Funding
This section contains the lastest funding opportunities.
Below are links to specific funding opportunties, click on them or scroll down the page to see them all. The downloadable guides to help you with your funding application are located in the Funding Toolkits section.
New resource mapping funding schemes available to music businesses
Community Media Association and Arts Council England - Connect
Funding for Disabled Artists – Unlimited Commissions
The David and Elaine Potter Foundation
BSLBT's Zoom Short Film Scheme
New digital media funds to reach isolated people
Free Arts Fundraising Support, arch+ways
£250 Million Funding Available for SMEs (North West)
Legacy Trust UK £40 million fund
Allan Lane Foundation grants programme
The Jerwood Charitable Foundation
The Biffaward Small Grants Scheme
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation arts and heritage programme
New resource mapping funding schemes available to music businesses
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has published a new resource mapping the funding schemes available to small and medium sized music businesses.
DCMS announced that because they understand that raising finance for creative businesses can be a problem, they have put together this new document Money Map. This map lists funding schemes that might be helpful to those 90% of music businesses which are Small and Medium Enterprises and that often face distinct problems which can hinder their ability to grow.
It also includes information for a wide range of individuals and smaller organisations involved in music projects.
http://www.culture.gov.uk/images/publications/dcms_moneymap.pdf
Community Media Association and Arts Council England - Connect
Community Media Association (CMA) and Arts Council England are seeking to support partnerships between arts and community media, which will develop creative pieces and devise new ways for the two to work together. Proposals for the Connect scheme are invited from across England, from Arts Council England Regularly Funded Organisations and CMA member organisations.
Awards of up to £3,000 are available.
Successful projects must show how partnerships between arts and community media can create and deliver innovative arts content, increase participation in the artistic process and promote engagement in the arts.
The results from the successful activity will be showcased at the 2011 CMA conference, and will be sent to the Culture Secretary and the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS). Successful projects will also be disseminated through regional Arts Council England offices to highlight good practice and sector partnerships.
For more information about the scheme, or how to apply, read the proposal at:
http://www.commedia.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/connect-proposal.pdf
Deadline: 1 October 2010
Funding for Disabled Artists – Unlimited Commissions
Arts Council England has announced that the next deadline for applications under its `Unlimited Commissions` scheme is the 18th October 2010.
The scheme which is supported by London 2012, the UK Arts Councils and the British Council aims to commission new work that is artistically led by disabled artists and celebrate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Grants of between £25,000 and £50,000 are available to disabled and deaf artists, and disabled and deaf-led arts organisations, who wish to develop their work, strengthen their artistic practice, challenge perceptions and forge new partnerships with presenting venues and events.
For more information visit: http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/funding/unlimited/
Deadline: 18 October 2010
The David and Elaine Potter Foundation
The David and Elaine Potter Foundation is motivated to use philanthropy to encourage the values and beliefs of the founders within society in its largest definition. The Potters believe in ‘the constructs of the rational mind – the great edifice of human thought – science, philosophy, the social sciences, the arts and ethics’.
The will consider: general or core funding; specific programme grants; small lead gifts for innovative, new or enhanced programmes; challenge gifts to encourage the participation of other donors; and one-time and short-term gifts to sustain a programme until its long-term funding is realised.The Foundation prefers to use its funding to leverage other donor participation. Requests for endowment, capital campaigns, construction, equipment purchases and debt reduction should not be submitted.
The Foundation has also given smaller grants to a number of institutions, in an array of issues including human rights, prison reform, the environment, individual educational grants, health related charities and the performing arts. It is committed to multi-year grants where relevant and to the concept of general core support grants.
Support can only be given to organisations or groups that are charitable within the UK meaning of that term. This includes UK registered charities and exempt charities such as hospitals, educational establishments, museums, and housing corporations. Applications from individuals or for individual research or study cannot be considered and the trustees do not generally support humanitarian aid or animal welfare charities. The Foundation strongly prefers to fund strategically; for capacity building, to ‘grow’ a specific charity or area of interest, or to leverage additional support for an organisation.
http://www.potterfoundation.com
BSLBT's Zoom Short Film Scheme
The British Sign Language Broadcasting Trust, through its Zoom Short Film Scheme, is inviting applications from British Deaf directors and Deaf writer/directors. The scheme aims to support the production of six short films, and will provide successful filmmakers with:
£2,000 of funding to make a short film up to 15 minutes in length;
the opportunity to work with Neath Films to make their film;
standard production insurance cover;
production support;
post production support including offline edit, grade and online edit.
Films of any genre will be considered, but films must be suitable for viewing by all ages, and must be in British sign language.
Deadline: 17 September 2010
(Source: Voluntary Arts England)
The Hadfield Trust is a charitable trust which gives cash grants to charitable organisations in Cumbria. The Trust works particularly to provide help for charitable projects working in the fields of
• social needs,
• youth and employment,
• help for older people,
• the arts
• the environment
The policy of the Trustees is that capital funding is strongly preferred but some revenue requests will be accepted in particular circumstances.
http://www.hadfieldtrust.org.uk
Deadline: 1 February, 1 June and 1 October
NAN Go and see bursaries of up to £500 are artist-led, peer-reviewed bursaries supporting travel between artists' groups and networks in the UK or elsewhere, in order to explore new links and provide a focus for critical exchange, research and peer development. The aims of the bursaries are intended to reflect the NAN mission: to promote the aspirations of artists and the development of practice through peer dialogue and exchange.
NAN defines artists’ groups as two or more artists working together or engaged in collective activity who consider themselves to be a group or network.
More: http://www.a-n.co.uk/nan/section/473129
Deadline: 1 June, 1 September, 1 December 2010
(source: Voluntary Arts London)
The Liverpool ONE Foundation aims to help the lives of local people in Merseyside, especially Liverpool, by providing support for good causes in and around the city. Projects should meet one or more of the following themes:
• The prevention or relief of poverty
• Education and skills
• Social and community advancement
• Health
Funding is available from three different fund programmes. Grants range from £500 to over £5,000 in some circumstances. The closing dates for applications in 2010 are 09/04/2010 & 01/10/2010.
For further information please visit the Community Foundation for Merseyside website to download the criteria and application form.
http://www.cfmerseyside.org.uk
Young Roots is a grant programme designed to engage young people aged 13-25 with their heritage. Young Roots projects stem directly from the interest and ideas of young people, who are supported by youth and heritage organisations to develop skills, build confidence, and connect with their local communities.
Programme priorities
To receive a Young Roots grant, your project must relate to the varied heritage of the UK and:
•provide new opportunities for a wider range of young people aged 13 to 25 to learn about their own and others’ heritage;
•allow young people to lead and take part in creative and engaging activities;
•develop partnerships between youth organisations and heritage organisations; and
•create opportunities to celebrate young people’s achievements in the project and share their learning with the wider community.
Your project must also create new opportunities for young people to either:
•volunteer in heritage; or
•gain skills in identifying, recording, interpreting or caring for heritage.
Application process
Young Roots is a rolling programme and there are no deadlines. You will receive a decision on your application within 10 weeks from us receiving your application. You should send in your pre-application enquiry form and full application online. To do this register and apply:
Awards for All is a simple small grants scheme making awards of between £300 and £10,000. The Awards for All programme aims to help improve local communities and the lives of people most in need.
Projects must meet one or more of the following outcomes:
People have better chances in life - with better access to training and development to improve their life skills.
Stronger communities - with more active citizens working together to tackle their problems.
Improved rural and urban environments - which communities are better able to access and enjoy.
Healthier and more active people and communities.
The application form is short and simple and you will find out if you are successful within six weeks.
http://www.awardsforall.org.uk
Art in empty spaces: turning vacant spaces into creative places
Art in empty spaces, our £500,000 initiative to help artists and arts organisations turn vacant high street shops into vibrant artistic places, is now open for applications.
Individuals and organisations are invited to apply for grants to support artistic activity that transforms empty retail units into creative spaces – anything from an art gallery to recording studios or family arts workshops – which the whole community can enjoy.
The programme, Art in empty spaces, is being run in partnership with the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG)’s scheme Looking after our town centres, which is investing £3 million to reinvigorate ailing town centres during the recession.
One of the best means of animating high streets during the downturn is by using the arts to make them attractive and vibrant places. Art in empty spaces has therefore been established to help artists and arts organisations carry out artistic activities in vacant premises made available to them through the DCLG scheme. The initiative is part of Arts Council England’s response to the effects of the recession on the arts and is funded with an additional £500,000 of National Lottery funds available through our Grants for the arts programme. The money is intended to enable artists to connect their work with even more people in fresh and imaginative ways, despite the current tough economic climate.
Priority will be given to projects that are in receipt of confirmed DCLG funding and where the activity begins within three months of a grant being awarded. We will also be keen to support the most sustainable projects and those that will have the most impact. We believe these are likely to be the ones where strong local partnerships are in place. For example, we encourage the temporary use of vacant spaces for the arts where it leads to a longer-term solution for integrating artists into a development, a regeneration scheme or a town centre, and where the presence of artists underpins and contributes to local strategies and arts development.
Arts Council England will accept Grants for the arts applications for Art in empty spaces from artists in any location in England but priority will be given to those who have received partnership funding from one the 57 DCLG selected local authority areas. A list of these areas can be found on the DCLG web site here.
The role the arts can play in economic regeneration can already be seen across the country, in places such as Margate, Liverpool, Bedford and many other towns and cities where the innovative use of empty shops is helping to prevent high street decline. In Chester, for example, Roam the Rows uses the high street as its setting for the annual Chester Performs festival, which brings a mix of arts events and installations to the historic city centre. Artists take over both empty and occupied shops and public spaces to create new and stimulating experiences for shoppers and passers-by. We hope the new fund will enable many more such schemes to happen.
Alan Davey, Chief Executive, Arts Council England, said: ‘The arts offer escape and comfort in tough times and they have the power to play a key role in our recovery from recession.
‘Art in empty spaces is a wonderful way for artists to connect with even more people in unexpected places and to turn the depressing sight of another empty shop into an encounter with something different.’
Please download the guidance notes below for information on how to apply to the Art in empty spaces initiative.
For details of how to apply to the Grants for the arts programme, please visit http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/grantsforthearts.
So far, Grassroots Grants has funded thousands of projects, from sports for disabled people to arts for older people, activities for young people, counselling services, employment programmes, food parcel services, music groups and village halls. It is these small, volunteer led groups that make a real difference to the lives of local people, and often a small amount of money can go a long way.
Applying for Grassroots Grants is quick, easy and help is available. You can apply for money until March 2011. If your group ticks all the boxes, then you could apply for a Grassroots Grant of £250 - £5000
- A not-for-profit voluntary or community group in England
- Led by volunteers
- Active in local community 12 months or more
- Average income (over three years) of less than £30,000 per year
- Works for the benefit of your local community
If you have any questions, please contact the Grassroots Grants helpline:
T: 01223 400 331
E: mailto:grassroots@cdf.org.uk
To find out about how to apply for a Grassroot Grant visit http://www.cdf.org.uk/web/guest/grassroots-grants
Deadline: March 2011
Youth Music's Open Programme provides grants of between £5,000 and £30,000. It aims to increase the number of children and young people with access to high quality, sustainable music making activities across England.
They are keen to fund projects which clearly progress the musical skills of children and young people and/or provide them with pathways for further progression. They are also interested in projects which are particularly distinctive or innovative in their approach.
The Open Programme targets nearly £2m of Youth Music's funding towards projects that support the goals of:
• Early Years - advancing the learning and development of all children in their early years (0-5) by aiming to ensure universal access to high quality music making in England
• Challenging Circumstances - improving the life chances of children and young people in the most challenging circumstances by supporting them to achieve their full potential through engagement and progression in music making
• Encouraging Talent and Potential - realising the musical talent and potential of children and young people by ensuring opportunity for all to develop their talent regardless of background or chosen genre
• Workforce Development - enabling the highest quality music making by developing a diverse, highly skilled and inspirational workforce
If you would like to know more about the programme or to take a look at the new online application form, please take a look at the Open Programme page at http://www.youthmusic.org.uk/looking_for_music_funding/Open_programme.html
New digital media funds to reach isolated people
The Media Trust has made a £900,000 fund available to help charities and community organisations use digital media to reach isolated people. The organisation will give out £250,000 in 26 grants of between £1,500 and £14,000 to groups that work with deprived and isolated people. The grants, which will be made over two years, will fund digital media projects including films, photography, TV and websites.
The Media Trust will use the rest of the fund, which is being provided by the Communities and Local Government department and the Department for Universities, Innovation and Skills, to provide online resources to help charities use digital media in their work.
The online application process for grants is expected to open in July.
Free Arts Fundraising Support, arch+ways
arch+ways can now offer free fundraising advice and practical bid writing support to artists and community groups:
Are you in need of fundraising expertise for an arts based project?
Is your project, group or organisation ‘not for profit’?
Is your project based in Greater Manchester?
Is your project’s annual income less than £75,000?
If you answer yes to all of the above – you may qualify for free support from our GMCVO accredited consultant.
Our support will help give you a working knowledge of different ways to raise funds:
how best to apply that knowledge
how to plan a fundraising strategy, write applications and proposals
where to find information on potential funders
understanding of what not to do when trying to attract funds
understanding of organisational (and company) structures and which might best suit your project
arch+ways is a service dedicated to small arts organisations, new start-ups, artist led projects, individuals and community organisations. We help creative people and groups successfully deliver their projects, secure additional funding and raise awareness through press and media coverage.
To enquire about this free service, please contact us (including a brief description of your project) by e-mailing Jack Hale via:
This project is made possible through funding from the National Lottery.
LUTSF has pleasure in announcing 20 travel scholarships for 2009/10. Dance styles represented in the successful applications include Butoh, Baratha Natyam, Klein technique and street styles. Since giving its first awards in 1987 LUTSF has provided 392 travel scholarships to help people to pursue an extraordinarily wide range of projects. Over the years LUTSF awards have totalled about £178,000.
For details of all the awards, full press release and info on applying for 2010/11 please go to http://www.lutsf.org.uk
Changes to Mini Mediabox
Mediabox, which gives disadvantaged young people the chance to create media projects about issues that matter to them, from film and journalism to digital media and campaigns has announced changes to its Mini Mediabox fund.
Changes include:
• Increasing the annual turnover threshold from £100,000 to £150,000
• Accepting applications from umbrella groups
• Opening up for to schools and colleges
• Making the application process easier and faster for first time applicants to access the funds.
Mini Mediabox, with grants ranging from £1,000 to £5,000, is the smallest grant on offer, designed to give organisations that have a limited track record of delivering media projects the chance to extend their experience.
£250 Million Funding Available for SMEs (North West)
NatWest and RBS have announced that they are to make an additional £250 million funding available to Small and Medium Sised Enterprises in the North West in 2009. In addition to providing traditional debt finance, the new funds will offer businesses the opportunity to access other avenues available to help them manage their capital and cashflow through the current economic downturn. The Fund will offer customers a wide range of financial support including flexible business loans that will allow them to postpone capital repayments, invoice finance products which may guarantee debtor payment, effective ways to release cash through using the assets already owned by business and short term trade finance essential to keep imports and exports flowing.
http://www.nwda.co.uk/news--events/press-releases/200901/rbs-regional-fund.aspx
Legacy Trust UK £40 million fund
A new £40 million fund that will use the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games to promote culture and sport among young people and communities has been launched.
The Big Lottery Fund, the Arts Council and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have endowed Legacy Trust UK with £40m. This – and other funds that the Trust will raise from other public and philanthropic sources – will be used to support cultural, artistic, educational and sporting activities that celebrate the 2012 Games.
Legacy Trust UK will award both national and regional grants from 2008 to 2012 inclusive. More details about the grants and how to apply are available on http://www.legacytrustuk.org
Allan Lane Foundation grants programme
The Allan Lane Foundation provides grants of between £500 and £15,000 to small voluntary not-for-profit organisations, where the work benefits groups of people who face hostility in UK society today. The Foundation wishes to fund work which will make a lasting difference to people’s lives; is aimed at reducing isolation, stigma and discrimination; and encourages or enables unpopular groups to share in the life of the whole community.
Priority groups that the Foundation seeks to support includes asylum seekers and refugees; gay, lesbian, bi-sexual or transgender people; gypsies and travellers; offenders and ex-offenders; older people; people from black and minority ethnic communities and migrant workers; people experiencing mental health problems; and people experiencing violence or abuse.
The Foundation makes grants for work all over the United Kingdom but not where the beneficiaries of the work all live in London.
For more information, visit http://www.allenlane.org.uk/priorities.htm
The Juliet Gomperts Trust is a small charity which gives financial support to artists. The Trust will support all forms of contemporary fine art practice through project funding and residencies. It funds a cross section of artists: recent graduates, emerging artists and established artists. Applicants are judged on artistic merit: vision, imagination and skill.
For further information visit http://www.julietgompertstrust.co.uk
Launched in February 2003, the STEP Beyond fund supports the cross-border movement of artists and cultural workers to experience diversity and cross-cultural cooperation between all European countries, including those that are not currently members of the European Union. Through travel, the fund supports grantees in exploring and reassessing their own interests, gaining inspiration, and stimulating innovative creative connections.
The scheme is open to artists, cultural operators / activists, cultural journalists, cultural translators and cultural researchers. However, STEP Beyond does not contribute towards the costs of participation in festivals, conferences, summer schools or training sessions; the showcasing of work or the staging of productions (concerts, exhibitions, etc); student or university exchanges; or government officials
For more information, application and guidelines visit http://www.eurocult.org
The Jerwood Charitable Foundation
The Jerwood Charitable Foundation is a major sponsor of all areas of the performing and visual arts and are particularly interested in projects which involve rewards for excellence and the encouragement and recognition of outstanding talent and high standards, or which enable an organisation to become viable and self financing.
Applications can be made and are assessed throughout the year. Grants will vary between the lower range of up to £10,000 (often plus or minus £5,000) and more substantial grants in excess of £10,000 and up to £50,000
For more information visit http://www.jerwood.org
The Biffaward Small Grants Scheme
Recognised as one of the most respected Landfill Communities Fund (formerly Landfill Tax Credit Scheme) distributors, Biffaward has, to date, allocated more than £80 million to some 1,000 projects throughout the UK. The Biffaward Small Grants Scheme has been established to enable groups to quickly access lower levels of funding in order to improve the quality of life in their community. The aim is to make it easier for small groups to access funding in their communities.
Projects which have the primary aim of improving an amenity located within 10 miles of a Biffa operation and which will have the end benefit of fostering vibrant communities by improving the environmental, economic or social circumstances of a community are given priority. These may include Access to sport, culture or recreation. The Small Grants Scheme is open to any not-for-profit community led organisation with its own bank account. Groups can apply for between £250-£5,000 although the total cost of your project must be no more than £10,000
From their website you can access information about the Landfill Communities Fund, how to make an application for funding, find out about the projects they have supported and the latest news from Biffaward. http://www.biffaward.org
Esmee Fairbairn Foundation Announces New Funding Priorities (UK)
Following a review of its grant making policies, the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation has announced new funding priorities. The Foundation which is one of the UK’s largest grant making Trusts makes approximately £30 million of grants to registered charities and not – for profit organisations each year. The majority of funding is available through the main grants programme. This supports activities to enhance the UK’s cultural life, education, the natural environment and enabling people who are disadvantaged to participate more fully in society. Grants are also awarded through specific funding strands. These are Biodiversity; Museum & Heritage Collections; and New approaches to learning.
http://www.esmeefairbairn.org.uk/
The Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) is offering one-off grants of up to £10,000 for projects in the fields of culture, education and young people, social and community cohesion, economic development and job creation.
Applicants must be properly constituted voluntary sector organisations and provide county-wide services across Greater Manchester. Funding is awarded for general fixed-term project costs or as a grant / guarantee against loss on events or brief programmes. Capital costs and ongoing revenue costs are not eligible and projects that cover only one Greater Manchester district will not be considered.
Application deadlines are quarterly and the AGMA statutory functions committee considers applications four times a year. Priority is given to projects that cover the majority of Greater Manchester districts (Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan).
Before submitting an application, applicants are advised to contact:
AGMA Grants Unit, Chief Executive’s Department, PO Box 532, Town Hall, Manchester M60 2LA T: 0161 234 3364 E: mailto:agma.grants@notes.manchester.gov.uk
![[VAM logo]](/pictures/vamlittlelogo.gif)
Community learning Chests (CLC’s) are small grants of between £50 and £5,000 to help both individuals and groups play an active role in neighbourhood renewal through learning. CLC’s fund activities to develop the skills and knowledge of communities participating in neighbourhood renewal at local level.
The scheme is aimed at groups who do not have access to other funding - especially those from the most deprived neighbourhoods and hard-to-reach communities.
For more information contact the Community Chest Team on 0161 236 5225 or go to www.vamanchester.org.uk
![[SmallFri , Pro Funding logo]](/pictures/SmallFriHeader.gif)
Profunding have recently launched SMALLfri, a new funding news service by email for smaller organisations or groups without paid workers.
The SMALLfri service provides headline news on grants and Lottery funding twice a month by email. It is designed to complement the comprehensive information publishing by Profunding at fundinginformation.org.
It is particularly aimed at groups or organisations that are newly formed or just beginning to fundraise, are small with limited funding needs, are engaged in a one-off fundraising campaign, or are planning for growth and development.
Each email contains around 15 entries covering recently announced funds from charitable trusts, and updates on existing Lottery programmes. Each entry gives the basic essential information including contact details, funding criteria, size of grants available and any closing dates. The information is UK-wide and highlights regional and local sources.
SMALLfri is available only to organisations with an annual turnover of £50,000 or less. Annual subscriptions cost £100 + VAT.
Web: www.fundinginformation.org
![[Arts Council Logo]](/pictures/acelogo.JPG)
Grants for the arts are for individuals, arts organisations, national touring and other people who use the arts in their work. They are for activities that benefit people in England or that help artists and arts organisations from England to carry out their work. Grants for the arts - organisations and national touring are funded by the National Lottery. All the documents you need to make an application are available to download from this website: www.artscouncil.org.uk
Recognising and valuing the contribution made by the arts to the mental and physical health of the nation, The LankellyChase Foundation wish to encourage access to the arts, in particular amongst those who historically have been least able to participate, such as those in rural areas or with special needs. They also wish to support those who aim to realise their artistic ability.
The Trustees have 4 distinct programmes of work guided by the Foundation’s determination to promote access for those who seek it and personal excellence for those who work for it:
Arts and special needs
Dance
Transgenerational work with communities
The pursuit of excellence
In the light of the many problems communities face, the Trustees wish to encourage those of different generations to come together through participation in and enjoyment of the arts.
For more information, see the website http://www.lankellychase.org.uk
