First Nations Sector Development Travel Grants

Applicants and their projects must meet the general eligibility requirements set out in Screen Australia’s Terms of Trade in addition to the following:

 

• Applicants must be Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Australians.
• Travel grants are for Australian residents. Australians living overseas are not eligible.
• The event must be one of those listed under ‘Eligible events’ below. In exceptional circumstances, at the discretion of Screen Australia, an event not on the current list may be considered if it has grown in significance and/or offers unique commercial opportunities.
• Proof of selection/invitation/nomination must be provided for all applications with the exception of travel to markets and conferences.
• For markets, the applicant must be a producer with at least one active project in development to pitch.
• For award ceremonies, the applicant must be nominated for an award, or the producer or director of a film nominated for an award.
• Where a project has been invited to screen at an eligible festival, applications for travel by key Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cast members, as well as key creatives will be considered.
• Applicants can receive only one travel grant through this program within a 12-month period, other than in exceptional circumstances.

 

For full eligibility information, please refer to the attached guideline documents.

Applications can be submitted at any time via the Application Portal and are assessed by Screen Australia executives, with industry specialists consulted as required. Screen Australia will notify applicants in writing of the outcome of their application.

 

Applications can be made at any time at least 5 weeks before the event.

 

Decisions will be made within 2–4 weeks from receipt of the application or in accordance with event deadlines.  Please also keep in mind further contracting time in order to receive your first drawdown on top of the turnaround decision time.

 

For full details on the application process, including a list of eligible events, please refer to the attached guidelines.

Funding decisions will be made against the following equally weighted criteria:

 

For all events:

• the professional development benefit to the applicant.

 

For film festivals and award ceremonies:

• the potential exposure for the film
• the strategic impact on the applicant’s career.

 

For markets and pitching forums:

• the suitability of the particular market/forum to the project(s) being pitched
• the readiness of the project(s) to be pitched.

 

For conferences and workshops:

• the quality and relevance of the conference or workshop program
  the applicant’s track record including previous filmmaking experience, and their demonstrated commitment to a career in the film industry.

 

All of the above criteria are equally weighted.

Other factors, including availability of funds and status of the event, may also influence Screen Australia’s funding decisions.

 

 

Funding through this program is provided as a grant.

 

Funding recipients are expected to deliver:

• a report after completing the travel, including an update on any career developments which have arisen as a result of attending the event
• a statement of expenditure.