The application process explained
This illustration explains what happens at each stage of your application. Always read the guidance notes first, and make sure you have all the information you need, and enough time set aside, to complete a full application.
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Application Submitted
You must ensure that your completed application form, with all required documents and information (including government enclosures listed within your Guidance Notes), is submitted online by the funding programme’s published closing date and time.
If applying to a rolling funding programme, that is, a funding programme with no published closing date and time, application forms with all required documents and information, must be submitted on time, as set out in the relevant funding programme’s Guidance Notes.
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Eligibility Checking
The Arts Council will check each application form for completeness, checking that all the documents and information asked for have been submitted, and all questions completed. We will also check your application against the eligibility criteria on who can apply; you will find this in the Guidance Notes.
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Assessment
The Arts Council will assess your application(s) against assessment criteria published in the funding programme’s Guidance Notes. All assessments are subject to a moderation process, which is a collective decision-making stage.
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Decision
The process of how we make a decision is outlined in the programme’s Guidance Notes.
The Arts Council will contact you with the final decision by email.
Successful applicants will be issued with a contract, outlining the conditions attached to the grant, and confirming the total amount of funding offered.
If Application is unsuccessful
Unsuccessful applicants will receive communication detailing reasons why they were unsuccessful, and you will have an opportunity to discuss your application with staff if you need that. Learn More
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Delivery of Funded Project
Once you submit the relevant acceptance documents and show us you meet pre-commencement clauses (where relevant), you will receive confirmation to begin delivery of the project as described in your application form, and in line with the agreed amount of funding allocated to you.
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Project Reporting
You will be required to provide the Arts Council with an update on the delivery of the project, both financial and non-financial. You are required to provide us with an end of year project report and some funding programmes may also include additional reports.
You will be advised of those reporting stages in your letter of offer, and receipt of these reports allows the Art Council to make payment(s) of your award as indicated in your letter of offer. We will make available for you the relevant reporting documentation.
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Verification Visits
Your project may be subject to verification by an Arts Council staff member. Verification visits ensure that the project grant has been spent in accordance with the letter of offer, so it’s really important that you retain all the project documentation to evidence this spend.
