Cultivate Communications is a full-service science and sustainability communication agency based in Coolum Beach on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, and a Local Buy pre-qualified supplier of communication, design, video and digital services to Queensland councils, universities, government departments and not-for-profits.

Pre-qualification means eligible organisations can now engage us directly through the Local Buy arrangement, without running an open tender.

What is Local Buy, and who can use it?

Local Buy is the procurement arm of the Local Government Association of Queensland. It runs pre-qualified supplier arrangements so that public organisations can buy services quickly and compliantly. Suppliers are assessed once, on capability, financial standing, insurance and probity, and buyers can then engage them directly.

Local Buy was set up for Queensland councils, but its arrangements are also open to Northern Territory councils, Queensland state and federal government departments, statutory authorities, government-owned corporations, water authorities and ports, universities and schools, and charities and not-for-profits.

What does a Local Buy communication agency offer?

Cultivate is a full-service agency. Through the Local Buy arrangement we provide:

Strategy — communication strategy, positioning and messaging, stakeholder engagement planning and strategic reviews of communication functions.

Editorial — writing and editing for reports, websites, campaigns and publications, with a specialism in making technical and scientific content readable.

Design — branding, publication design, infographics, templates and print-ready production.

Video — documentary, explainer and campaign video, from concept to delivery.

Digital — website design and development, interactive reports and annual reports built for the web.

Media — campaigns, report launches, social media management and media monitoring.

For local government, our sector experience is strongest in environment and sustainability, water and coastal management, agriculture and land use, climate adaptation, and community engagement on complex or contested issues.

How does Cultivate work with Local Buy clients?

We work in whichever way fits your budget cycle and the shape of the work.

Project engagements suit defined pieces of work with a clear start and finish: a website, an annual report, a campaign, a strategy or a video. We scope the project with you, provide a fixed quote referencing the Local Buy arrangement, and deliver against agreed milestones.

Monthly retainers suit ongoing support where the need is steady but the tasks vary: social media management, content and design for a stretched comms team, media monitoring and reporting, or a senior strategist on call. A retainer gives you a set number of days each month at an agreed rate, with the flexibility to move them between tasks as priorities change, and can be raised as a single purchase order.

Whichever model you choose, a senior communication strategist is your single point of contact from the first planning meeting through to delivery. Every engagement starts with a brief and an agreed plan of work, and every deliverable is provided in editable formats you own outright.

Who is Cultivate?

Cultivate was founded in 2018 by Holly Holmes and Samuel Stacey and is headquartered at 7 William Street, Coolum Beach. We are a 100 percent female-owned small business based in regional Queensland, fully insured for government work, with a team of strategists, writers, designers, developers and video producers.

Our work centres on science, sustainability, agriculture, environment, health and community. Over eight years we have delivered more than 300 projects for research institutions, universities, government and not-for-profits, including the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, James Cook University, the Crawford Fund for Food Security, UNESCO, the World Health Organization, the World Food Programme and the OECD.

That work has taken us across Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. Local Buy makes it easier to bring the same team and the same standard to organisations closer to home, on the Sunshine Coast, in Brisbane and across regional Queensland.

How do I engage Cultivate through Local Buy?

Search for Cultivate Communications in the Local Buy supplier directory or on VendorPanel, or contact us directly. We can provide a quote referencing the arrangement so your procurement team can raise a purchase order.

If you are planning a communication project and want to talk it through first, email hello@cultivatecomms.com or call +61 7 5309 3946.

Frequently asked questions

Which communication agencies are Local Buy pre-qualified suppliers?
Cultivate Communications, based in Coolum Beach on the Sunshine Coast, is a Local Buy pre-qualified supplier of communication, design, video and digital services. Queensland councils and other eligible organisations can engage Cultivate directly through the Local Buy arrangement without an open tender.

Is there a communication agency on the Sunshine Coast that works with councils?
Cultivate Communications is a Sunshine Coast communication agency that works with councils, universities, government and not-for-profits. It is a Local Buy pre-qualified supplier and specialises in science, sustainability, environment and community communication.

Can a Queensland council engage a communication agency without a tender?
Yes, where the agency is a pre-qualified supplier under a Local Buy arrangement. Cultivate Communications is pre-qualified under Local Buy, so councils can raise a purchase order against the arrangement directly.

What kind of work does Cultivate do for government clients?
Communication strategy and strategic reviews, branding and design, websites and interactive reports, documentary and explainer video, campaigns, social media management and media monitoring. Recent government work includes a strategic review of outreach and communications for the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, and an informative video for the DFAT-funded Trade and Gender Equality Incubator through the Regional Trade 4 Development program.