Program guidelines
Funding delivered through In the House is intended to:
To be successful, your application should align to these objectives.
If your project does not correspond in some way to any of the above, contact a Grants Officer for advice before starting an application.
Applications to In the House are open to regional performing arts venues that are operated by Local Governments or not-for-profit organisations, and those organisations which have received funding in the past from the department’s Raise the Roof or In the House programs.
Competitive applications should be able to demonstrate a:
Your application will be ineligible if you:
Eligible applicants can apply for funding between $40,000 to $80,000 for a 12-month period of activity from January 2023 to December 2023, based on the following categories:
Please note:
The key dates calendar has application opening and closing dates, activity start dates, draft review deadlines and notification dates. All times are in AWST (for Perth, Western Australia).
You are encouraged to submit your application before your submission date to ensure you have plenty of time.
Processing of grant payments to successful applicants will not start until after the grant contract is signed and returned. Depending on the activity start date, we cannot guarantee notification and/or availability of funding before the activity begins.
Only one application can be submitted per program submission or closing date.
Please apply using the Online Grants web portal.
More information on how to apply can be found in the application manual.
For your reference, the core application questions are required.
The key dates calendar has opening and closing dates, activity start dates and draft review deadlines.
Applications to this funding program are assessed by an assessment panel.All applications are assessed against the four criteria:
Each has a weighting and a subset of dimensions with definitions.
More information about the dimensions and definitions, which have been developed by artists and creatives representing their sector, can be found in the application manual.
You are not expected to address all dimensions and definitions, only those most relevant to your application. Assessors will consider applications against the objectives and the relevant dimensions and allocate a weighted score against each of the four criteria. See the application manual for more information about how your application will be assessed.
Final approval of successful applications depends on available budget and approval by the Minister or delegated authority.
Imagination, authenticity, originality, inquisitiveness, excellence, captivation, relevance, innovation, challenge, risk and rigour.
Quality refers to the level of artistic and cultural significance of the activity. Quality may be demonstrated by, but not limited to; examples of previous work, sector support, timeliness of the work and a strong history in your area of practice. It may also be demonstrated through the skills and experience of the people involved in the activity, and the alignment of those skills and experience to deliver the project.
Diversity, platform, collaboration, leverage, number and growth.
Reach refers to the level of impact the activity is likely to have. Reach may be demonstrated by including information for; networking opportunities, relevant marketing and promotional strategies, number of participants and the potential increase in audience or markets.
Realistic, achievable, considered, demonstrated research and/or consultation, evaluation.
Good planning refers to the level of consideration which has been given to practically undertaking the activity. Good planning can be demonstrated by, but not limited to; carefully considered preparation, confirmation of key personnel, a realistic timeline and achievable outcomes, documented research and/or consultation, and a process of evaluation.
Value, comprehensive budget, financial self-sufficiency.
Financial responsibility refers to the sound management of the budget. Financial responsibility can be demonstrated by but is not limited to; efficient use of resources, reasonable expenses and an accurate and comprehensive budget. Other sources of income have been considered and included where appropriate and the activity goes some way towards self-sufficiency.
There are four components of a grant application: core application questions, target output information, financial information and support material. Each plays a significant and distinct role in creating a whole picture about your activity.
Your answers to the core application questions should give assessors a concise overview of your activity. Each question has a 1500-character limit. You can extract a copy of your draft application in Online Grants at any stage to share with others for their feedback.
Respond to the following questions with reference to the assessment criteria and program objectives:
Outline the key elements of the venue’s expanded annual program and any additional touring product you propose to purchase with In the House funding. Outline the additional resources (e.g. additional programming budget or employment of additional staff) that are required to deliver the expanded programming. Remember to attach the full annual venue program with your support materials.
Outline the rationale for your programming proposal and why the proposed additions or expansions to the program are a good fit for the venue, audience and/or region. Refer to any research on past attendance or other evidence to support your proposal.
Describe the background and experience of the key persons or parties involved (not the performers or artists) and explain how they will contribute their expertise and experience to the development and delivery of the expanded program.
Describe any paid work that will be undertaken by regional people to deliver the expanded program. This can include work undertaken by technical crew, production staff, creatives, and any other regional people whose employment directly relates to the expanded program. Also describe any opportunities that will be provided to regional people for professional skill development as part of the expanded program. This can include work experience placements/internships, workshops and any activity in which there is knowledge exchange related to the expanded program.
Outline the key planning, management and programming methodology, structures and/or approaches you will use to plan and deliver the expanded annual program.
Describe how your project will engage and encourage involvement from members of the regional community. Provide details of any community engagement or participatory activities that will be delivered as part of the expanded program. Note: a community engagement plan must be submitted with your support materials.
Provide a summary of your future marketing, promotion and/or audience development strategy, and describe how or why your project will attract interest from your target audience. Note: a detailed marketing plan must be submitted with your support materials.
You are required to provide relevant project target information for your activity. This information will be considered as part of the assessment of your application. Project target information will be used to provide further clarity on your activity for the assessor and will provide important data for the department for research, analysis and advocacy purposes.
You only need to provide information for the categories and items relevant to your activity.
If your application is successful you will be required to report against the planned project targets at the acquittal stage.
Please contact us if you have any questions.
The financial information provided in your application for In the House is the additional expenditure and income from the proposed expanded program.
For example, if you are applying for an additional salary of $40,000 per annum, additional programming budget of $40,000 per annum and additional box office revenue of $20,000 per annum, then your total ask is $60,000.
Your budget must be itemised with separate entries for each item of the expanded program.
The financial information in your budget helps to demonstrate all elements of your activity have been considered, thoroughly researched and costed. A good budget also provides confidence for the department that your activity will be a sound investment for the State of Western Australia.
If you are registered for GST you should not include GST in the budget figures. All amounts should be in Australian dollars.
Unlike our standard grant programs, In the House may fund 100% of your expanded activities.
You should indicate which expenditure items you want the department to support. List those items in the additional notes section of the Online Grants budget page.
Your funding request is the difference between your expenditure minus your income. To ensure this amount is calculated accurately, seek quotes for all expenditure items (whether or not you intend to include these as support material) and include all costs associated with the activity, even if they are supplied in-kind.
For each expenditure or income item you add to the budget, use the notes area alongside the item to explain how it relates to the delivery of your activity and how the cost was calculated. If relevant, include a breakdown or itemisation of costs.
Expenditure items can vary significantly from one activity to another. Any legitimate expense that is eligible can be included in the budget.
Do not duplicate costs in the budget form. For example, if you receive a quote for advertising which includes design, do not add an additional item for design. Simply use ‘advertising’ as the expenditure item, and add a note explaining that the cost includes design.
Examples of eligible expenditure items are listed below. Make sure you check for ineligible items.
Expenses related to the management and administration of the activity e.g. telephone/internet, insurance, postage and stationery. Eligible expenditure items in this category may also include accessibility costs (expenditure associated with making your activity accessible to participants or audiences with a disability).
Costs associated with marketing to your target audience e.g. information, promotion and audience engagement activities, advertising, graphic design, merchandise photography, videography, public relations and production of marketing collateral.
Costs related to the creation, development, production and delivery of the activity or its deliverables, including the costs of presentation. Eligible items may include venue hire, lighting hire, set construction, manufacturing costs, recording fees, rehearsal space hire, props and audio-visual costs.
Expenditure in this category should include salaries, fees and allowances for all key personnel, with separate components itemised in the budget notes. We support appropriate rates of pay for all people involved in your activity. Refer to the following websites for information on industry standard payment rates:
If these standards do not apply to your activity then you must outline how reasonable rates have been calculated. For long-term activities, it may be appropriate to pay artists a rate based on a yearly salary for a similar kind of work. If this is the case, you need to clearly explain the rationale for the pay rate in your budget notes.
All rates should be relative to level of experience.
Please note that organisations, such as Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, predominantly provide information on minimum base rates for employees engaged on a full-time, part-time or casual basis. Rates for artists and arts workers engaged as contractors will include a loading to cover the costs of being self-employed. Full-time, part-time and casual rates do not factor in these costs and should not be used when engaging contractors.
Costs associated with transporting people, equipment or goods. Eligible items may include fares (taxi, airplane, bus etc.), tolls, land or air freight, and vehicle hire.
Please include only the additional income you are expecting from the expanded annual program.
May include ticket sales, product sales, performance fees and merchandise sales. For performances, this amount should factor in the number of performances, average ticket price and projected venue capacity.
Any income received through sponsorship from corporate bodies or businesses. Income received through government sponsorship should be included in the relevant government income category.
May include contributions from fundraising, crowdfunding, donations, gifts and bequests.
All grants and sponsorship being sought from local, State and federal government, the Australia Council, and other government sources must be included, whether or not this support has been confirmed. If your application is to be assessed by an assessment panel, we will attempt to confirm the status of any pending funding applications directly with the funding body prior to the panel assessment. Do not include DLGSC grant funds being requested as part of this application.
If you are making a cash contribution, or someone is providing cash to the activity, list this item as a ‘cash contribution’ or similar. Include any other income source that does not fit within any of the above categories and provide enough detail to identify the income source.
Some expenses may be offered to you for free or at a discount. This might be borrowed equipment, the use of a rehearsal space, donated or discounted goods or services, volunteers (including yourself), negotiated discounted fees and allowances. Anything given to your project at no expense to you is considered in-kind.
All in-kind expenditure must be included as a budget item under the in-kind expenditure category. The corresponding recognition of in-kind income is created automatically in your online application, and you do not need to enter any in-kind income budget items. The total in-kind expenditure must always equal the total in-kind income.
If, for example, you are hiring a venue, which would normally charge $2000, and you have successfully negotiated an $800 (40%) discount, you would include Venue Hire Fee as a budget item under the expenditure category of $1200 and $800 under the in-kind expenditure category.
This section of the budget provides an opportunity for you to detail any additional information you feel may help to clarify items within your budget. For example, for fees and salaries you can indicate in this section how you calculated your amount.You should use this section to indicate which expenditure items you want the department to support.
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) considers any grant payment to be taxable income for the purposes of your annual income tax return. If you receive a grant you are encouraged to discuss your tax implications with your tax agent or the ATO.
If you are registered for GST you must show your expenditure items exclusive of the GST component. For example, you have been quoted $550 including GST for lighting hire. In your expenditure budget you would only show lighting hire of $500.If you are registered for GST and your activity is funded, the department payment will include a 10% GST component to cover those items on which GST is payable.
If you are not registered for GST you must show your expenditure items inclusive of the GST component. For example, you have been quoted $550 including GST for lighting hire. In your expenditure budget you would show lighting hire of $550.
If you are not registered for GST and your activity is funded, the department payment will include the GST component for those items on which GST is payable.
Support materials are crucial to a successful application and are essential for assessors to fully gauge the value of your activity.
It is highly recommended you pay close attention to the support material you choose to make sure it offers the best support for your application.
Your choice of support material should help to demonstrate the four assessment criteria: quality, reach, good planning and financial responsibility as well as the objectives of the program.
There are 6 mandatory units of support material for In the House. You must submit all 6 units.
Within each unit there are acceptable formats and limits. You must strictly adhere to these formats and limits or your application will be ineligible.
Formats that are not eligible are: .pages, .zip, .excel, MP3s and .eml (screenshots of emails are accepted).
If you are submitting audio and/or video files you must upload them to file streaming sites like Vimeo, YouTube, Bandcamp or SoundCloud that do not require a log-in to access.
Do not use Dropbox for any support material.
You can find instructions on how to use these sites at the following links:• YouTube • Vimeo • Soundcloud• Bandcamp
The Supplier Creation Form (if required) does not count towards your support material limits, however, if required, it must be submitted with your support materials.
More information about how to submit your materials can be found in the application manual.
Online submission of support materials is preferred however we do accept posted materials. If you need to submit by post, please contact us to discuss your options.
The annual program plan for the venue, outlining its existing and proposed expanded annual program, programming rationale and audience surveys.
Up to 10 A4 pages in a Word or PDF document only (maximum file size 5MB)
The venue’s annual budgets for:• 2020-21 or 2021 (actual)• 2021-22 or 2022 (actual or estimated)• 2023 calendar year (projected incorporating the Expanded Annual Program request amount).
Up to 6 A4 pages in Word, PDF or Excel (maximum file size 5MB)
A confirmation letter from your main funder confirming that funding will be maintained over the 2023 period.
Up to 3 A4 pages in a Word or PDF document only (maximum file size 5MB)
A community engagement plan outlining the venue’s proposed strategy to promote community participation, including a summary of related activities.
A marketing plan to support the expanded annual program, as agreed with the venue and presenting partners.
Evidence of any risks identified in your project as a result of COVID-19 and how you plan to mitigate these risks. You may also wish to provide information on alternative plans should your proposed project or activity be impacted. For example, consider including a risk management statement or plan if your project includes activities which could be impacted by key personnel illness, replacement of key personnel, or postponement of activity.
Up to 5 A4 pages in a Word or PDF document only (maximum file size 5MB)
Applicants to In the House can request a draft review when the application is complete. Check the key dates calendar for the draft review deadline.
You are strongly encouraged to make the request for a draft review well before the deadline to give the department enough time to provide feedback as well as time for you to update your application on receipt of the review.
How to request a draft review in Online Grants:
You will receive a message confirming your draft has been successfully submitted for review.
If you’re successful you will be required to fill in an acquittal report when your activity has finished. An acquittal report details your activity and how you spent the grant. The acquittal report will be available for you to access in Online Grants once a copy of your signed funding agreement has been received.
Your acquittal report must be submitted within 90 days of the activity completion date as specified in the funding agreement.You will need to attach relevant documents, images and videos that substantiate the delivery of the activity and that may demonstrate the impact and outcomes achieved.
You will also need to report on the target outputs you defined in your application.
The report will also include your activity budget and you will be required to enter all the actual figures against each budget item and add any additional items not in the original budget. Variations between budget and actual figures are acceptable; however, you must provide an explanation for large variations in the Notes for that item. As you enter actual figures, the activity profit/loss will be automatically updated and displayed at the top of the Financial Information page.
The funding acquittal report also includes the option to provide feedback to help us to continually review and improve the service we provide.
Project officers are available via telephone and email to answer queries about applications and suitability of activities to specific programs.
If you need extra assistance due to disability, language barriers or any other factor that may disadvantage you in completing your application, please contact us.
The advice provided by project officers does not guarantee the success of your application.
Due to the high number of applications received, each funding round is highly competitive.
All applications are considered on their own merits and against the assessment criteria and program objectives.
For assistance using Online Grants or to report any related technical issues, contact the Online Grants Support Team: onlinegrantsupportca@dlgsc.wa.gov.au
For enquiries relating to this funding program, including advice or assistance with your application, contact a project officer:Telephone 61 8 6552 7400Toll Free (Country WA callers only) 1800 634 541Email grantsprogramsca@dlgsc.wa.gov.au
The department is committed to supporting applicants with disability. Information can be provided in alternative formats (large print, electronic or Braille) upon request.
If you require special assistance in preparing your application, please call 61 8 6552 7400 or toll free for regional WA callers on 1800 634 541.
Family, friends, mentors and/or carers can attend meetings with you.
If you are deaf, or have a hearing or speech impairment, contact us through one of the following:
For interpreting assistance in languages other than English, telephone the Translation and Interpreting Service on 13 14 50 and ask for a connection to 6552 7400 or 1800 634 541.
Toll Free (Country WA callers only): 1800 634 541.
Email the project officers: grantsprogramsca@dlgsc.wa.gov.au