Apply

How to create and submit a new application, and how to manage your existing applications.

On this page:

• Create or edit my application
• Apply on behalf of another person
• Invite others to join my application
• Add support material
• Sign my application
• Submit my application
• Edit my submitted application
• Withdraw my submitted application

Create or edit my application

You need to complete and submit an application form using the CNZ portal to apply for most Creative New Zealand opportunities.

Steps:

1. Sign in to the CNZ portal (link)
   
   
2. Click Start a new application.
   All open opportunities will be displayed.
   
   
3. Find the opportunity you want to apply for and click Apply now.
   A window will pop up asking who you are applying on behalf of.
   Choose who the applicant is and click Continue.
   
   
4. Your application form will open.
   Read the 'Start' section and complete the checklist before you begin to fill in other sections of the application form.
   
   
5. Click Save and then Cancel to close your application when you want to take a break.
   
   
6. To continue working on your application, select Applications from your top navigation menu.
   Your 'Application dashboard' will display.
   Scroll down to 'Draft Applications'.
   Click your draft application to open it.

Tips and trouble-shooting

• If you can't see the opportunity you want to apply for in the CNZ portal, it may not be open now, or access to the application form may be limited to people who have already confirmed their eligibility for that specific opportunity. See All opportunities to view all the opportunities CNZ offers, including the dates that applications are open and check your eligibility.

Apply on behalf of another person

If another person asks you to apply on their behalf, use your own CNZ account to create, sign and submit their application.

When you are ready to submit, email portal@creativenz.govt.nz with confirmation from the applicant that you have their permission to apply on their behalf. We will update who the applicant is.

Invite others to join my application

You can invite other people to contribute to your application from the 'Start' section of your application form, or you can email portal@creativenz.govt.nz to ask us to add other people.

You can invite joint applicants (people or organisations who will be jointly responsible for managing the grant with you) or people you have asked to help edit or review your application.

Steps:

1. Select the Applicant details section of your application form.
   Scroll down to 'Invite others to this application'.
   
   
2. Click Invite.
   A new window will open.
   
   
3. Click + Add email to enter the email address of those you want to invite to the application.
   Choose the role you are inviting them to accept. You can choose from:
   • Contributor All - the person you invite can view and edit all parts of the application. They cannot sign, submit, or invite other people.
   • Contributor Restricted - the person you invite can view and edit all parts of the application except the Budget section. They cannot sign, submit, or invite others.
   • Joint Applicant (Full permission) - the person you invite has full permission and they must sign the application before it can be submitted.
4. Type a brief message so the person you're inviting knows what you're asking them to do.
   Click Send.
   The people you invite will receive an email and will be asked to choose whether they're accepting the invitation as an individual or on behalf of a group or organisation.
   When a person accepts an invitation, they will move from Invited to Accepted in the 'Applicant Details' section of your application form.

Tips and trouble-shooting:

• If more than one person has the application open you will not be able to save changes, so coordinate with those you have invited to your application.
• If you are making an application jointly with another person or organisation, all applicants need to sign the application before it can be submitted.
• If you invite another person from your group or organisation, invite them to the application as a Contributor, not a Joint Applicant, or you may not be able to sign and submit your application. Email portal@creativenz.govt.nz if you need us to remove a joint applicant
• You can also share your application with other people by clicking Print in the top right-hand corner of the application form. This will create a PDF that can be shared by email or printed.

Add support material

You can add documents and other support material in the following ways:

• attached file
• web link
• hard copy

Steps:

1. Select the Attachments section of your application form.
   Scroll down and click + Add new attachment.
   A new window will open.
   
   
2. Select the type of support material item from the drop-down list.
   Enter a name or description for the item.
   
   
3. Select one of the following options:
   
   • To attach support material:
     1. Click Select file...
     2. Choose the file you want to attach from your computer.
        You will see a green 100% complete notification when your file is attached.
     3. Click Save after attaching each item.
        The window will close and you will return to the 'Attachments' section of your application form.
   • To add a web link:
     
     1. Type the URL.
     2. Click Save after adding each URL.
        The window will close and you will return to the 'Attachments' section of your application form.
   • To deliver hard copy support material to Creative New Zealand:
     
     1. Read and follow the 'Instructions for sending hard copy material'.
        Click Save.
        The window will close and you will return to your application form.
     2. When you have finished adding hard copy support material items, click Print coversheet and read and follow the instructions for delivering hard copy material to Creative New Zealand on the cover sheet.
4. Repeat the steps above until all support material items have been saved to your application.
   Support material that has been saved will be listed at the bottom of the 'Attachments' section of your application form.
   Click Edit to make changes or Delete to remove an item.

Tips and trouble-shooting

• Attached files - If you cannot attach your file, check that it meets the following rules for file format, name and size:
  • Format - the following formats can be attached: .pdf .doc .docx (Word) .xls .xlsx (Excel) .png .jpg .jpeg .txt. (music, video and other file formats can only be provided by a web link).
  • Name - the file name cannot contain special characters (eg. #, _ or &).
  • Size - the maximum size per file is 10MB.
• Add and save your support material one item at a time. If you don't click Save after adding each item, you will overwrite the previous item.

Sign my application

All applicants need to sign the application before it can be submitted.

Steps:

1. Select the Sign section of your application.
   Read the declaration text carefully.
   
   
2. Click Sign then click Save.

Tips and trouble-shooting:

• If an applicant is a group or organisation, only one person can sign the application on behalf of the group or organisation.
• If you are applying on behalf of a group or organisation and other people from your group or organisation were invited to be Joint Applicants instead of Contributors, you won't be able to sign and submit the application. This is because the group or organisation is a joint applicant with itself! Email portal@creativenz.govt.nz to change the Joint Applicants to Contributors

Submit my application

Steps:

1. Click Save then check all sections of your application form, including each attachment.
   
   
2. Click Validate.
   If there are any sections of the application form you still need to fill in or update before you can submit, you'll see a ! symbol next to the section name, and if you go to that section, you will see a message telling you what you need to do.
   
   
3. Click Submit.
   A message will pop up saying your application has been successfully submitted.
   
   
4. Click Cancel to return to your 'Application dashboard'.
   Your application will now appear under 'Submitted applications'.

Tips and trouble-shooting:

• You cannot submit your application after the funding round has closed, so don't be late.
• Only applicants can submit. If you cannot see the 'Sign' section of the application form or the Submit button, you were invited to the application as a contributor.
• You won't receive email confirmation that your application has been submitted until after the round closes. If you're unsure if your application has been submitted, check your 'Application Dashboard' to see if it appears under 'Submitted applications'.

Edit my submitted application

When you submit your application it becomes read-only. This means you can still see it in the CNZ portal but cannot edit it.

For reasons of fairness to other applicants, Creative New Zealand staff cannot add to or edit your submitted application for you, so carefully check your application before you submit it.

If the funding round is still open, you can ask us to un-submit your application so you can edit it and re-submit it before the round closes.

Steps:

1. Email portal@creativenz.govt.nz at least 30 minutes before the round closes, asking us to un-submit your application. Include the following details:
   • Full name of the applicant(s).
   • Name of your project and/or the funding round you applied to.
2. When you receive a response email confirming that your application has been un-submitted, refresh your 'Application dashboard'. 
   Your application will move from 'Submitted applications' to 'Draft applications'.
   Click to open your application.
   
   
3. Edit your application and click Save.
   Click Submit.

Tips and trouble-shooting:

• We need to receive written confirmation from the applicant before we can un-submit an application, so sending an email is the fastest way to have your application un-submitted.
• If you ask us to un-submit your application, you must re-submit it from the CNZ portal before the round closes, or your application cannot be processed.
• If you find it helpful to see your application in a different format when checking it, you can click Print to create a PDF version.
• The most common reason people ask us to un-submit their application is that they receive support material from others after submitting their application. When possible, contact the people who need to provide information to support your application early and don't submit your application before you have added all the support material to meet the eligibility criteria for the opportunity.

Withdraw my submitted application

If you want to withdraw your application after you have submitted it, let us know as soon as possible.

After an application is withdrawn, it will not move further through the assessment and decision-making process.

Steps:

1. Email funding@creativenz.govt.nz asking us to withdraw your application. Include the following details:
   • Full name of the applicant(s)
   • Name of the project and/or the funding round you applied to.

Tips and trouble-shooting:

• You cannot withdraw an application after the final decisions have been made.