Creative Communities funding

Check out our top ten tips below to make your submission the best it can be.

When you have your idea

1. Talk to an Ara Toi Creative Advisor.

They can help you to:

• clarify exactly what the criteria mean and if your project fits them
• give advice about putting together your budget
• recommend other funding opportunities

2. Read the criteria for the funding – and make sure you understand them.

The funding on offer through DCC supports creative activities that are grounded in community arts and cultural practices.

Unfortunately it can't be used to support your personal creative development.

Community involvement in the project should be active, meaningful, and engaging.

A few months out

3. Define your project and the outcomes you want.

• Idea – description of the concept and activity.
• Process – set out how the project will take place.
• People – who are the artists AND who is the audience.
• Criteria – how will the project meet the criteria.
• Budget – see 4 & 5.

4. Your project is a table and funding is a table leg: it needs more than one to stand on!

• Seek out other sources of funding and support.
• Donations of time, materials, or things like a venue count as support.
• You may not receive the full amount you asked for – have a back-up plan.

5. If you can organise an arts activity, you can organise a budget.

• If you don’t have a financial bone in your body, get someone to help you. Ask us about budget resources!
• Be realistic about expenses and income.
• Value your time and that of others; set an appropriate hourly rate and include it as an expense.
• Provide what is requested. If two quotes are needed, supply two quotes; if audited accounts are needed, send these in. Keep receipts!

6. Check in with a Creative Advisor again.

They can check through your budget or read through your draft submission. If you have questions about other requirements, now’s the time to ask

Four weeks out

7. Start working on your application early.

• Use an email address that is checked regularly and a phone number that will be answered during the day.
• Nobody wants to chase up missing documents or details – have you included everything?
• Save any long responses in a document on your computer as a back-up.
• Your Creative Advisor is happy to talk you through any curly questions.

8.

Submit your application before the due date so if anything goes wrong there's time to fix it... and be prepared to wait.

Depending on the grant, you could be waiting for a couple of months before you get a decision and the money.

Afterwards

9. Report on your project while it’s fresh in your mind.

Funders will not fund a new project if your organisation hasn’t completed the reporting requirements for the last one.

At any time

10. If there are changes to your project, let us know as soon as possible

This could be a change in dates, venue, personnel, or delivery of the project. We’ll let you know if this will affect your grant.