In the past, Creative New Zealand’s longer-term funding for arts organisations has primarily been accessed through the Tōtara and Kahikatea programmes that are due to finish next year. From 2026, all arts organisations and group funding will be allocated through the annual Arts Organisations and Groups (AOG) Fund. It presents a huge opportunity for organisations to receive multi-year funding – over $500,000 per year for three years – but already CNZ have warned not all applicants will receive funding.

Applications open in February, but changed funding means changed applications so we asked CNZ a bunch of nosey questions in the hopes it might help anyone wanting to make a start on their application this side of Christmas.

Here’s what Claire Murdoch, Senior Manager Arts Development Creative New Zealand Toi Aotearoa, had to say.

What is the AOG fund and who is it for?

The AOG (Arts Organisations and Groups) Fund is an extended version of what we launched in 2024. It will be open for applications annually and offers four tiers of funding available for one, two or three years.

The Fund is designed to support arts organisations and groups to deliver programmes of work that make a real difference to communities. Communities could mean a group of people who have artistic practices, experiences, whakapapa or interests in common; or who are in the same demographic group or groups; or who live in the same place.

People and organisations can belong to multiple communities and must be different for every artist and arts organisation. We’re asking applicants to tell us about their community and to share their dynamic vision for the arts in Aotearoa.

The fund is for New Zealand-based arts organisations and international organisations where their mahi directly benefits New Zealand artists.

What is changing in 2026 and what’s driving these changes?

We’ve got a unique role and responsibility as Aotearoa’s arts development agency. We change all the time in response to the needs of the sector and its context, but the current changes are part of a bigger three-step programme.

Since 2024, we’ve focused on making all our processes simpler and more accessible in response to sector consultation and feedback. That was step one and led to the For the Arts programmes, which included the AOG Fund.

Now we’re thinking towards 2040 with our 15-year strategy Tū Mai Ra, Toi Aotearoa, which will include step two and three. Ultimately, we’re looking to empower communities, to increase awareness of the value of the arts, and to grow investment in the arts for the benefit of all New Zealanders. 

Step two is focusing on the way we support arts organisations and groups to provide more equitable access to funding for a range of communities across the country. Any arts organisation or group that meets the fund’s criteria can apply, including those previously in the Tōtara and Kahikatea programmes. And they can apply for funding at higher levels than was previously offered.

Step three will be focused on empowering communities as decision-makers, exploring how communities can take a greater role in shaping arts development.
What’s new for some of those organisations is the deliberate simplicity of this fund, with its open questions and short guidelines.

We don’t want organisations to think they have to say or do more than they are already doing, simply to be considered for funding. 

What are the key dates for the fund?

• Applications for Tiers 3 and 4, the higher levels of funding, will be open from February to March 2026, with decisions notified in late June-early July 2026.
• Applications for Tiers 1 & 2 will be from March to May 2026, with decisions notified in September 2026. 

Can you break down the options available to applicants (four tiers and multi-year options)?

There are four tiers and applicants can apply for 1, 2 or 3 years of support. Questions and requirements build on each tier. We encourage people to go to the Funding and support page of our website.

The options are:

• Tier 1: up to $50,000 per year for 1, 2 or 3 years: Tier 1 has simple questions and light evidence requirements, unchanged from this year.
• Tier 2: $50,001–$125,000 per year for 1, 2 or 3 years: Tier 2 has a few more questions and asks for more evidence (accounts, governance, revenue mix), unchanged from this year.

Applicants will need to complete an Expression of Interest before they can apply to Tiers 3 and 4 to confirm they meet the eligibility requirements. These are an average annual turnover over $250,000 in the past two years and having received funding from Creative New Zealand between 2023 and 2025. Eligible applicants will be given access to the application form for Tiers 3 and 4. The Expression of Interest form will be published in November 2025.

• Tier 3: $125,001–$500,000 per year for 1, 2 or 3: Tier 3 asks questions about sustainability and revenue growth plans. Applicants will also have to respond to questions about recognising Māori as tangata whenua if applying to the General or Pacific pools.
• Tier 4: $500,001+ per year for 1, 2 or 3 years: Tier 4 asks for stronger evidence of system-level contribution, partnerships, advocacy or infrastructure work.

Can you expand on the different parameters / requirements / aims for each tier?

We encourage potential applicants to use our website as the best source of information.

• Tier 1 aims to support organisations and groups with clear community connection. They’ll submit a vision/plan and a detailed budget.
• Tier 2 aims to support organisations and groups that contribute to artform/practice and share knowledge. They must show other revenue sources than our funding, provide their last two years’ accounts, and have a governing body.
• Tier 3 aims to support organisations with larger roles. They must provide a revenue-generation or fundraising plan, as well as evidence that they’re planning for sustainability. If applying to the General or Pacific pools, they’ll need to describe how they recognise Māori as tangata whenua in their arts practice.
• Tier 4 aims to support organisations making unique, system-level contributions. These applicants will need examples of partnerships, infrastructure or advocacy work that strengthens the sector. More stringent evidence and demonstration of broader impact will be expected here.

Anyone who wants to understand what we mean by ‘impact’ or ‘community’ or ‘benefit’ can check out our definitions online. 

What can orgs do now to start prepping for the application process? Will you share the application questions?

Happy to say that we already have; the application questions were published on 16 September 2025 and are available here.

Applicants can start to consider these questions right now; there’s no need to wait until the fund opens, and there are no additional questions coming.

Some organisations are asking about assessment criteria and how we will score those answers. These criteria will be published closer to the fund opening, but, as with the rest of our current funds, they won’t be extensive. Again, everything organisations need to know to get started is available now.

Other useful things applicants can do now is to tidy up their accounts from the past two to three years, update their strategic plan or vision statement, map their community connections and partners, and draft a realistic budget.

What questions or prompts will be included in the application?

All of the application questions were published on 16 September 2025 and are available online here.

How much funding will be available, and will the pool be the same year-to-year? Could multi-year grants reduce next year’s pool?

The budget for AOG26 has yet to be confirmed. When it is, we’ll be clear about what we can offer each round.

We’re expecting high demand for the AOG Fund, and we don’t expect any increase on our current levels. This fund will be competitive and that means even strong applications might not be supported or could receive less than asked.

On top of the limited total budget, multi-year funding means we have to manage commitments to ensure we can make new funding offers in future years.  It's a balance. So, yes, one year’s multi-year commitments can impact the next – but we know how valuable multi-year support is to all organisations, which is why we have extended this fund now.

What advice for existing investment partners entering this process for the first time?

Our big message for all potential applicants, whether they’ve applied before or are doing so for the first time, is to start now.

• Have a look at the questions and start drafting answers early, before the round opens.
• Get your governance information and accounts in order.
• Focus on what your group or organisation wants to achieve over time, then think about how the programme of work will contribute to that outcome.
• Gather evidence of past community impact, with concrete examples of who you reach, what you’ve done and what changed. Specific examples are stronger than general statements.
• Use the resources on our website , check our social channels for information sessions, attend the zui and, if you need to, use the speak-with-an-adviser service.
• If you have previously been funded based on projects, specific activities, and detailed out-years programmes, note that AOG does not ask you to provide these. The focus is on the impact you make, not just the activities you deliver. 
• If you have previously submitted applications asking you to directly address CNZ’s historical ‘investment intentions’, note that AOG does not ask you to provide these, either. The focus is on your strategy, not ours.
• Again, keep it realistic. From budget to reach, we don’t want organisations to think they have to say or do more than they are already doing, simply to be considered for funding.
• Be authentic. We want to hear directly from organisations and groups in your own words, about your own vision or strategy. Our aim is to support organisations for the work that you, and only you do.

How does the government’s ‘Amplify’ strategy affect assessment or fund design?

As a public sector agency, we consider the direction Amplify sets for the arts. At the same time, our strategies and research informed Amplify!

You can read our response to the launch on our website.

AOG has been extended in response to feedback from the arts sector over several years, and in line with Creative New Zealand’s own strategy and sector insights. 

The AOG fund strongly aligns with the strategic pillars and targets of Amplify with opportunities for multiyear funding, supporting programmes of work rather than activities or projects, and focussing on communities to drive engagement. 

To be clear, applicants do not have to have to address Amplify pillars or priorities in their applications, and our assessment and decision making won’t prioritise or advantage applicants saying they deliver to Amplify priorities.

Again, we want to know about organisations and what they do. We want applicants to focus their responses to the application questions on what’s important to them and their communities, to use specific examples of what they have done and will continue to do, for the arts.

Can you talk us through the EOI / pre-application process for Tiers 3 and 4 and when it happens?

Applicants to Tiers 3 and 4 will need to complete a simple Expression of Interest before they can apply.

The eligibility requirements are an average annual turnover over $250,000 in the past two years and to have received funding from Creative New Zealand between 2023 and 2025.

Eligible applicants will be given access to the application form for Tiers 3 and 4. The Expression of Interest form will be published in November 2025.

Who will assess the applications, external or internal panels?

We’re using internal assessment, supported by external expertise as needed, for Tiers 1 and 2 because it lets us manage high volumes and be quicker and more responsive.

We’re using a combination of internal and external assessment for Tiers 3 and 4.

Assessors will be selected for their experience, seniority and independence, proportionate to the task.

There are checks and calibration steps in place, to make sure decisions are consistent and fair.

The assessment criteria will be published closer to the fund opening.

How many applications do you expect there will be and how many will be successful?

We expect high demand. Our estimates are in the range of 600–700 applications.

We can’t say how many applications will be successful because it depends on the number of applications received and for how much is requested for how long.

In earlier AOG Fund rounds, we’ve funded around 30% of applications.

Anything else people should know?

We encourage collaboration. Joint applications are welcome where shared kaupapa makes sense.

It's important to remember that the fund supports arts organisations and groups that deliver a regular or ongoing programme of work overtime - it's not for projects. A programme of work brings together a group of related projects that all contribute to a bigger purpose.

When you’re thinking about applying, focus on impact, not just delivery. We want to hear from organisations and groups that have a clear and consistent artistic vision and are closely connected to their communities. These are often organisations and groups that have already shown long-term impact and value and are working in partnership with others, sharing resources, and building up others along the way.

We’re realistic about the amount we’ll fund. We generally won’t fund more than 70% of an organisation’s average annual turnover, and in most cases, this will be significantly less. Applications for more than $250,000 require applicants to show us how they are, or are planning to, diversify their income.

We’ll publish summary data about the number of applications, including average grants, ranges, and other quantitative information after the decisions are released.