Grant funding for artists

A grant is a form of subsidy. It provides funding for an activity that can’t generate income in other ways. In some cases grants can cover up-front or start-up costs to creative businesses.

Grants are awarded on application. They cover specified project costs. If awarded a grant, you can only use it for what you applied for.

They are ideal for kick-starting activity that might otherwise not be able to happen, like

• producing a new work
• developing new skills
• undertaking research and development

There are limits to when grants are useful, remember grants:

• are short-term and awarded for specific projects. It is not a solution to ongoing costs.
• Funders will only offer grants according to their priorities. These might not be the same as yours.
• funding is in high demand and applying is time-consuming. You can waste a lot of time making unsuccessful applications.
• are often targeted at organisations rather than individuals. Check eligibility guidelines carefully.
• applications are usually only accepted at specific times. You may need money before the funder’s next deadline.
• may be subject to tax, depending on the funder and purpose of the grant. Consult an accountant or tax adviser.

Grant funding comes from two main sources.

• Public funders (such as local councils or Arts Council England)
• Private funders (charities, trusts and foundations)

Public Funders

As the name suggests, public funders use money raised from the public. This could be through taxation or other schemes such as the National Lottery.

Public funders include

• Government departments
• Local authorities
• ‘Quangos’ (quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations – organisations)

Quangos receive money from the Government to carry out funding on their behalf. Arts Council England is one example of this.

Funding policies and funding bodies are subject to evaluation and change. They change priorities or application processes. Ensure you check what these are before applying.

Because these funders distribute public money, it’s important that they operate in a fair and transparent way.

This means they publish details about assessment criteria, processes and decisions so that applicants can understand the basis on which grants are awarded.

If you receive a grant then you are usually required to abide by standard terms and conditions. These might include

• displaying the funder’s logo
• paying people involved a fee set at a professional level
• providing accounts that show how you are using funds

Your grant may be released in instalments, not all at one time. You need to plan how you will manage your project alongside the funder’s release of money.

Watch this video with artist Ben Rivers talking about Grants for the Arts (G4A). Please note that G4A was replaced by Project Grants and Developing your Creative Practice (DYCP) in 2018.

Private Funders

These include Trusts and foundations.

Technically, a foundation has income from an endowment of land or investments. Not all make grants – some use their income to support their own activities. A trust is just another word for a charity. Many grant-giving bodies are both a foundation and a trust.

Independent Trustees govern trusts and foundations. They have greater freedom to choose what they fund than public funders. Though they are still limited by what is set by their founding charter.

Trusts and foundations are set up to support particular aims and activities. Though their specific focus may change from year to year, they tend to have more stable funding criteria than public funders.

There are over 8,000 trusts and foundations registered in the UK. There is enormous variety in what they support and how they work.

Larger trusts and foundations may have a website, paid staff, published guidelines and application forms – just like a public funder.

Smaller trusts and foundations may be run by volunteers and have no resources to provide information or advice to applicants. Many ask simply for a letter of application and may not be able to acknowledge receipt or notify unsuccessful applications.

In all cases, independent Trustees will make the funding decisions. In a larger trust or foundation their staff might also assess applications and make recommendations about which applications to support.

Every funder – public or private – supports different kinds of activity and has different conditions attached to their grants (i.e. what they expect in return).

Application processes and priorities can also be quite different. Always research potential funders carefully. Find grant opportunities that you are eligible for and that support activity you want to do.

Making grant applications takes a lot of time and is competitive. Before committing to the process, research the grant you are applying for. Ask yourself these questions.

Are you eligible?

Some grant funders will fund organisations rather than individuals. Sometimes an artists’ collective might decide to work more formally together. You can read about different organisational structures in our Artlaw section. Different organisational models can give or prevent access to particular funders.

Every grant should have clear eligibility criteria. Check and double check these. If you are unsure of them contact the provider for clarification. Don’t waste time applying if you are not eligible.

Is this the right time for you to apply?

Is your project at the right stage? Is your idea developed enough? One way of getting a sense of this is looking at the level of detail the application form asks for. Do you feel able to address what the application is asking for or are you at least inspired to do so?

Does the grant give you what you need?

There are often limitations on what certain grants can and can’t used for. Funders will usually publish these in guidelines. Read all the guidance notes in detail. Ensure your project costs and activities are within the scope of the programme.

Are you likely to get the grant?

If you’re applying for funds that have been awarded before, look at what kinds of projects and artists they’ve supported recently. This will give you a better understanding of what a funder might be looking for. Many funders publish lists of projects and individuals they have funded. Ask yourself,

• Who has won the award in the past?
• Are they at a similar career stage to you or am I ‘close enough’? What did they do before they got the opportunity?

What are the priorities of the funder and does your proposal align with them? Is the work that I make suitable for this opportunity?

How demanding is the application procedure?

Remember, applications take time. This is unpaid labour. Weigh up how much time the application is likely to take against how likely you are to get it.

Do you have enough time to apply?

Is there enough time before the deadline to make a good application? It’s never a good idea to leave applying to the last moment. Your computer might break or you might be unable to ask a funder a question in time. Proposals also take a long time to prepare and budgets can take time to research costs and get quotes.

Also, consider that some grant funders have fixed deadlines. It can take weeks or months for them to make a decision. You might not have time to wait for a reply before you need to start your project. Most will not fund activity or costs incurred before the grant is made.

Are there other, easier way for you to get the money that you need?

Before you apply, consider if there are other ways to make your project happen. These could include

• exchanging skills with another artist
• sponsorship from a company
• supporting your project from other income

Read the application guidance carefully. If there’s anything you’re unsure about contact the funder in good time before the deadline.

All application processes are different. Having some core application resources prepared saves time, but always tailor individual applications.

Answer the questions directly. Use plain English. Read through your application and get someone else to read through it too. It’s often helpful if this is someone who isn’t familiar with your project. This is a good way of ensuring your proposal is clear and understandable. Even to those without background knowledge of your practice.

A well-presented budget is a key part of most applications. Split it into clear sections or headings and shows how you’ve calculated your costs.

Listen to this short presentation about applying to grants

Before you know how much to apply for, you need to understand your costs. These should include your own time and overheads.

There are a lot of myths around grant funding. One is that you should never ask for the full amount possible. Funders want to support projects that are going to be successful. That means they need to be properly funded. They may state they can’t cover all costs, but will still want to know where you intend to get the rest of the money.

You are unlikely to get funding for a project that is only partially funded if you have no clear, likely plans for how you will cover the shortfall.

We list funders and other sources of money for artists in our Art Directory. Guidestar and Funder finder are also good places to find trusts and charities.