Application Guidelines National Lottery Capital Small Grants (Artists Work in Public Places)

Transcription

1 Application Guidelines National Lottery Capital Small Grants (Artists Work in Public Places) Artists Work in Public Places Development Grants of 5,000-15,000 Artists Work in Public Places Grants of 5, ,000 Please note: separate guidance is available for our funding of Capital Small Grants (Buildings and Equipment) This guidance contains important information about who can apply and the criteria we will use to assess your application. It also tells you how your application will be assessed, how long it will take and what happens if you are awarded a grant. You should read this carefully with the rest of the information contained in this application pack or available on our website before filling in the Application Form for Capital Small Grants (Artists Work in Public Places) The application form can also be downloaded from our website: Our Help Desk can assist you further if required: Tel: (local rate) Typetalk: prefix number with Fax: help.desk@scottisharts.org.uk The Help Desk is open Monday to Friday from 9am 5pm Scottish Arts Council 12 Manor Place Edinburgh EH3 7DD This publication is available in large print. Published by the Scottish Arts Council, August 2006 The information is accurate at the time of publishing but may change.

2 CONTENTS Page 1. General introduction 3 2. What you can apply for 2 3. Eligibility 4 4. How we will assess your application 7 5. Specific funding information Artists Work in Public Places (AWiPP) Writing your application What happens to your application After the decision Additional Important Information 20 APPENDICES APPENDIX 1: How to answer the questions APPENDIX 2: Projects involving other Lottery distributors APPENDIX 3: Flowchart what happens to your application APPENDIX 4: Flowchart what happens after a grant has been awarded

3 1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1.1 Who we are and how we use our funds The Scottish Arts Council is the principal channel of public funding for the arts in Scotland. We receive most of our funding from the Scottish Executive. As an arm s length body we are independent from but accountable to the Scottish Executive. We also distribute funds from the National Lottery to the arts in Scotland. The main aim of lottery funding is to support arts projects which make an important and lasting difference to the quality of life for the general public. We provide funding as well as information and advice. We work at an international, national and local level to: increase participation in the arts; support artists in Scotland to fulfil their creative and business potential place the arts, culture and creativity at the heart of learning. We have a five year Corporate Plan ( ) which sets out our overall vision and aims. Within our Plan we have a series of individual artform strategies and policy documents which provide the detailed framework for our spending. Our strategies may, however, be affected by other factors such as evolving developments within the arts world; possible constraints on public spending; and, inevitably, unforeseen events. We undertake to consult fully on any major changes to the strategies. Our Corporate Plan and strategies are available in printed form from the Help Desk and on our website: 2. WHAT YOU CAN APPLY FOR 2.1 This document covers grants towards Artists Work in Public Places projects through our Capital Programme. Grants from our Capital programme are funded by the National Lottery. It aims to help you put together an application for funding so that you can involve an artist or artists in a capital project which aims to have a positive impact in the environment we live in. These projects could include urban squares, public buildings or parks, regeneration projects, environmental or landscaping projects. The aim of the scheme is to support new imaginative approaches in the commissioning of artists work within the public realm, and to develop public art practice. We do not support one-off commissions, such as stand-alone sculpture, that are not fully part of a wider scheme. Nor will we fund the development of this area of work. You may want to commission one or more artists or craftmakers for your project. We have used the term artist in this booklet to cover any number of artists. 3

4 We provide grants from a minimum of 5,000 to a maximum of 100,000. You can apply for a grant towards development costs only ( 5,000-15,000), implementation costs only ( 5, ,000) or the whole project cost ( 5, ,000). The competition for funds is strong and only about half the applications we receive are successful. In particular, we do not expect to be able to support more than a couple of applications at 100,000 in any one year because of the limited budget available. Therefore, please consider the level of your request to us very carefully. The minimum award for Capital funding is 5,000. If you need funding between 500 and 10,000, you should apply to Awards for All. This is a joint programme to help small organisations, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Scottish Arts Council, SportScotland and the Big Lottery Fund. For further information please call or visit 3. ELIGIBILITY 3.1 Who can apply Only organisations which are formally constituted and have a commitment to equal opportunities and have an equal opportunities policy in place are eligible to apply for funding. In order to demonstrate accountability for public funds, all applicants are required to provide evidence of their legal and financial status, in the form of a written constitution and audited accounts. The type of constitution document you have will depend on the type of organisation you are, but should clearly describe how your organisation is structured and managed, including how it will deal with financial matters, and should be appropriately authenticated with signatures and dates. Our Help Desk can provide you with further information on constitutions please ask for our Short Guide to Constitutions. Please note: if you are a new organisation, you must be properly constituted before you make an application we are unable to consider applications from organisations whose legal status is not resolved. If you are formally constituted but do not yet have audited accounts, we will require evidence that suitable business banking arrangements are in place. You should primarily be an arts organisation though we welcome applications from a wide range of other organisations seeking funding for arts activity, such as: organisations with limited memberships, schools, colleges and universities. However, you must be able to show how the project will be available to the public. We would normally expect this to be at least 50% of the time. not-for-profit organisations (professional, amateur and voluntary) and registered charities working in the arts; local authorities and other public sector agencies. groups of organisations (consortia) working together may apply. If you apply as a consortium, you will need to provide us with a formal consortium agreement for the consortium. commercial organisations, if you can show that your project will promote the public good and not be for commercial gain or part of your regular business. We may ask you for a business plan 4

5 joint applications can also be made but one of the organisations involved will need to take the lead and have the main responsibility for managing the application and any grant. You will need to provide us with a partnership agreement local authorities, registered charities and other organisations which cannot distribute profits public sector agencies can apply for funding towards arts activity outwith their day to day work schools can apply, but only for activity which is clearly outwith the normal curriculum, and where there is significant professional artistic input which will result in production of new work as well as clear public benefit. Annual school productions are not eligible for funding You can apply for lottery funds even if we have refused your application for help with capital costs in the past. However, you cannot apply for the same project again or for one which has changed only a little. If you are a commercial organisation, particularly if you are a partnership, you must contact the Capital Department to discuss your project before submitting an application. 3.2 Who cannot apply organisations which are not legally constituted organisations which do not have a commitment to equal opportunities individuals, or groups of individuals We will not usually make grants to organisations in poor financial health. You must have sufficient assets to meet your current liabilities; and if you are in deficit, there must be evidence that you are managing it so that this deficit is reducing rather than growing. 3.3 The project must take place in Scotland 3.4 The project must not have started We will not normally fund any activity which has already started, or which will have started before you are notified of a decision on your application, nor will we pay for any goods or services which you order before receiving our official decision and offer letter. This means that you must not issue or enter into any binding contracts before this date. The project start date is defined as the point at which you begin preparatory work which represents a commitment, financial or otherwise, to undertaking the whole project. You must not include reference to support from Scottish Arts Council funds in publicity material before you have received our offer letter, and satisfied any conditions that may be included in this. The project start date should, ideally, be at least one month after our decision to allow time for you to receive our formal offer letter (which normally takes 2 4 weeks after we have made our decision) and comply with our standard conditions and any special conditions (see Section 8 After the decision). Decisions on Capital Small Grants applications are made by the Head of Lottery on a monthly basis, usually on the first Monday of every month, although this is open to 5

6 change. To allow us time to fully evaluate your application, we will need the minimum amount of time shown in the table below, after which we will aim to make a decision on the next scheduled decision-making date. However, this will be determined by a number of factors, including the complexity of your application and whether we have to ask you for more information, which will inevitably delay the process. We will advise you of the anticipated decision date when we send you a Progress Letter after receipt of your application. Type of Application Artists Work in Public Places Time we need to make a decision: Minimum 6 Weeks 3.5 Project length The project must start within 12 months of the date of our offer letter and all payments must be drawn down within a maximum of 18 months from the date of this letter. 3.6 Additionality We need to ensure that our funding does not substitute for other potential funding from private or public sources. For example, we will not consider projects, however worthwhile, which are designed to fill funding gaps, or projects that replace the withdrawal of other public funds. Similarly, we will not fund activity that is primarily the responsibility of other government organisations, or activity within schools that is not clearly separate from the normal curricular activity. If we already give you core funding, you will need to show clearly how the project is additional to the work covered by your existing funding agreement. 3.7 Other funding for your project (partnership funding) Every application for lottery funds should have a high level of financial support from at least one other source or from your own resources. This is known as partnership funding. We will not pay more than 75% of the eligible project costs and often pay much less. We will not fund the whole cost of your project and you will be required to provide at least 25% of the total project costs from sources other than the Scottish Arts Council, and in most cases more than this. We encourage all applicants to seek as much partnership funding as possible and therefore minimise the request to us as far as possible. Greater weight is often given to those applications where there is a higher percentage of partnership funding. This helps to spread lottery money further, to as many arts groups in Scotland as possible, and also shows the demand for your project through support from your local community and potential users. We will work out our grant as a percentage of the total arts related project cost as detailed in your application. If your final costs are less than you expect, we will only fund the same percentage of the actual cost as we originally awarded. Please note that we will not award more funding if your costs increase to exceed the total project cost as submitted in your application. In all cases where partnership funding is required, at least 10% of the total project costs must be in cash and any remainder may be in-kind. Your partnership funding does not all have to be in place before you apply, but you must have a clear idea of where it will come from. Cash contributions might include: 6

7 earned income from your activity funding from public organisations such as local authorities grants from trusts and foundations a contribution from your organisation In-kind contributions might include: voluntary labour donated equipment use of premises or office space for the project gifts of land valued at the open-market price donated materials directly related to the project Please ensure that you include your in-kind contributions in both the projected income and expenditure sections of your project budget, and that your calculation of the value of these costs is realistic. For more information, you can ask our Help Desk for the guidance note on in-kind contributions. If we already give you core funding and you want to use some of your own money or staff time as partnership funding, please contact us before you apply, as this may lead to double-funding by the Scottish Arts Council. You cannot use money from one Scottish Arts Council grant as partnership funding in another application. In some instances, you may be able to use money from other National Lottery distributors as partnership funding, but this is very rare because each distributor funds different types of activity. In such cases, the total grants you may apply for from one or more distributors may not exceed 75% of the total cost of the project. In particular, you cannot use grants from Awards for All as partnership funding, as the Scottish Arts Council provides the funds for these grants, and this would represent double funding from ourselves. Please contact the Help Desk if you need further information on this. 3.8 Other points to note If your project includes non-arts activities as well as arts activities we will only offer funding for the arts related elements. You can apply for help with costs directly related to the project, including training. You must ensure that any venues related to your funded project are fully accessible to people with disabilities detailed information is given on this in Appendix 1 How to Answer the questions (see notes for Question 28) If after reading this information you are not sure if your project will be eligible for capital lottery funding, please contact the Capital Department before making an application. 4. HOW WE WILL ASSESS YOUR APPLICATION 4.1 Capital Strategy To help us manage the limited budget and be more strategic about the way we give out lottery money, we have developed our Capital Strategy. In the context of the Scottish Arts Council s overall aims and objectives, and our department strategies, the specific aim of the Capital Programme is: to support the 7

8 development of the arts in Scotland by helping to provide a sustainable network of accessible arts facilities. The Capital Strategy also takes into account the government s request that all lottery distributors work to ensure sustainable development. The arts play an important role in sustainable development. They are a focus for renewal in urban and rural areas. They assist in the well-being of individuals and communities by encouraging and enabling social interaction. They enable the young, the vulnerable and the disadvantaged to have a voice. They bring economic benefit through direct and indirect employment and assist tourism. They are an investment in the creative energies and skills of future generations. The funding available is less than in previous years suggesting that fewer projects can be funded and that average levels of award will be lower, however we will continue to encourage projects of high quality. This includes innovative approaches to delivering the arts as well as the creation of arts buildings of architectural merit. In making grants, we have to be sure that lottery funds will produce major improvements or new developments that would not otherwise have taken place. This is called the principle of additionality. It aims to make sure that lottery money does not replace other funding, whether from private or public sources. In assessing whether projects fulfil these principles, we will look at the level and sources of partnership funding for the capital project and any future running costs. As part of our decision-making process, we work closely with relevant artform departments and committees, individual local authorities and other agencies, particularly where projects have revenue implications for the future, especially with regard to future sustainability. We will only support capital projects which are clearly viable for the future and which show a breadth of support. As part of this, we will continue to encourage all local authorities to develop a capital strategy and to establish priorities which are supported by a firm financial commitment in capital and/or revenue terms. 4.2 Strategic priorities We will assess your application on the extent to which your project meets our strategic priorities and on the quality of the project, based on how well you meet our assessment criteria. We have identified a number of priority areas for the Capital Programme which seek to deliver these aims and the Scottish Arts Council s overall strategic objectives: projects which improve the quality of arts provision by helping organisations develop, refurbish or improve their buildings and other facilities projects which develop partnership approaches by housing together arts organisations sharing a common purpose to bring mutual benefits (this may involve using imaginative new technology and management solutions) artists development and production facilities for example, through the provision for workshops and studios projects which develop the use of new media and technology proposals which use new technologies to enhance an organisation s artistic capabilities 8

9 artists work in public places projects which encourage creative collaborations between artists, architects, engineers, planners, landscape designers and local communities. In addition to these priority areas of activity, the Capital Programme will seek to meet the needs of a number of priority user groups: arts facilities for children and young people proposals which seek to adapt existing arts facilities to be more child and family- friendly rather than necessarily the creation of new dedicated facilities arts facilities for people with disabilities access for people with disabilities is a core criterion for every application, but we welcome proposals which ensure that people with disabilities have the opportunity to participate in artistic activity by the adaptation of facilities, rather than necessarily the creation of dedicated new facilities arts facilities for minority ethnic communities we will particularly welcome applications from Black and Asian arts organisations 4.3 Criteria for assessment and decision-making We wish to support organisations that help us to meet our funding priorities. We will therefore assess your application based on the extent to which your proposal will meet the funding priority to which you are applying. We will assess all applications against the following criteria: your project must benefit the general public in Scotland your project must demonstrate the highest artistic quality your project must be well managed and your organisation must be capable of carrying out the project your project costs and long-term running costs must make financial sense your project must show the highest standards of design, architectural quality and building design We expect to receive many more applications than we will be able to fund, even though they may all fulfil all of the criteria and meet the strategic priorities. To help us manage the high demand for funds, within the limited budget, we will give greater weight to projects which: fulfil more than one of our strategic priorities meet a specific artform need, as expressed in our artform strategies come from an area (geographic or artform) which has received a relatively small share of capital lottery funding in the past The strategy proposes to address our current priorities and artform development opportunities. Not all of the capital needs of the arts can be met through the Capital Programme in the short term. and it should be seen as part of a longer-term approach. For any application to be successful in this competitive climate, it needs to demonstrate that the proposal fits within a clear strategic framework, has a good level of public and partnership support and presents a robust artistic and business case which can give sufficient reassurances on artistic quality, long term viability and sustainability. These are all reflected in the lottery criteria used to help assess the applications. 9

10 Advice is given in Appendix 1 about the kind of information we will look for. It is very important that you think carefully about how your proposal satisfies the criteria, and demonstrate this within your application. 4.4 Scottish Executive targets The Scottish Arts Council works within a framework of targets set by the Scottish Executive and these will also inform our decision-making. The targets are as follows: Increase the numbers taking part in cultural activities funded by the Scottish Executive by 3% by end March 2008, maintaining the balance of participation across the population Adults 16+ Under -represented groups: o Children defined as under 16 years old o Young people defined as years old o Older people defined as over 65 years old o Disabled people defined as self-declared disabled o People from minority ethnic groups o People living in rural areas o People living in areas of deprivation Increase the number of cultural successes by 3% by March (Defined as numbers of Scottish artists, born or resident in Scotland, and artistic companies, groups, institutions, and films based in Scotland, short-listed or nominated for major UK and international cultural awards and prizes.) Further information on Scottish Executive targets can be found at: Other factors If you are applying to run more than one project at a time, we will consider your financial and management ability to do this. If you currently have a grant from us or have had a grant in the past, we may use some of the information we collected while monitoring your other project/s when assessing your application. If we have any unresolved concerns about a project that has been previously funded by us, this may affect the progress of your application 10

11 5. SPECIFIC FUNDING INFORMATION 5.1 GENERAL The following pages describe the specific information that we require for Artists Work in Public Places applications. In addition, in all applications, the artistic quality, long - term viability and sustainability must be clearly demonstrated: Artistic Quality We will need to know who will be responsible for selecting and managing the artists, as well as developing the education and outreach programme for the project. You should give us details of their experience and if you plan to take on new staff, you should include job descriptions and details of salary levels. We have to be sure that suitable people will be in charge of the project and will have enough time to manage the activities you plan. Long term viability and sustainability We have to be sure that your organisation is capable of taking on the project both financially and managerially. Your project and the long-term running costs must make financial sense. A detailed breakdown of costs and an explanation of how these have been worked out should be provided. You will need to show that you have considered how the project will affect your future running costs. In particular, you should consider how your project could contribute to the organisation s long-term financial stability by reducing future running costs or by increasing earned income. We will need to be sure that you will have funds available to cover all the costs of the project for a reasonable number of years after the end of the project. You should include your estimated income and spending for the years during the project and for three years afterwards. 5.2 SUPPORTING MATERIAL The following pages describe the specific information or supporting material that you will need to provide, according to the type of project for which you are seeking funding. All applicants must provide the following: a copy of your constitution, memorandum and articles of association or other governing articles as appropriate a copy of your equal opportunities policy. a copy of your access policy and plan a copy of your most recent audited or certified accounts or other evidence of financial status (if you are core funded by us you do not need to submit this) a detailed budget a timetable for the project a schedule of your regular arts activity, including education and outreach relevant market research, letters of support or evidence of demand as appropriate Additional supporting information is required depending on the type of grant you are applying for. Please check both the following pages of Section 5 and the Supporting Documents and Materials Checklist at Section 6 of the Application Form for National Lottery Capital Small Grants (Artists Work in Public Places) to ensure that you provide all of the required information in support of your application. 11

12 5.3 ARTISTS WORK IN PUBLIC PLACES Deadlines >> no deadlines>> Applications accepted throughout the year Level of grants 5,000-15,000 is available for Project Development which can include development of the commission plan and the brief. 5, ,000 for implementation costs only or a contribution towards the Partnership funding required Applications may include the cost of: whole project cost. For any level of grant, we require a minimum 25%, of which a minimum of 10% of the total project costs must be in cash, the rest may be cash or in-kind. Contributions towards the additional costs associated with the involvement of artists in projects which aim to have a positive impact on the natural and built environment, including: Fees: advertising and selection costs the artist s idea, design and development fees the artist s commission fee consultant s fees project management costs Consultation / Community engagement: the costs of engaging local people, running workshops, education and training programmes exhibition and events recording the process ( documentation ) Realisation: extra costs involved in carrying out the artist s designs including materials, fabrication and transport costs marketing costs interpretation and evaluation costs a suitable contingency sum non-recoverable VAT 12

13 We cannot fund: Costs which you would incur whether or not you involve an artist and which would normally be funded from other sources. Examples would be: large areas of paving, off-the-shelf street furniture, lighting or public amenities. However, if the artist has had a particular role in the design of such items, we could consider contributing towards the extra costs which result from the artist s idea. In these circumstances, you should give the artist s cost as a percentage of each item. The aims of this fund are: to develop a wide range of opportunities and encourage artists to play an important and full role in the development of projects that have a positive impact in the environment we live in to encourage new, creative collaborations between artists, architects, engineers, planners, landscape designers, and local communities support visionary projects which aim to develop new imaginative approaches to public art practice The vision The vision is an expression of what the commission will achieve and how it will enhance the objectives of the scheme. This should describe clearly the role of artist; working as part of the planning and design team or working more independently on commissioned works. The Role of the artist We believe that an artist can provoke fresh responses and create new experiences in response to the natural and built environments that we live in. Artists can also work effectively with local people and groups. They can develop a sense of place by helping people to express how they feel and experience their environment. Artists are equipped with a range of imaginative and practical skills. These complementary qualities should bring specific benefits to the project quite different from a standard solution to a practical problem. An artist s role can take many forms. They can both advise on and produce new work. The artist can work beside other professionals in design teams on urban and rural planning policies, as well as on particular building projects. The artist must have flexibility to respond to the brief and should not just be asked to make work to designs or ideas which have been rigidly defined before their appointment. Therefore it makes sense for you to consider how the artist will be given the necessary scope to use those creative skills to best effect. Artists can only respond creatively to the practical considerations of a project if they are involved in and committed to its aims and are given sufficient opportunity to develop and express their ideas. There are many ways of involving artists, including: appointing an artist as a creative individual to work as part of a team in the design and planning of capital schemes, regeneration projects etc commissioning practical solutions designed and made by the artist as part of the wider project 13

14 appointing an artist to lead a team of artists You must be able to show why you want to involve an artist and how this will improve the project. When to involve an artist You should involve the artist at the most suitable stage during the design process and carrying out of the project (the realisation ). We would expect the artist to be fully involved as part of the project, but not necessarily throughout. The artist does not have to be involved at the earliest stage to be useful. On the other hand, you should not decide at the last minute to involve an artist in your project. One of the aims of the scheme is to develop artists work that is integrated into the natural and built environment. Therefore the artist needs to be appointed at a sufficiently early stage in the design and planning process to allow integration of their ideas within the wider project. Contract At the time of applying for funds you may not have selected an artist. However when you do, you must have a clear agreement with the artist, set out in a written contract. Contracts may vary according to the nature and scale of the project. You can find information about artist s contracts on or in our partners und toolkit at The Project Planning, creating and realising a project can involve a number of different stages. We can give support towards different stages of your project. The first stage of project development can include: developing a plan setting out how and when the artist will be involved deciding how you will select the artists agreeing how they can be involved when you consult the community to develop the idea The second stage of realisation will involve the artist during the making and any related work, such as education and workshops programmes. Project Development This is the development of an idea before the work is made and put in place. This can include developing the commission plan and the brief, selecting artists, choosing the site, consulting local people, engaging the community, preparing detailed designs and assessing the costs. Whatever the scale, all projects will benefit from the preparation of a commission plan. This will: analyse how and when artists will be involved and how the new work will fit into your project (you must allow enough time into the development stage of the project for the artist to carry out the necessary research) with the artists, consider who will benefit from the commission and the commissioning process identify key contacts and potential project partners spell out the course of action required 14

15 Commission Plan This commission plan should set out the opportunities for the artist and address: the vision and aim getting help - working with consultants developing the brief assessing the costs selecting the artists choosing the site equal opportunities and access engaging local people legal and contractual responsibilities insurance responsibilities project development and monitoring promotion, interpretation and evaluation Artist s Brief The artist s brief is a key document. You should take professional advice, because the brief will become an important part of the artist s contract. The brief will state: the aims of the commission: the context a description of the artist s role a description of the site and its conditions details of team members, roles and responsibilities how the community will take part the timetable and phasing a budget any planning permission required a description of the selection process and the criteria you will use the need to think about maintenance and how long the work should last the artist s copyright position and a clear statement of who will own the work the documentation required We will not give more than 75% or 15,000 for this stage of the project. Realisation of the full project For this stage, we can give funding towards: extra building costs resulting from the artist s idea or design related professional fees project management fees contingency sums non-recoverable VAT any related activity, such as education, workshops, documentation, marketing, interpretation and evaluation. Specific information required as part of any Artists Work in Public Places application: the brief for the artists involvement artist s CVs and design proposals (if available) a copy of any commission plan 15

16 Additional supporting material: a copy of your constitution, memorandum and articles of association or other governing articles as appropriate a copy of your equal opportunities policy a copy of your most recent audited or certified accounts or other evidence of financial status (if you are core funded by us you do not need to submit this) a detailed budget A timetable for the project A schedule of activity, including education and outreach relevant market research, letters of support or evidence of demand as appropriate Other: Any site or building lease should be for at least 15 years. If you do lease the site, please send us your landlord s written agreement to the project and a copy of the lease agreement. We expect the general public to be able to access the work created for at least 15 years after completion. If this is not possible you should explain why and tell us how you will provide access to information about the project for at least 15 years, this is referred to as the project s legacy. 6. WRITING YOUR APPLICATION 6.1 General information When you prepare your application please make sure that you are using the most recent version of the application form by contacting our Help Desk or by checking on our website You must answer all the questions in the application form, using the guidance given at Appendix 1 and in Section 5: Specific Funding Information. How much information you need to include in your application will depend on the amount of money you are looking for. The larger the grant applied for, the more detail we will expect. If you do not think that a question is relevant to your application, you must answer not applicable You must also provide all of the supporting information that we request, as detailed in Section 5: Specific Funding Information and in Section 6 of the application form Supporting Documents and Materials Checklist. Please note that if you have not answered all of the questions or enclosed all required supporting material, your application may be deemed incomplete and it will be rejected. If you are a first time applicant and unsure how to proceed with your application or if you would just like to discuss your proposal with someone before preparing your application, please contact our Help Desk and they will be able to advise you or put you in touch with a relevant officer. There are some occasions where it is particularly helpful to meet with an officer to discuss your proposal in person. Such meetings are normally held at the Scottish Arts Council, and you should contact the officer to arrange this as soon as possible. Please note that discussing your proposal with us beforehand does not guarantee that your application will be successful. 16

17 If you have any queries regarding the application process, please contact the Grants Administration Department. 6.2 Supporting material All applications are required to be accompanied by supporting material please refer to Section 5: Specific Funding Information within this document, and Section 6 of the application form for a checklist of any material that you need to provide. Please note that if you do not provide the supporting material along with your application, it will be deemed incomplete and will be rejected. We cannot accept responsibility for damage to or loss of material sent with applications, although we will take all possible care in handling this material. Please make sure that such material is clearly labelled with your name and the title of the work, well packed and, if valuable, insured. Please do not send original artwork. 6.3 Complete the application form and document checklist When you have filled in the application form and checked all the documents you need to enclose, please send them to: Scottish Arts Council Grants Administration Department 12 Manor Place Edinburgh EH3 7DD Important points to note: If you do not give us all the information we ask for, including all supporting material, we will not be able to process your application and it will be rejected Please do not address your application to any department other than Grants Administration as this is likely to cause delays Please do not fax or your application form, as we cannot accept it in this way Please ensure that you retain photocopies of the application form and all supporting documents for your own files, along with any related correspondence sent following submission of your application. 7. WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR APPLICATION Please also see Appendix 3: What happens to your application (flowchart) 7.1 We accept applications for grants covered by these guidelines at any time there are no fixed deadlines, although you should ensure that your submission is received in sufficient time for us to make a decision before work on your project is due to start. 7.2 A Grants Administrator will check that your application is eligible as outlined above and that it is complete. If your application is not eligible and/or is not complete we will return it to you with a letter to say why. 7.3 We will send you written acknowledgement that we have received your application within 10 working days* from the date of receipt. The acknowledgement letter will include a reference number which we will use on all further correspondence to do with your application. Please quote this reference number if you need to contact us about this application. 17

18 Please note: due to the volume of applications we receive, we will not normally be able to respond to applicants' telephone enquiries about the safe delivery of forms. However, you should contact us if you have not received an acknowledgement letter from us by two weeks* after the submission date. * please allow for public holidays. 7.4 Your application will be assigned to a lead officer who will assess your proposal against the criteria described at section 4.3 above. Where appropriate, the lead officer will co-ordinate advice from local authorities, our artform departments, other relevant agencies and any independent assessors. 7.5 Within four weeks, we will send you a Progress Letter giving you the name of your lead officer and telling you when you can expect a decision. We may also ask for clarification about any questions we have on your application and who we have asked to comment on it. 7.6 A decision on your application will be made by the Head of Lottery of the Scottish Arts Council in line with the timescale described at 3.4 above, and in your Progress Letter, but please note that the decision may be delayed if we need to ask you to provide more information. Please do not try to influence the decision by lobbying officers directly or indirectly. If you do, we may reject your application. We will try to make sure that we reach a decision on the date we have given you. Sometimes, however, meeting dates may change. Please bear this in mind when you plan the start date of your project. If the date of our decision changes, we will let you know as soon as possible. 8. AFTER THE DECISION 8.1 If you are unsuccessful If we decide not to fund your application we will write to you to explain why within a week of the decision being made. 8.2 If you are successful Please also see Appendix 4: What happens after a grant is awarded (flowchart) If you are successful, we will normally inform you in writing (although this may sometimes be by telephone or ) and we will let you know if there are to be any special conditions attached to the award. Within 2-4 weeks of the decision being notified to you, we will send you a formal offer letter explaining what you must do to claim your grant and monitor your project. This will include conditions that apply to all grants of the type that you have been awarded, along with any conditions that are specific to your project. We will also enclose a copy of our Conditions of Grant Capital Lottery Funds which contains important information on the conditions that apply to all Lottery Capital grants. 18

19 Our offer of grant must be accepted within 30 days of the date of the offer letter, and will remain open for one year from the date of offer. Once we have awarded a grant we cannot give any more funding for the project. 8.3 Monitoring your grant We have to make sure that the projects we fund are completed in line with the proposals outlined in your approved application and that lottery funds are used for the intended purpose. We call this monitoring. We need to monitor your grant so that we can account for the use of the funds we distribute, and to demonstrate the positive effect the arts can have on the lives of the people of Scotland. It is a standard grant condition that you meet our monitoring requirements, which will be detailed in your offer letter. We will rely on you to monitor progress, and keep us up to date on the project. For larger projects, we may also appoint external monitors to help us with this. You should let us know if the contact person in your organisation changes at any time during this period. Please note that the Scottish Arts Council retains an interest in lottery funded projects and these are as follows: 25 years in the case of buildings 15 years for artists work in public places 10 years for musical instruments and fixed technical equipment 5 years for vehicles, computer and touring technical equipment 8.4 Payment of your grant In order to release payment of your grant, we will require evidence of expenditure (receipted invoices) along with a completed Request for Payment/Conditions Checklist proforma. When a grant is awarded, it is for a fixed percentage of the total project costs. This means that each time you submit invoices to make a claim for payment, the amount that we pay will be for the corresponding proportion of the total of these invoices. For example, if we give you a grant of 75% of your total costs, and you submit invoices totaling 1,000, we will pay you 750. Before the final payment can be made, we will ask you to submit a Completion Report - full details of the forms that you will need to submit will be detailed in your offer letter, and these will be available to download from our website Complying with Conditions of Grant You must keep to the grant conditions specified in both your offer letter and any accompanying documents, and we strongly recommend that, before applying for a grant, you read the document Conditions of Grant National Lottery Capital Funds (available on the website or from the Help Desk).. This gives full details of all the conditions that apply to each different type of grant, as well as the general conditions that apply to all Lottery Capital grant. It includes important information about what happens if you make any changes to your project, and circumstances in which you may have to repay the grant. In particular: You must not make changes to your project without our written permission. Major changes include such things as changes to: 19

20 the budget the partnership funding equipment to be purchased the people involved where the project takes place the content of activities the project timetable. Your project must be carried out in accordance with the timescales given in your application, and within the time limits indicated in your offer letter (normally 18 months from the date of this letter). You must not dispose of any assets paid for with the aid of lottery funds at any time during the period of our interest, as described at 8.3 above Failure to adhere to grant conditions can result in withdrawal of your grant, and can affect other grants that you have from us, as well any applications you may make in the future. It is important that you keep us informed of any delay or difficulties in complying so that we can give advice and assistance as necessary. 8.6 Evaluation We measure the success of individual projects and look at the wider cultural, social and economic effects of the grants we make. We call this evaluation. When your project is complete, we may ask you to take part in an evaluation study, or to carry out an assessment of the project after it has finished. 9 ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT INFORMATION 9.1 Publicity Full listings of all the grants we award are published in our Annual Report and on our website. We also publicise some awards in our bi-monthly Information Bulletin and through the media. You will be required to acknowledge Scottish Arts Council funding in all your publicity (you will receive a Credit Kit explaining how you can do this). Failure to credit the Scottish Arts Council will affect payment of your grant. Images submitted in support of your application may be stored electronically by us. If we later seek to use these for publicity purposes, we will contact you in order to obtain permission to do so. 9.2 Openness and accountability For the purposes of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA), we are a Scottish public authority and any information held by us (which will include your application) is therefore potentially accessible by anyone making a Freedom of Information request. Information supplied by you will be held in manual files. It will then be summarised and details transferred to a computer-based grants management system. Reports from the information you supply within your application and from comments made on your 20

21 application by external assessors and staff members are likely to be held on both manual and computer-based systems. The information you supply will be made available to those assessing any other grant applications you make. Meetings to consider your grant application may be held where members of the public and media might be present. Your application, supporting material and reports written by Scottish Arts Council officers and independent assessors could be discussed at such an open meeting. By submitting your application you waive any right to raise any type of legal proceedings against the Scottish Arts Council as a consequence of, or in contemplation of, any disclosure of the contents of your application in response to an information request made under FOSIA. Disclosure The Scottish Arts Council considers that the following information will be disclosed from your funding application should a FOI request be received: your name the amount of funding requested your 25 word project description If more detailed information is requested, we will consider this request under FOISA and apply the Act s exemptions and the public interest test appropriately. In the case that more detail from your funding application is to be disclosed, we will contact you and advise you of this. For further information on the FOISA please see the Scottish Information Commissioners website: or refer to our FOISA guidance on the Scottish Arts Council website: Data protection Data held on our grants management system is used for the following purposes: statistical reporting, application assessing, accounting purposes and for contacting you. The details of your application may become public information (see Openness and Accountability above). However, your personal details will be held within our grants management system and our paper files, and accessed only by our staff, appointed auditors and individuals or organisations who may help us assess or monitor grants. You have a right under the Data Protection Act 1998 to access the data held on you by the Scottish Arts Council. You can do so by completing a Subject Access Request form available on our website We view your signature on your application form as acceptance of the use of your data as outlined above. For further information on the Data Protection Act Please note: that if you deliberately give any false or misleading information, we will withdraw your application or, if a grant has already been awarded, ask you to pay back any money we have given you. This will also have implications for any future applications you may submit. 21