The Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF) has published its 2024/2025 annual report, recapping a big year for its investment efforts. It also highlighted just how much of the country’s kids content relies on funding from the org. The full report can be viewed online, but here are some key takeaways:

Production funding: All told, the ACTF invested or committed US$7.2 million (AUD$11.14 million) this fiscal year. US$3.9 million (AUD$6.1 million) of that was funneled into active productions, and the remainder US$3.2 million (AUD$4.9 million) was set aside for projects in the financing stage.

Buoyed projects: The org invested in family film Whale Shark Jack; live-action/puppet-based series Knee High Spies; 2D toon Happy House; and the fourth season of Ginger and the Vegesaurs, all of which were in production during the reporting period.

Coming up: Five more productions were financed with filming expected to kick off in the next fiscal year. Along with Easy Tiger Productions’ live-actioner Caper Crew, this batch of titles includes three unannounced shows and one unannounced animated movie.

Development funding: ACTF earmarked roughly US$647,000 (AUD$1 million) for 25 projects in development across New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

Beyond Australia: The org took four new titles to market and secured international sales totalling US$906,000 (AUD$1.4 million) from 26 broadcasters, including Canal+ (France) and Netflix (US).

Other highlights: This year, ACTF joined forces with Screen Australia to launch a Kids IP Incubator to fund eight creative teams developing digital-first projects. Meanwhile, five ACTF-supported titles launched this year—including the third season of Kangaroo Beach, season four of Little J & Big Cuz (pictured) and the family flick Runt, which grossed US$3.8 million (AUD$6 million) at the box office in Australia.

Comments: “The programs we are supporting would not be made without ACTF support, which would mean barely any Australian screen content for our nation’s children,” said board chair Helen Silver in a release. “Opportunities for fresh, new, innovative Australian children’s content are becoming harder than ever to secure. This makes each of the new shows we are supporting extra-special.”