Your ACF campaign is over. Congratulations! Pat yourself on the back for a job well done. Now you’re probably wondering – what next? Here’s a step-by-step guide.
Step 1 | Login to the Artist Portal and input your banking details
Your campaign funds will be disbursed to you in the form of a grant. All grants are reviewed by Creative Partnerships Australia, which manages the ACF. This happens the month following the end of your campaign. So, for example, if your campaign ends in September, the grant approval process will take place in October.
If you have a longer term campaign (i.e. 9-12 months), you may be receiving grant agreements throughout your ACF campaign, rather than at its conclusion. If that is the case, you will receive a grant agreement for each month in which you raise funds. Again, the grant agreement will be processed and sent through in the month following when the funds were raised.
We will send you an email letting you know when the agreement is ready to view in your Artist Portal. Login via the email, click on the appropriate Grant name (this will begin with ‘GNT-‘ and scroll down to input your preferred banking details under Grant Payment Details.
Step 2 | Approve your grant agreement
Next, click on ‘Artist Agreement’ to access your grant agreement. This will list your campaign NET grant amount (your net grant is the total donations made in preference to your project, LESS the 5% retained by the ACF – see FAQs for more information).
Read over the grant and click ‘I accept these terms’ to agree to the terms and conditions.
Step 3 | Receive your funds
Once you have approved the grant agreement, a payment notice is automatically sent to CPA’s Finance team for processing. We will transfer the funds into your nominated bank account.
Step 4 | Stay in touch with your donors
You can find a list of all your donors in your Artist Dashboard. We strongly recommend contacting your donors to thank them for helping to make your project happen. We encourage a culture where people are proud of giving, so it’s good form to acknowledge their support. It may also lead to future donations and long-standing relationships.
Step 5 | Make culture happen!
You’ve spent so much time and effort on the campaign – it’s now time to make your project happen! As your project progresses, provide your donors with updates. They obviously love what you do, and are keen to hear from you.
Remember to acknowledge the ACF in relevant media releases, launch/event speeches and other promotional opportunities using the following text: “[This project] is supported by Creative Partnerships Australia through the Australian Cultural Fund.” and by incorporating the Australian Cultural Fund logo in relevant promotional material.
Step 6 | Acquit your project
As an ACF artist, you’re required to complete an acquittal form at the end of your project. This is a really simple process and only takes 10-15 minutes to complete. We’ll send you reminders to fill it out, and you can access it here.
The acquittal asks for information about your project, your budget, and your fundraising strategy, including the outcomes and impact of your project and how you think your campaign went.
You won’t be able to register another project with the ACF or receive any further ACF funds if you have an outstanding acquittal.
Step 7 | … and then?
That’s pretty much it – your ACF campaign is now complete. It’s time to start planning your next campaign and project! We can’t wait to hear from you again. And in the meantime, feel free to contact us any time.