Project Support Grants Program FAQs

No. As an applicant, you must choose between Stream A or B.

However, if you are submitting an application on behalf of someone, e.g. an artist manager writing an application for one of their artists, then the artist would be considered the applicant in Stream A, and the manager would be eligible to apply for a separate project regarding funding for their own management business in Stream B.

No. As an applicant, you can submit only one application in a round.

Artists should apply in Stream A.

The online system is automated to close at 11:59pm Tuesday 22 October 2024. To avoid disappointment, you are encouraged to apply well in advance of the deadline.

Contact the MDO for questions on any technical difficulties with the application by email mdo@sa.gov.au. Support for questions, including technical difficulties, will only be available until 5:00pm on Tuesday 22 October 2024. While applications are open until 11:59pm on Tuesday 22 October, you are strongly encouraged to submit prior to 5:00pm in case you experience technical difficulties.

Although the MDO is now an initiative of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, it has a separate grants portal to Arts South Australia. Any grants displayed on the Arts South Australia portal are NOT issued through the MDO, and contemporary music is likely to be ineligible for other Arts South Australia programs. If in doubt, please contact the relevant Arts South Australia officer or contact the MDO: at mdo@sa.gov.au.

For security purposes, you will not be able to link to files/folders in Dropbox or other online storage systems that require the MDO to download your material from a web page. Any material submitted in this format will not be downloaded or reviewed as part of your application. If these files/folders contain essential information as per the Guidelines, your application may become ineligible.

No, your project activity does not necessarily have to involve new material or new activity. For instance, you may seek funding to support marketing activity for an existing product, event, or gig series. In terms of recording activity, the re-recording of existing material should offer something new, e.g. a new version of your own original work. In all cases, the assessment panel will review whether this type of activity is competitive in the round. You cannot apply for project activity that involves strictly cover material, tributes, or someone else’s work.

Yes. There are no ‘categories’ for projects. However, in a competitive round, you should be able to strongly demonstrate how each activity within a project supports your goals for career development.

The MDO cannot retrospectively fund activity (i.e. reimburse activity that has already occurred, even if it hasn’t been paid for yet). However, if your project activity is still in progress beyond the eligible start date for the round (1 January 2025), you can apply for expenses you will incur from that date. For example, if you’re currently recording but won’t be mastering until after the eligible start date, you could apply for funding for mastering. You cannot simply retain an earlier invoice from activity at the recording studio and pay it from the eligible start date. For tours or event series, expenses relating to performance dates after 1 January 2025 are eligible. If a tour or other project activity continues past 31 December 2025, grant funding can only be used for expenses incurred prior to or on that date.

Yes. The application process will offer you the opportunity to submit support material that can speak to your skills, experience, and role within the industry. You can apply for recording activity as well, and high-quality demos can be helpful in the assessment process if available. In a competitive round, you are encouraged to only submit support material that shows your strongest work.

Ongoing salaries are not eligible within this funding. However, activity that supports the proposed “Project” is eligible. For instance, funding can be used for relevant service fees in the project’s management, production, presentation, or delivery of live original music, e.g. artist, engineer, lighting technician fees. By contrast, service fees for ongoing costs are ineligible, e.g. if security is required at your venue regardless of your live music programming/project activity.

Yes. You are encouraged to seek other income streams for your activity. If these other grants are intended to contribute to the same project activity as your application to the MDO Project Support Grants, you should outline the amount, confirmation, and allocation of the grants in your budget. You cannot apply for funding to cover the same expenses as other income sources.

Upon notification, successful applicants will be sent paperwork and instructions for payment. Grantees will be encouraged to process the paperwork exactly as instructed by the MDO, as errors in completing the documents may cause delays in payment. The sooner a grantee returns their completed paperwork, the sooner payment can take place. Generally, payment will be at least 2-4 weeks from the time the MDO receives the correctly completed paperwork.

You can apply to the MDO for an extension or other variation, please contact: mdo@sa.gov.au. You should not begin any alteration to your grant’s activity or use of funding until you have liaised with the MDO.

Yes, as long as you are not applying for expenses that were already covered in your previous grant, and as long as the previously funded project is not overdue for its acquittal.

No, you are not obligated to do so, but are encouraged to consider additional funding sources for your project activity, whether it’s a cash contribution, other grant, sponsorship/partnership, or in-kind goods and services.

No. However, professional practicing musicians and businesses should have an ABN, and you will be asked why you do not have one. Applicants must have at least six months professional / operating experience.

Yes, any genre is welcome to apply in the MDO Project Support Grants program as long as the project activity involves original music.

Only project activity that involves original music that is composed and performed by South Australian-based artists is eligible for Stream A. Collaborations with non-SA artists and producers are welcome, but the purpose of the project activity should be to support an outcome for the participating South Australians artist(s).

Music supported by Stream B applications must also be original. There is some scope to include non-SA touring acts for project activity involving venue programming and for events (if travel conditions allow), but in most cases the majority of participating artists should be South Australian. If not, you should be able to make a strong case as to how the project activity supports your business model and contributes to the broader South Australian music ecosystem.

You are welcome to contact the Grant Program Manager with questions on the grant program terms and conditions, eligibility, criteria, or assessment process. Due to the volume of applications expected in a competitive round, staff are unable to read drafts of applications and will not be able to take multiple meetings or multiple enquiries from the same applicant. You are encouraged to ask questions well in advance of the closing date and should expect delays in the 7-14 days prior to the closing date as staff work to service a high volume of enquiries. Contact Elizabeth Reid, Senior Grant Program Manager at mdo@sa.gov.au.

No. The MDO does not offer a quick turnaround on its grants due to the processing involved.

No. The MDO Project Support Grant program is designed to complement existing funding available through the Australian and state governments and ensure the South Australian music industry can continue to develop, create, and connect during this time and in the future. Please continue to check business.sa.gov.au to view other support for our small business community.