organisation tells its members about who was on the Board/Management Committee and what was accomplished during the year. The report should also include the annual financial statements. Typically, this would include a Statement of Income & Expenditure (or Profit & Loss), a Statement of Financial Position (Balance Sheet) and a Statement of Changes in Net Worth (Cash Flow Statement).

The CBF prefers but does not require that an auditor prepares financial statements provided with a grant application. If your state or national regulatory authority (e.g. Consumer Affairs Victoria, NSW Fair Trading) does not require you to submit audited statements to them, we will accept the unaudited annual financial statements approved at your Annual General Meeting. If you are one part of a larger organisation, please supply financials that provide insight into your business area only.

Why do we ask questions about your organisation’s current cash balance?

When assessors consider your Audited Financial Statements in applications, we ask them to consider the financial health and management of your organisation. Resilient community media organisations are financially and operationally fit with sufficient income from a diverse range of sources. Maintaining cash reserves is a good practice for organisations particularly if emergencies arise and grant support is not available. Demonstrating a healthy cash balance strengthens your application and will not disadvantage you when applying for CBF support.

You will however be asked ‘Why do you need CBF funding to continue or start these activities? And ‘Why can’t you fund this yourself? and the assessors will need to know why you can’t use your organisation’s own funding (as demonstrated by your cash balance and other financial documents) to complete your project or activities. You are also provided with a section entitled ‘Financial statement comments’ where you can provide further context around your cash reserves/balance e.g. income from radiothon before the end of last financial year carried over to cover operational costs in this financial year.

For more information see the CMTO’s Financial Management resource booklet (PDF 1MB).

What is meant by a Strategic Plan or Business Plan?

These are planning documents developed by your organisation to guide future activities.
A Strategic Plan would usually define the values and objectives of the organisation and outline achievable goals to meet those objectives over a defined timeframe (e.g. 3-5 years).

A Business Plan is usually focused on the financial development of the organisation, outlining in detail how the organisation will meet its goals through a marketing, financial and operational perspective. View more resources on business planning.

What does building capacity mean?

Building capacity essentially means ‘what do you need to do to make your organisation better’? This can relate to governance, operations, technical capacity or community engagement. Examples of capacity building include:

• Developing your capacity to broadcast at the level you’re licensed for through ACMA. This might mean getting a stronger transmitter, so your signal reaches more of your allowable broadcast footprint.
• Developing your operational capacity and financial sustainability by creating resources to help your team approach potential sponsors.
• Seeking technical advice on your software systems to develop a membership database.
• Reaching out to local community groups to engage them with your organisation.
• Projects to develop the financial literacy skills of your Board members, such as accessing resources on the Our Community website.

We encourage you to view our other Frequently Asked Questions and learn more about Successful Grant Recipients, Managing your Grant, Application Tips, Acknowledging the CBF and Other Funding Opportunities. 

What do the CBF Development & Operations funding objectives mean?

When setting the outcomes for your grant, you will need to align them with the grant category objectives as listed in the grant guidelines. Your activities may meet one or more of the grant objectives for the category and you are not expected to meet them all. The key question is which of our grant objectives will your project contribute to?

Some examples of activities that align with the D&O grant objectives include:

• Strengthen governance policies and practices that support longer term thinking: strategic planning, updating policies and processes, improving gender balance at your organisation, business development, professional development, succession planning, technology replacement planning, reducing environmental impact, business development
• Enhance capacity and capability that drives sustainability: salaries, training, mentoring, business development, professional development, marketing, building sponsors/subscribers/members, fundraising, production/transmission/administration equipment, website/ software development, solar panels, capital works, utilities, administration
• Increase resilience through preparations for unexpected change: strategic planning, updating policies and processes, technology replacement planning, training, mentoring, backup production/transmission/administration equipment
• Deepen engagement with identified communities: events/campaigns/training to increase participation or listenership of e.g. women, gender diverse people, First Nations Australians, culturally and linguistically diverse people, LGBTIQ+ people, people with disability, and people living in poverty in your community at your organisation
• Expand partnerships to maximise opportunities: activities to increase relationships and collaboration with like-minded community media organisations and other community partners, building sponsorships, shared infrastructure/facility projects, marketing, events, conference attendance
• Develop and embed inclusive and accessible practices: accessible building infrastructure, training and support, policies and procedures

See also Inspiration for your Development & Operations grant application for more info.

How much should we apply for?

You should apply for what you need to continue your good work and also for seed funds to get new ideas established.

As part of your Development and Operations grant submission, you should consider applying for core operational costs such as:

1. Transmission expenses for primary and secondary/translator sites (site rental, electricity at the transmission site/s, ongoing studio to transmitter linking costs if you do not use a microwave link).
2. Salary subsidies for key personnel and technical support (be aware it is unlikely we will cover the full cost of wages and on-costs)
3. Costs associated with your financial management such as accountant and auditor services.

You can also apply for infrastructure requirements to maintain and develop your services, including the cost of equipment, freight, installation and testing.

Alternatively, you can also request support for development projects such as strategic planning, promotional activities, training activities, business development and income diversification plans or any range of activities that meet the objectives of the Development & Operations grant category as outlined in the grant guidelines.

Your application will be assessed based on how the amount of funding requested compares to your expected outcomes. For example, you could apply for funding to support your transmission electricity costs while committing to review your governance policies and improve the gender balance at your organisation.

What is an exceptional business case?

Due to the highly competitive nature of the Development & Operations grant program, if your organisation has an average annual income over the past three years greater than $700,000 and you intend to seek support for core operations in your application, you will need to make an exceptional business case in order to be successful. Applicants with this level of income are discouraged from seeking support for core operations except where your organisation supports high levels of specialist programming content or where there are extenuating circumstances.

An exceptional business case may demonstrate the following:

• a clear justification and explanation of why the CBF should support your request for funding. What has happened that would encourage the Grants Advisory Committee to consider making an exception for your organisation in this instance?
• Options for possible solutions. Make a strong link between what you are requesting and the solution it will provide and if possible, provide multiple solutions for the Grants Advisory Committee to consider.
• Strong demonstration of impact – what are the significant outcomes for your organisation and for the sector that make your case exceptional?
• Tell a story. While the facts and the numbers help you make your case, tell the story that emphasises your need
• Explain clearly why you need CBF support and why you can’t cover these operational costs from your own funding sources

Are some activities prioritised over others?

Some activities may be prioritised depending on available funds as defined by the CBF’s funding deed with the Federal government and grant program objectives.

How much funding is available?

The Australian Government allocates funds to the CBF to support particular activities. There are dedicated funds to support:

• Operational and Transmission expenses
• First Nations (Indigenous) broadcasting
• Ethnic broadcasting
• RPH broadcasting
• Training
• Occasional funds allocated to particular purposes, e.g. support 800Mhz transfer requirements.

Funding is allocated to support activities that fall under those objectives, e.g. stations broadcasting weekly ethnic programs may be allocated grants from ethnic broadcasting funds.

The amounts available for each allocation to support particular activities are published in the grant guidelines for each grant round. It is worth noting that the majority of funding is allocated in Round 1 grants, with Round 2 primarily supporting unforeseen needs that have emerged during the year.

In addition to your grant application, we encourage you to look at other ways of raising income. We have some inspiration for you – see our other funding ideas!

What is meant by membership fees?

Membership fees refer to organisational and individual memberships of other organisations. We expect broadcasters will self-fund membership to relevant organisations such as the CBAA, NEMBC, the Funding Centre or relevant industry unions.

What happens if we don’t supply three supplier quotes for infrastructure requests?

Your application will most likely receive a lower score against the implementation assessment criteria if you have fewer than three quotes for each piece of equipment you want to purchase. It signals you have not demonstrated clear planning for the activity. You have an opportunity in the form to explain why you did not include three quotes, however.

Our Supplier list may provide insight into different companies able to help.

Are basics like studio rent, power and insurance considered operational support?

Yes, those basics can qualify for support through a Development & Operations grant. You can apply for support for any expenses that your station has – but you’ll need to describe in the application what you are requesting support for and why your organisation needs the CBF to help with it.

If you are applying for operational costs, please attach previous invoices from providers or identify these costs in your financial statements. Demonstrate the support you need for our Grant Assessors. Please do not upload dozens of bills to demonstrate that you have basic operational costs.

You will already be attaching your most recent audited financial statements with your application which may provide some context for your request. It is helpful if you provide some supporting documentation for any expected increases to your costs or reasoning for why you need help with a particular request.

Can we apply for funds to keep just in case some equipment breaks down unexpectedly?

The failure of some equipment may be difficult to predict which is why we offer Round 2 of grant funding each year. Your station may need to borrow equipment or use backup equipment in between grant rounds. We would encourage stations to develop a cash reserve for equipment emergencies wherever possible through income-generation. While it’s good practice for stations to have backup equipment, it’s unlikely that our funds can extend to provide backup equipment for all community media.

Our Quick Response grants help stations to replace damaged or destroyed essential equipment to restore basic transmission following an unforeseen event. You can apply for a Quick Response Grant at any time, but it’s best to contact us in the first instance to confirm if your circumstances qualify.

Where can we get advice about which equipment is best?

There are many avenues for researching the best technological solutions for your station’s needs. One quick option is to post a question on Technorama’s Community Radio Tech Q&A Facebook group, and the techs on that page might be able to point you in the right direction.

Could we employ a full-time Station Manager funded by an annual grant?

You can request funding support for the full amount of an annual salary but keep in mind, funds are limited. If that’s a need within your station, be mindful that our Grants Advisory Committees will be balancing salary requests against other station needs such as equipment and the funding priorities in the Development & Operations grant guidelines. You are most likely to receive support if you are undertaking or planning activities that meet those objectives and if your submission demonstrates the potential to sustain an ongoing salary in the future. That said, if funding support to this level is a priority for your station, you can certainly explain that in your grant application.

What should I include in a Position Description?

If you are applying for funding to support a new role, it’s important to demonstrate strategic thinking and planning. Attaching a Position Description helps our Grant Assessors better understand why the role is needed. Read our Guide to Writing a Position Description.

What is an organisational chart?

An organisational chart graphically represents the structure of your organisation including paid staff and volunteers. An example is below (click to enlarge).

What additional documentation should I provide to support my application?

Any evidence that supports the claims in your application, either regarding information or finances, will help verify your grant request. This includes:

• Scanned documents such as recent bills, invoices, lease agreements and quotes.
• Supporting documentation for partnership arrangements such as letters of support or short video files expressing community support for a project proposal.
• Do you quote research or support for your project using data? Attach a copy to your application.
• Are you applying for studio infrastructure? Provide a diagram of your set-up – how many studios, the purpose of each (on-air, training, production). If you are applying for transmission infrastructure, provide a block diagram of your primary and secondary (translator) sites and methods used to link them, including backup systems.

Attach documents in Microsoft Excel, Word and PDF format rather than msg or jpg. Please ensure you present multi-page documents as a single attachment, not separately loaded pages. See How should I format my attachments?

We encourage you to view our other Frequently Asked Questions and learn more about Successful Grant Recipients, Managing your Grant, Application Tips, Acknowledging the CBF and Other Funding Opportunities. 

What do the CBF Content funding objectives mean?

When setting the outcomes for your grant, you will need to align them with the grant category objectives as listed in the grant guidelines. Your activities may meet one or more of the grant objectives for the category and you are not expected to meet them all. The key question is which of our grant objectives will your project contribute to?

Some examples of activities that align with the Content grant objectives include:

• Increase community participation and engagement in community media that is inclusive and accessible to all: programs/projects that aim to increase or develop participation or listenership of e.g. women, First Nations Australians, culturally and linguistically diverse people, LGBTIQA+ people, people with disability, faith-based people, people under 26 in your community
• Amplify and reflect the voices, cultures and languages of Australia’s diverse communities: programs/projects that aim to increase or develop the inclusive engagement of underrepresented members of your community, oral histories, programs in First Nations languages or languages other than English.
• Build audiences by supporting creativity, excellence and innovation in community media content production: programs/projects that aim to increase or develop their listenership, media coverage, distribution and recognition via awards/website or social media engagement
• Expand partnerships to explore new forms of storytelling across topics and platforms: programs/projects that aim to increase or develop relationships and collaboration with like-minded community media organisations and other community partners and/or share their content more broadly with other stations, organisations or platforms.

See also Inspiration for your Content grant application for more info.

What are Community media sector organisations?

Community media sector organisations provide services and resources for the sector and include but are not limited to the following organisations:

• Australian Community Television Alliance (ACTA)
• Christian Media & Arts Australia (CMAA)
• Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA),
• Community Broadcasting Association of Victoria (CBAV),
• Community Media Training Organisation (CMTO)
• First Nations Media Australia (FNMA)
• National Ethnic and Multicultural Broadcasters’ Council (NEMBC),
• RPH Australia The peak body for the Radio Reading Network
• South Australian Community Broadcasting Association (SACBA)
• Southern Community Media Association (SCMA)
• Technorama

How do we define who is a recognised community media organisation?

The Community Broadcasting Foundation recognises community media organisations as being:

• Long-term community broadcasters licensed by the ACMA
• Temporary and trial community broadcasters licensed by the ACMA
• An incorporated not-for-profit organisation applying on behalf of one or more of the above
• ICTV
• C44
• National Indigenous Radio Service (NIRS)

What is a TV Pilot?

A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a telemovie) is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television network or other distributor.

A pilot is created to work out if a series will be successful. It is usually used to test whether an idea for a TV show is viable and marketable. It is, therefore, a test episode for the intended television series and an early step in the series development.

Are some activities prioritised over others?

Yes. We detail what we are looking to fund in the grant guidelines. These grant objectives may change from round to round to respond to sector needs.

How much funding is available?

The Australian Government allocates funds to the CBF to support particular activities.

There are dedicated funds to support:

• Ethnic broadcasting
• RPH broadcasting
• First Nations broadcasting
• Other purposes (general funds)

There are specific funds available to support Specialist Radio Programming in Content grants. Ethnic, RPH and First Nations broadcasting funds may also be allocated to support other activities relevant to those broadcast groups or audiences. Funds available for general content may be allocated for any content purpose.

In a single financial year, applicants can only receive support for a total of six content projects. Read the grant guidelines for more information.

Can I apply for wages under Content grants?

It depends on the type of wage. There are generally two types of salaried roles that relate to the production of content.

The first type relates to people who work across a number of programs within the station, such as Program Managers, Interview Coordinators or Content Engagement Officers. These roles are viewed as station salary positions and funding requests for these types of positions should be applied for under Development & Operations grants. These types of salaries are considered operational expenses of the station.

However, if the wage is specific to a particular program or content project, you can request support as part of your Content grant application and include it in your project budget for that particular show, series or project. Project-specific content wages include presenter or producer fees for an individual program, technician fees for an outside broadcast, expertise the station needs to pay to carry out a particular content project. You can apply for support towards these types of wages or costs involved in creating an individual program or content project within the project details section of your Content grant application.

If applying for a wage that is specific to a content project and is also for someone who is already on a station salary, please include information about how this wage subsidy is for additional activities and outcomes not covered as part of their wage as a staff member at your organisation

My proposal is for a new program, do I have to provide a demo?

Your application will be stronger if you provide a demo. If you can provide a demo of the program, it will help Grant Assessors get a clearer idea of the program you’re expecting to create. If you can at least provide an example of previous work, it can demonstrate your capacity to create quality programming, the style of content you can create or indicate the people who will be involved and what they can achieve.

My project has a First Nations focus, is there anything I need to consider?

Yes. For all projects with a First Nations focus in Content and Specialist Radio Programming grants, we expect First Nations participants to drive the program/project. You must engage First Nations people in a meaningful and respectful manner. Such projects must refer to the CBF First Nations Engagement Protocol. More information is provided by Media Diversity Australia.

We encourage you to view our other Frequently Asked Questions and learn more about Successful Grant Recipients, Managing your Grant, Application Tips, Acknowledging the CBF and Other Funding Opportunities. 

Summary of Programs

The Summary of Programs is an online form completed in SmartyGrants that provides details of all Specialist Radio programs broadcast by your station (previously the summary of programs was an Excel spreadsheet emailed out to applicants prior to the funding round). The Summary of Programs is used to determine your station’s eligibility for a Specialist Radio Programming grant and/or whether your station is eligible to receive Ethnic funding support through Development & Operations grants.

Your Summary of Programs must be up to date before submitting a Specialist Radio Programming application and to be eligible to receive Ethnic funding support through the Development & Operations grant category.

The Summary of Programs is housed in your list of applications in your SmartyGrants account and contains prefilled information for you to review. It consists of two tables – the Summary of Programs which lists details including program names, languages, hours and websites and the Summary of Broadcasters which lists the diversity characteristics and names of the program’s broadcasters.

You are also required to provide a link to your current program grid which should contain any programs listed.

When updating your Summary of Programs each round you may need to e.g. delete any programs that have ceased broadcasting by clicking the grey minus bottom to the right of the row, add new programs by clicking the ‘Add more’ button, amend hours of programs and change the names of broadcasters if applicable.

For assistance in updating your Summary of Programs or if you are applying for Specialist Radio Programming for the first time and need to create a Summary of Programs, please get in touch with the Grants Support Team

Programs in development

A ‘program in development’ is a program that is at the ideas stage and requires support to undertake community consultation, select producers and presenters and commence development. In order to be eligible for support, the station must demonstrate that this program is planned to be on air within the funding period.

If you are applying for program/s in development we will ask you to provide details about this new opportunity including which communities do you plan to engage with? Why these communities? How will you engage with the community? You will also be asked when do you hope to have the program commence broadcasting on the station?

Programs in development may request a one-off payment start-up / seed funding for program resources, training and program development. Items could include the purchase of music, USBs, program mentoring, news sources, small equipment (headphones, portable recorders) or other requirements specific to establishing a new program group.

Applicants with programs in development are not expected to have consulted with presenters and broadcasters at this stage and do not need to include meeting attendees for these programs in the application.

What activities are incentivised?

The CBF supports diversifying voices in community media to ensure that community radio reflects the whole community. The Australian Government allocates funds to the CBF specific for this purpose, to encourage programming that services the information needs of particular audiences, namely radio reading, and Ethnic and First Nations communities.

Specialist Radio Programming grants maintain diversity in community broadcasting through supporting the production of ongoing, regular ethnic, First Nations Australian and radio reading programs.

In particular, these grants help organisations extend their broadcasting activities beyond weekly music programs. Through the eligibility requirements, these grants incentivise spoken word content broadcast in a language other than English, content that meets the Standards for RPH broadcasting (PDF, 379KB), programs produced in and broadcast to remote Indigenous communities and increased levels of First Nations and ethnic programs on ‘generalist’ licensed stations (as different to specialist ethnic or First Nations licensed stations).

Where can I learn more about radio reading?

RPH Australia has produced resources for stations interested in radio reading, from how to start a radio reading program, getting to know your community and preparing your station for volunteers with disabilities. There are also specific resources for individual volunteers wanting to get involved, such as pitching your program to a station, planning, researching and presenting. Check out these resources and get in touch with the Grants Support Team for help in applying for a Specialist Radio Programming grant to support your program.

Do I have to provide a budget for each Specialist Radio Program?

No. You should provide an aggregated budget for all programs by Specialist Program type. All of your Ethnic programs will be described in one budget (e.g. music for 32 programs, 3 x headphones to share between five program groups) and all of your First Nations programs would be described in a separate budget (i.e. music for two programs, consultation with two x program groups).

What are First Nations Australians program wages?

The CBF is committed to Closing the Gap to help overcome the inequality experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and help them achieve life outcomes equal to all Australians. A step toward this is to offer a salary subsidy through Specialist Radio Programming of up to $75 per hour of programming for First Nations Australians producers/presenters.

What is the community/broadcaster engagement admin fee?

Collecting information about what each ethnic or First Nations program needs will take some work. As will holding consultation meetings with each broadcast group to make sure all parties are aware of the proposed grant expenditure and how the organisation plans to administer the grant funds. Those conversations and meetings are a requirement of the grant application. Broadcasters must know what is requested on their behalf, must be aware that any equipment purchased with CBF grant funds remains the property of the applicant organisation (not the individual broadcaster) and must agree to the amounts submitted in the grant budget. We are aware that this will take some time and resources, so we have allowed a contribution to the station of up to $250 per program to cover some of those expenses and staff time.

How much should we apply for on behalf of our Specialist Program groups?

There is no set limit on the total amount you can request for Specialist Radio Programming support.

The grant guidelines include a guide for how much may be considered reasonable per program and per station for particular items such as music, program marketing, small equipment etc.

The best starting point is to look at what your station has spent on Ethnic or First Nations program grants previously. Ask the broadcast groups what resources they need to continue and improve their programs. For a more extensive workbook to gather data, refer to our Specialist Content Workbook (XLS, 188KB) adapted from a workbook kindly shared by Behrooz Farahnakian at Radio 4EB. We recommend you audit the data you collected in this workbook to ensure your totals are accurate.

Your station may set limits or internal policies relating to some items (e.g. no local travel, only one conference attendance subsidy per group, one portable recorder to be shared by five program groups etc.).

Are the figures in ‘how much to apply’ capped amounts?

No. There is no set limit on the amounts you can request.

The guide describes how much the CBF considers to be a reasonable request for particular items per program and per station. If your programs have a greater need for support than what is described in the guide, you can apply for more than what is stated, but you should explain why. For example, new program groups are likely to have a strong case for a higher support level during their first year.

How will Specialist Radio Programming requests be assessed?

Specialist Radio Programming applications are not allocated an assessment score like other content projects. Funding to support ethnic, First Nations and RPH programming is not competitive. Your application will be assessed to ensure each program is eligible under the grant guidelines. Assessors may provide comment on the items or amounts for items requested in your budget for the consideration of the Content Grants Advisory Committee. Grant offers will depend on this eligibility and budget level assessment.

Should I request the same amount as last year?

Not necessarily – we expect the needs of Specialist Radio Programming broadcasters will change to some extent from year-to-year. Some items, such as music and subscriptions are likely to be continuing, ongoing requirements to create specialist programs. Other items, such as small equipment and program marketing may be required in one year but not in others. Some items, such as program specific mentoring or special events may be one-offs. We do not expect to replace zoom recorders and headphones for every broadcaster, every year.

The Content Grants Advisory Committee will consider the items provided in recent grants when considering Specialist Radio Programming support. The total amount requested to support Specialist Radio Programming at your organisation may be up, down or equivalent to last year’s application depending on the anticipated needs of your broadcast groups in the coming financial year.

We encourage you to view our other Frequently Asked Questions and learn more about Successful Grant Recipients, Managing your Grant, Application Tips, Acknowledging the CBF and Other Funding Opportunities. 

When will I find out the outcome of my application?

Grant applications are reviewed by a team of Grant Assessors, our Grants Advisory Committee and our Board. Once funding recommendations are endorsed by our Board, applicants are notified of their outcome.

For Round 1 applications, you will receive notice of the outcome of your application in June. All grants allocated in June will be published on our website homepage one week following grant oucomes being sent.

For Round 2 applications, you will receive notice of the outcome of your application in December. All grants allocated in December will be published on the CBF website one week following grant oucomes being sent.

When will the grant be paid?

Round 1 grants are paid from July. Round 2 grants are paid from December. Grants will be paid within 30 days of receipt by the CBF of the signed Agreement and invoice for the grant amount, subject to the receipt of funding by the CBF from the Australian Government. Make sure your organisation has all prior grant reporting up-to-date. Organisations with overdue Grant Reports will not be paid until the reports are complete.

How does priority loading work?

To mitigate the potential disadvantage that low resource or regional stations may experience through our competitive grant application process, we apply priority loading to the aggregated assessment score given by our Grant Assessor Team.

including priority weightings to

This loading is a ‘bump’ of 5% for regional and remote based organisations, excluding RIMOs (+ 5%) and organisations with an average annual income (over the past 3 years) less than $100,000 (+5%). Some organisations may qualify for both loadings, making their total score ‘bump’ 10%. This function aims to address potential inequality in organisation capacity to access grant funds.

Will the priority loading change in future years?

Each year we review the impact of the priority loadings applied to scores to determine if we need to refine. Different strategies to address inequities in a competitive grants processes may be explored in future years.

Why is there a question about suggesting Grant Assessors in the application form?

Applicants may feel that their project proposals will be best understood by Grant Assessors with a particular cultural background, experience-base or skill set. This question allows applicants to identify where this is the case. Where possible, we will accommodate those requests.

The CBF is committed to principles of self-determination and will assign First Nations assessors (or those who have completed relevant cultural competency training) to all First Nations grant projects.

How will the application be assessed?

Competitive grants are assessed against the criteria detailed in the grant guidelines. This criteria is a consideration for our Grants Advisory Committee when making grant recommendations.

The CBF uses a peer review assessment process to determine funding allocations. People assessing your application have experience in the community broadcasting sector and bring their own set of expertise to reviewing your application. Your application follows the staged process demonstrated below (click to enlarge).

We encourage you to view our other Frequently Asked Questions and learn more about Successful Grant Recipients, Managing your Grant, Application Tips and Other Funding Opportunities. 

How will grant reporting work when there are lots of components to each grant application?

The Grant Agreement will describe each activity that is being funded with details on the timeline and what your report for that activity should include. We want to hear about the highs and lows of your activities – what worked, what didn’t and the impact of the activity on your station and community.

In particular, we want to know how you have met the objective of the grant category as stated in the respective grant guidelines.

You can report on any funded activities as you complete them during the period or wait until the report due date. For longer-term projects, we may request a progress report so we’re confident your project is on schedule.

How will multi-year funding work?

In Content and Development & Operations application forms you have the option to apply for multi-year funding. When asked: Would you like any of the activities described in this application to be considered for multi-year funding? If you select ‘Yes, some’ or ‘Yes, all’, you will be required to complete a budget for up to three years.

Should your request for multi-year funding be approved, the grant agreement will detail a schedule of payment instalments appropriate to your activity timeline and approved grant budget. The payment of scheduled instalments will be contingent on you providing progress reports, as described in your Grant Agreement.

Are there any salary restrictions?

There are no restrictions around how often an organisation can receive funding support for salaried positions, however available funds generally prevent ongoing support for salaries on a yearly basis. Applicants can request salary subsidy support in consecutive years and funds will flow to where they’re needed most. In a funding climate where demand always exceeds funds available, this may mean some tough decisions for CBF Grants Advisory Committees as we are unable to provide funds for all salary requests. However, you are welcome to make a case for salary support in multiple years if your organisation can demonstrate a need for consecutive year support.

What are my obligations if I receive a grant?

When you are awarded a grant, we will send you a Grant Agreement detailing your offer and responsibilities. It’s important to read this carefully and set up adequate accounting and reporting systems to manage the funds. More tips can be found at Managing your Grant.

You must sign and return your Grant Agreement and forward us a Tax Invoice (if you are registered for GST) within eight weeks. When we receive these, we’ll forward you the grant funds.

If your organisation has received funding for the first time or has changed bank details since the last grant was distributed, you will also need to complete an EFT Authorisation form (DOC, 346KB).

You will need to complete all CBF grant reporting requirements within the timeframe specified. Refer to the Grant Reports for further details.

Why does my Grant Agreement ask about compliance with legislation related to vulnerable people?

We are committed to helping community media organisations engage youth at stations. We are equally committed to creating a culture of child protection. You need to ensure your organisation is complying with the laws in your state related to the protection of vulnerable people including children. If you are unsure what these obligations are, the team at the CBAA has kindly gathered together everything you need to know. View their collection of information related to child protection obligations.

Is GST payable on my grant?

GST may be payable on your grant. If you are registered for GST, you should apply for the GST exclusive amount. If GST is payable, we will add this onto your grant.

If you are not GST registered, apply for the GST inclusive amount. If you’re successful, the grant will cover for the GST on the goods and services you’ll purchase using the grant.

We encourage you to view our other Frequently Asked Questions and learn more about Successful Grant Recipients, Managing your Grant, Application Tips, Acknowledging the CBF and Other Funding Opportunities. 

What’s included in the report?

If your application is successful, your Grant Agreement will include some details about what’s required in your reporting. 

We will provide a report template for you in SmartyGrants which broadly covers: 

• the implementation of your grant activities, 
• the outcomes and benefits delivered (including numeric results against the targets you set in your application, as well as stories and photos), 
• a financial report that shows how the grant was spent, and 
• a statement certifying that the grant was spent according to the terms of the Grant Agreement. Some grantees are required to provide certification by an auditor. 

You can find more information about each of these sections of the report in How do you complete a Grant Report? 

Successful applicants are reminded that grant funds can only be used for the purpose specified within your Grant Agreement. However, we understand that unexpected events can occur such as discovering a better solution or a team member leaves. The best thing to do in this situation is to pick up the phone and let us know asap! We have a process for managing variations and we’ll let you know what we can do. It could be too late to tell us this in your Final Grant Report and could result in us asking for funds to be returned. If you do tick yes I require a variation in the Progress Report, we’ll then ask you for some details in the form and this may then involve a formal variation being attached to your grant file and some steps to have that approved. So the Progress Report is a good opportunity to manage that (If you don’t have a progress report to complete you can get in touch any time throughout the funding period).​

When will we need to report on the grant?

Your final report for a funded activity will be due three to three months after the end of the funded activity period which in many cases will be based on the timeline you have identified in your application. For example, if you are funded to replace your main transmitter, and you anticipate you can finish that by December 2026, your funded activity period may be July to December 2026, with a final report due March 2027. If you receive a grant to produce content for the entire year, the funded activity will be July 2026 to June 2027, with a final report due end of August 2027.

How do you complete a Grant Report?

To complete your report, gather your original Grant Application and your Grant Agreement. These documents describe the activities and outcomes you aimed to deliver with the funding, how you intended to spend the funds, and any required reporting. 

Simply log into your SmartyGrants account to complete your report. This report follows the following structure:

A. Grant Implementation and Outcomes Report: Please share with us the results and stories from your grant, and celebrate the difference it has made. This includes:

• What activities did you deliver with the CBF grant, and what were the highlights or challenges? 
• What outcomes were achieved for the station, the project participants, your audience or community? Did you reach your targets, what data or evidence do you have to back up your results?  
• Did you learn any useful lessons along the way, or identify next steps for future planning for the project? 

Please also explain how you acknowledged the CBF for the project and if possible, include any support material, e.g. media articles, photos, ads, programs, written responses to your project etc. 

B. Grant Financial Report: How was the grant spent in comparison to your intended budget? If you do have unexpended funds that are more than 10% of the grant value or are more than $500 which are unable to be expended and reported on within the terms of the grant agreement, we will unfortunately be in touch about return of funds. But this is worst case scenario to us, ultimately we want you to spend the funds so we’ll work with you to make this happen. See What if I don’t spend all my grant funds? 

C. Declaration: This is a statement by a person from your organisation who is authorised to sign legally binding documents (usually the Public Officer, President or a member of Management Committee) certifying that the grant report is true and correct to the best of their knowledge, and the funding was spent according to the terms of the Grant Agreement

Why do I need to complete a Grant Progress Report?

Some CBF grants require completion of a progress report half way through the funding period. This may be due to the size of your grant and/or the length or complexity of your funded activities. Completion of a progress report will often release payment of the remainder of your grant funds. Progress reports are simpler than final reports – just to let us know how your plans have progressed since receiving funding, and if there’s anything we can do to help. Completing a progress report is also a time for you to reflect on what’s working well and not so well, so that you can make changes now that will result in better outcomes later. You will be encouraged to consider: 

• Are activities progressing as planned, within expected time frames?
• Have you run into any unexpected challenges, if so what’s causing the issue, and do you have ideas about how to move forward?
• Are you making progress towards your outcomes targets?
• Have any of your planned activities, outcomes or time frames changed since beginning the project?  

If needed, this is a good opportunity to apply for a variation including changes to budgets or timeframes. 

What’s involved in providing an Auditor’s Financial Certificate?

Organisations receiving more than $80,000 annual funds: at the end of your financial year, the CBF will send an Auditor’s Financial Certificate. An auditor must certify that all CBF grant funds received in the financial year have been, or are being spent according to the terms of the relevant Grant Agreement/s. This can be signed in your annual audit. If all the grant funds have not been spent before the Auditor’s Financial Certificate is completed, you will need to send further Auditor’s Financial Certificates for each financial year until the grant funds are fully spent.

Organisations receiving less than $80,000 will receive an Annual Statement for information only (no auditing required).

Who can sign my Auditor’s Financial Certificate?

The Auditor’s Financial Certificate must be signed by an approved auditor who is either:

• Registered as a company auditor under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).
• A practising auditor who is an appropriately qualified member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (Australia), CPA Australia or the Institute of Public Accountants.

An approved auditor must not be any of the following:

• A principal, member, shareholder, officer, agent, subcontractor or employee of your organisation or of a related body corporate as defined in section 9 of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).
• Any auditor whose registration as an auditor under the Corporations Act had been cancelled by the ASIC under an Enforceable Undertaking.
• The accountant or bookkeeper who prepared the accounts of the grantee organisation.

Do I need to provide audited annual financial statements?

If you have received $80,000 or more in grants in the year, you are required to provide both an Auditor’s Financial Certificate and audited annual financial statements. This ensures that you are meeting the highest accountability standards. If you are not required to complete an Auditor’s Financial Certificate, and your state or national regulatory authority does not require you to submit audited statements to them, we will accept your unaudited annual financial statements approved at your Annual General Meeting.

Will the CBF need further information about the spending of my grant?

Under the terms of the Grant Agreement, the CBF (and the Australian Government, through the Auditor General) can request further information about the spending of the CBF grant or a further audit by a registered auditor if the financial information supplied is considered inadequate.

What happens if my Grant Report is overdue?

You will not be eligible to receive any further CBF grants if you have overdue Grant Reports. If you think that you will have difficulty meeting our reporting requirements or you need further advice, please contact us as soon as possible.

What if I don’t spend all my grant funds?

If you haven’t spent all the funds received for your grant please get in touch with the Grants Support Team to determine whether the funds can be expended and reported on within the terms of the grant agreement ​(for example, through allowable expenditure on administration of the grant or through the purchase of small items such as cabling, installation costs). Ideally you need to have that conversation earlier than the time when the final grant report is due. This may be possible through the Progress report process. (If you don’t have a progress report to complete you can get in touch any time throughout the funding period).​

If you do have unexpended funds that are more than 10% of the grant value or are more than $500 which are unable to be expended and reported on within the terms of the grant agreement, we will unfortunately be in touch about return of funds. But this is worst case scenario to us, ultimately we want you to spend the funds so we’ll work with you to make this happen.​

Why do I need to include photos?

We love seeing how our grants enhance community broadcasting. When you report back to us, photos are an easy and effective way of showing how the money we give you is making a difference. Remember – ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’!  See our resource on Grant Report photos for inspiration.

We encourage you to view our other Frequently Asked Questions and learn more about Successful Grant Recipients, Reporting Tips, Acknowledging the CBF and Other Funding Opportunities.