Newtownabbey Borough Council

ARTS AND HERITAGEGRANT AID PROGRAMME2016/2017

Section 1 Guidelines for Applicants

The following core principles represent guidelines for applicants in relation to the arts and heritage grant aid programme:

• Grants will only be awarded to constituted groups either based in the Council area or delivering activity and/or an event in the area.
• Individuals must be resident in the Council area.
• All applicants must provide robust information on grant purposes.
• Grant are available to Individual artists and historians who can demonstrate a significant level of achievement and are wishing to undertake activities/projects that will clearly benefit the cultural life of the Borough
• Grants are available to support high achieving young people under 25 for study courses.
• Applications from groups must be accompanied by core supporting documentation including (but not limited to) copies of the organisation’s constitution, the organisation’s most recent accounts, confirmation of insurance and the organisation’s child protection policy (if relevant).
• All applications will be scored by officers against defined criteria relevant to the scheme and recommendations presented to committee.
• A group may only receive one award of each grant type per year. Groups in receipt of seeding grants will not be eligible to apply for other types of grant for a 6 month period.
• Evidence of match funding will not be an essential requirement for grant aid however where an organisation can demonstrate match funding, this will be positively reflected in the scoring process.
• Awards will be made up to 100% of the funding requested (subject to consideration of the financial viability of the proposed project as part of the assessment process), up to a maximum of the specific grant category ceiling.
• All awards will be 100% vouched.
• Groups applying must be able to demonstrate clear financial need.
• Payment will be 50% in advance upon receipt of the signed acceptance form and 50% upon satisfactory vouching of the first payment.
• Risk assessments and insurances must be in place, where relevant, for all planned activities before payments are issued.
• Retrospective funding will not be considered.
• Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council support must be acknowledged in all publicity material. The Council logo must be used on all material relating to events.
• Applicants must participate in post event evaluations if required. Failure to do so may result in awards having to be re-paid.
• Payments will only be made by electronic bank transfer to an organisation’s bank account.
• Groups seeking support from Council should have a minimum of £2M Public Liability and £2M Employers’ Liability (where applicable) in place or be willing to obtain this cover.
• Council reserves the right to request further information or clarification on any request for support and to share information on support with other funders.

Eligible expenditure

•Room/venue hire.

•Facilitation costs/Coaching/Training/Tutor costs.

• Materials and equipment required for exhibitions.

•Training

•Marketing and promotion

•Transport hire.

•Hire of Equipment

•Trips/entrance fees.

•Travel relating specifically to project/festival/programme.

•Access NI checks.

•Public and employer’s liability insurance.

Exclusions

Council will not normally fund the following:-

• Applications for specific projects which are clearly the responsibility of another statutory organisation.
• Retrospective expenditure.
• Applications received after the closing date specified in the public advertisement.
• Salary costs, professional fees, bank charges, loans, deficits or fines.
• For profit enterprises.
• Charity orfundraising events.
• Costs that are not clearly linked to the project.
• Projects that provide no significant benefit to the Borough
• Individuals involved in the delivery of the project, that is, staff, volunteers or board members of the applicant organisation, cannot benefit personally from the award of this grant. This means that they cannot be paid for the provision of goods or services from the grant.
• It is unlikely that you will receive funding if you have previously received a grant from us that was not managed in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Letter of Offer.

Section 2: Grant Assessment and Scoring

Each application will be considered on its own merits. In order to deliver the programme's aim and general principles, applicants will need to demonstrate how theirproject meets the appropriate criteria listed below. It is important to remember that the application will be assessed ONLY on the information provided. We will not consider any information that you do not include. Therefore, you MUST demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria as set out in theseguidelines in the application. All applications will be scored by officers against the defined criteria and recommendations presented to committee.

1.Quality of Application – The overall quality of the application and applicant will be assessed using the information given and supporting information enclosed.

2.Demonstration of Need – Applicants must clearly demonstrate why both the activity and the funding are needed.

3.Contribution – Applicants need to show how the activity will make an artistic/ heritage contribution to the community at a local, provincial, national or international level.

4.Finance – Applicants will be assessed on a number of financial issues including financial management, value for money and sustainability.

QualityScore Indicators

Using the score indicators above each of the 4 areas will be scored out of 5 then the final score multiplied by 5 to give a total score out of 100 representing a final percentage score. All applicants scoring more than the 50% threshold will be recommended for award of the full amount requested up to the maximum of the award ceiling.

Section 3 Appeals Procedure

What happens if my application is unsuccessful?

If you are unsuccessful in your application, you will be sent the broad reasons why you have not received funding. You will receive feedback as to the strengths and weaknesses of your application.

Appeals procedure

An appeals procedure will be available to unsuccessful applicants. For further information please contact team members at the end of this document.

Section 4: How much can I apply for?

The eligibility of any other identified expenditure may be funded at the discretion of Antrim and Newtownabbey BoroughCouncil.

Contacts

Arts Grants: Arts Services Manager, Bernard Clarkson Tel. 028 9034 0266

Heritage Grants: Culture and Heritage Manager, Samantha Curry Tel. 028 9034 0064 / 028 9034 0096