Game developers with VR game

Victorian Production Fund (VPF) – Games

  • Applications are open: on an ongoing basis
  • Grants: capped at $300K per stage or $500K per project

The Victorian Production Fund (VPF) - Games aims to assist Victorian digital game development companies and creators in the development and release of diverse digital games.

Key Requirements

Applicants are required to contribute a minimum of 50% of the stage budget, which can be achieved through in-kind work, applicant cash, external funding, or a combination of these sources. Applicants must provide proof of external fund contributions in the financial plan.

For the Pre-Production phase, the funding request should fall within the range of 10% to 25% of the project’s total budget. During the Production phase, the funding request should aim for between 10% and 50% of the total project budget. In the Post-Production stage, the requested funding should not exceed 50% of the post-production budget.

VicScreen’s Criteria:

  • Digital game projects by Victorian developers, regardless of career stage.
  • Projects with a blend of creative, cultural, and commercial potential.
  • Projects poised to advance to Pre-Production, Production, or Post-Production for market readiness.
  • Original game projects fostering the growth of individuals, businesses, and Victoria’s broader screen sector.
  • Projects aligning with the priorities outlined in Victoria’s Screen Industry Strategy 2021-2025:
    • Facilitating industry expansion and job creation.
    • Cultivating engaging Victorian content and intellectual property.
    • Nurturing skills and talent.
    • Elevating Victoria’s reputation as a dynamic, diverse, and creative game development hub.

What is eligible for funding?

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Original digital game projects, targeting PC, consoles, mobile, VR, AR, or XR, with a strategy for both digital and physical releases.
  • Pre-Production funding requires:
    • Early-stage concept or prototype materials showcasing key game elements like mechanics, themes, art style, narrative, or other features.
    • Development documentation outlining the path to securing additional financing or progressing to full production.
  • Production funding necessitates:
    • Concept materials outlining key game elements or a playable digital prototype ready for full-scale production.
    • Development documentation demonstrating a public outcome, such as a demo release, Early Access, or crowdfunding.
  • Post-Production funding requires:
    • An existing publicly released project.
    • Development documentation detailing a package of work to enhance the released game, such as localisation, porting, downloadable content, or other game-related content.

Funding allocation:

  • Across all development stages:
    • Funding for essential project features aligned with the stage’s objectives.
    • Coverage for staffing costs of the development team.
    • Engagement of highly experienced mentors or consultants to assist with creative, technical, or business aspects of the project, including accessibility and diversity consulting. This is highly recommended for new and emerging teams.
    • Support for legal fees, including assistance with distribution, licensing, publishing agreements, and intellectual property protection.
    • Provision for accounting costs and advice.
  • For Pre-Production:
    • Support for development work essential for early-stage project iteration and experimentation.
    • Assistance with business development, encompassing publishers, pitch deck creation, branding, market strategy, distributor partnerships, franchise development, and identification of alternative revenue streams.
  • For Production:
    • Support for development work necessary for the project’s public release.
    • Implementation of audience engagement and marketing strategies tailored to the pre-release phase of the project.
  • For Post-Production:
    • Funding for ongoing content development and delivery after the project’s release.
    • Allocation for localisation or porting costs.
    • Additional funding for marketing or post-release audience engagement, including strategy planning, press kits, user acquisition, social media management, and community engagement.

What companies are eligible for funding?

To be eligible, applicants must be:

Is this grant competitive or entitlement based?

Competitive. Your application will be assessed among other applications by a judging panel.

How can I increase my chances of winning this grant?

By engaging an accredited government grants consultant, such as Avant Group.

Competitive grants often require significant business case development and project analysis to support the application, this may include detailed presentations supporting the project’s merit, projected sales, cost-benefit analysis and more.

As part of your engagement with Avant Group, your account manager will assess the required documents and will provide the following as needed to support your grant submission.

Grant application writeup including a detailed presentation illustrating how the grant funding will contribute to your project, how the funding will contribute to the project’s budget, a project milestone plan, delivery timeline, impact on employment if applicable, and a breakdown of the management and leadership team for the project

  • Industry analysis presentation
  • Competitor Analysis Presentation
  • Marketing and Sales Analysis Presentation
  • 3-5 year Cashflow Forecast
  • 3-5 year Balance Sheet Forecast
  • Cost-Benefit Analysis of Grant Funding
  • End-to-end grant application including information collating, analysis and application writing
  • CAPEX (Capital Expenditure) cost-benefit analysis
  • Stakeholder relations and Risk Mitigation Plans
  • Any other relevant forecasting that will support your application

How can I get help with my application? Or know if I’m likely to win funding?

Avant Group offers a no-obligation assessment of your eligibility for funding and will assess your likelihood of a successful grant application.