July 2020 update: ACE Project Grants

under £15k template

Word doc template for under £15,000 applications

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over £15k template

Word doc template for over £15,000 applications (up to £50,000)

Re-uploaded on 25th Nov to amend word count on 1 Quality question

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You can listen to the full post below here, or read on:

EDIT ON 22nd JULY: the templates are now uploaded on this page - see above
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Today Arts Council England have shared the guidedance for the re-opening of Arts Council National Lottery Project Grants. It opens again on 22nd July and we'll add an updated template here once the portal is open, but in the meantime, here are the changes in guidance to the previous format of Project Grants.

Read the full supplementary guidance on ACE website here.

Overall budget for this funding
£59.8m until April 2021

Who is this for?
There is a particular focus on individuals for this grant in this time.

Other eligibility criteria remains the same.

How much can I apply for?
This grant strand remains split into under £15,000 and over £15,000.

ACE will manage their budget across the entire time period, so don't rush to apply straight away if you're not ready.

What is the turnaround?
Standard 6 weeks for an under £15k and 12 weeks for an over £15k, but they will try to speed this up where possible.

What can I apply for?
"Because of the circumstances during this COVID-19 period, we will be particularly keen to support:
• applications from individual creative practitioners (including time to think and plan)
• research and development activity
• organisational development activity
• live activity that can be safely delivered within this period (rather than activity with a start date far in the future)
• activity that closely aligns with our Equality Objectives"

Are the questions different now?
Still asking the same questions around the 4 criteria: Quality, Public engagement, Finance and Management. But they acknowledge that your answer may be different now and are therefore looking at applications with flexibility and openness.

Audiences
ACE are aware that audience numbers may be lower, and audiences may not even be part of this phase of your project, but instead you can talk about how they may be engaged in the longer-term.

Match funding
Normally you would need at least 10% match (unless in very special circumstances) - although we know that to be successful this generally sat at around 40-50% match...

This has been relaxed, so you no longer need to have any match funding to qualify, however if you do have any cash, support in kind or a mix, still add it into the budget.

Risk Management Plan compulsory on offer of grant
"We’ll ask everyone who is offered a grant in this period to confirm that they have
an appropriate risk management plan in place and that they are able to follow all current UK Government guidance on COVID-19. Our Terms and Conditions set out grantholders’ responsibilities around adhering to UK Government guidance."

What are the Equality Objectives?
​The link from their PDF is broken but we think it would be this document here.

"We see diversity as an opportunity. We want to see an inclusive approach remove barriers to entry, discover new talent, raise the bar for artistic excellence, inspire innovation and spark new collaborations; we want to see our stories and experiences as a nation shared across our stages, our galleries and our public spaces.

We believe that equality and diversity should be embedded in all aspects of art and culture, which is why we’ve made the Creative Case for Diversity a central part of our funding agreements.​"

Can I ask ACE for help?
They are currently looking at how they can best use their resources for advice giving 'focusing in particular on those who are represented in our Equality Objectives"