Arts Council England’s Catalyst Small Grants Scheme

Arts Council England has published the guidance notes to the new £3 million Catalyst Small Grants scheme which will open to applications on 13 July. The new fund builds on the Council’s previous Catalyst: Evolve fund which has now closed.

Catalyst Small Grants will provide one-off grants of between £10,000 and £30,000 to not-for-profits arts and culture organisations, museums, and libraries to build fundraising capacity to enable them to attract more private giving to arts and culture.

To be eligible, organisations will have an income of between £100,000 and £750,000 and previously received an Arts Council England grant (in the two years before applying to this scheme).

The funding is for projects that start from 12 February 2018 and which can be completed within 18 months of the project start date. All projects must be completed by 14 December 2019 at the latest.

Examples of the type of activity that can be supported include:
• Investment in training for staff and/or boards and associated follow up activity.

• Reviewing existing contacts and committing time to develop new networks realising opportunities such as with the business community or board contacts.

• Provision of short-term cover to release existing staff to spend time delivering against fundraising plans.

• Investment in data-compliant Customer Relationship Management systems, fundraising databases or development of new technologies to realise digital giving and embed required learning across the organisation.

• Data-compliant donor segmentation of existing databases and capacity to realise opportunities as a result of the findings.

• Consultation on the development of a stronger strategic plan which would include knowledge of alternative funding opportunities and the resulting capacity needed to develop and deliver against plans.

• Investing in raising the profile of the organisation by developing a case for support resulting in increased opportunities for support.

The scheme is expected to open for applications at 12pm on 13 July 2017 with a closing date of 10 August 2017.

For more information visit http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/funding/catalyst-small-grants