Funding

Although VAN itself is not a grant-making body, this section of the site aims to give you the advice and guidance you need when seeking or applying for funds.

Please see the 'current funding' section for more specific information on grants and funding opportunities currently available.

Raising funds can be one of the most daunting tasks that an arts organisation undertakes. It is usually necessary to go to more than one source for the money you want. You will also need to show that you are legally constituted, or at the very least, have a well thought out governing document. Additionally you will need to show your organisation has policies and is taking action to address equal opportunites and cultural diversity issues.

Useful VAN Briefings:

• 95. The Big Lottery Fund, 2006-2009 (pdf - 75k)

• 32. So what`s so great about the voluntary arts - 50 points to make to funders and policy makers (pdf - 74k)

• 91. How to write a successful funding application (pdf - 72k)

• 87. Applying to Trust Funds (New updated version, March 2005) (pdf - 57k)

• Web Briefing 4. Increasing your Chances of Grant Success (pdf - 47k)

• 9. Feasibility Studies (pdf - 105k)

• 12. Raising Funds locally (doc - 43k)

• 15. Strategic Planning (pdf - 48k)

• 22. Getting Charitable Status (pdf - 48k)

• 23. Incorporation (pdf - 53k)

• 55. Constitutions clarified (pdf - 82k)

• 45. How do I create an Equal Opportunities Policy? (pdf - 80k)

• Update 33 - The European Year of Disabled People (full of resources) (pdf - 320k)

• Update 32 - Bringing people together - the voluntary arts and social inclusion. (pdf - 671k)

Books and guides

• The Directory of Social Change produces a wide range of fundraising guides. You can browse and order online at: www.dsc.org.uk/acatalog/Fundraising.html
• We also have a list of useful books about funding in our publications section

Useful websites

General funding websites

• www.funderfinder.org.uk
• www.uksponsorship.com
• www.fundraising.co.uk
• www.access-funds.co.uk

Arts Councils

• Arts Council of England - www.artscouncil.org.uk
• Arts Council of Northern Ireland - www.artscouncil-ni.org
• Arts Council of Scotland - www.sac.org.uk
• Arts Council of Wales - www.ccc-acw.org.uk

Governmental

• Government funding – www.governmentfunding.org.uk
• National Association of Local Government Arts Officers - www.nalgao.org
• Department for Culture, Media & Sport - www.culture.gov.uk
• Culture Online – www.cultureonline.gov.uk/index.asp
• The Charity Commission - www.charity-commission.gov.uk
• DSC Trust Fund guide - www.trustfunding.org.uk

European

• Culture 2000: www.culture.info
• European Union Culture portal - http://europa.eu.int/comm/culture
• International Intelligence on Culture (IIC) - www.intelculture.org
• EUCLID - www.euclid.info
• European Cultural Foundation (ECF) - www.eurocult.org
• International Intelligence on Culture - www.intelCULTURE.org
• Visiting Arts: www.visitingarts.org.uk
• British Council - www.britcoun.org/arts/index.htm
• Creativexport - www.creativeindustries.org.uk
• UNESCO - www.unesco.org
• Council of Europe - www.coe.int/T/E/Cultural_Co-operation/culture

Lottery

• Heritage Lottery Fund - www.hlf.org.uk
• Community Fund - www.community-fund.org.uk
• New Opportunities Fund - www.nof.org.uk
• National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts - www.nesta.org.uk
• Awards for All - www.awardsforall.org.uk

Sponsorship

• Arts & Business - www.artsandbusiness.org.uk

Councils for Voluntary Action

• National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) - www.ncvo-vol.org.uk
• Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action – www.nicva.org
• Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations – www.scvo.org.uk
• Wales Council for Voluntary Action – www.wcva.org.uk

Charitable Trusts and Foundations

This is by no means a comprehensive list but offers a selection of UK charitable trusts who make grants to arts organisations and projects.

• Association of Charitable Foundations (ACF) - www.acf.org.uk
• The ADAPT Trust - www.adapttrust.co.uk
• Stephen Arlen Memorial Fund - www.eno.org
• The Arvon Foundation - www.arvonfoundation.org
• The Society of Authors - www.writers.org.uk
• The Baring Foundation - www.baringfoundation.org.uk
• The British Record Industry Trust - www.bpi.co.uk
• The William Adlington Cadbury Charitable Trust - www.wa-cadbury.org.uk
• The Carlton Television Trust - www.carltontv.co.uk
• The Francis Chagrin Fund - www.spnm.org.uk
• The Charities Aid Foundation - www.cafonline.org
• Charity Know How - www.charityknowhow.org
• Charity Projects/ Comic Relief - www.comicrelief.org.uk
• The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust - www.wcmt.org.uk
• Clore Duffield Foundation - www.cloreduffield.org.uk
• The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation - www.daiwa-foundation.org.uk
• The Diaego Foundation - www.diageo.com
• The Earth Love Fund - www.unisong.com/elf
• The John Ellerman Foundation - www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/jef.html
• The Esmee Fairbairn Charitable Trust - www.esmee-fairbairn.co.uk
• The Federation of British Artists - www.mallgalleries.org.uk
• The Fulbright Commission - www.fulbright.co.uk
• The Germanic Academic Exchange Service - www.daad.de/london
• Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation - www.gulbenkian.org.uk
• Paul Hamlyn Foundation - www.phf.org.uk
• The INTACH Trust - www.icomos.org
• Jerwood Charitable Foundation - www.jerwood.org/charity/about_charity.html
• The Lloyds TSB Foundation - www.lloydstsbfoundations.org.uk
• The Henry Moore Foundation - www.henry-moore-fdn.co.uk
• Musicians’ Union - www.musiciansunion.org.uk
• The Musicians Benevolent Fund - www.mbf.org.uk
• The Northern Rock Foundation - www.nr-foundation.org.uk
• The Orpheus Trust - www.orpheus.org.uk
• The Performing Right Society Foundation - www.prs.co.uk
• The Poetry Society - www.poetrysoc.com
• The Summerfield Charitable Trust - www.summerfield.org.uk
• The Wellcome Trust - www.wellcome.ac.uk