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Fund A

Overview

Grants of £2,000 to £30,000 are available and the fund is designed to support music-making and music-making related activities for children and young people (aged 0-25) facing barriers.

Fund A is a one-stage process. 

Project Length

Your project should last between 6 and 24 months. 

Upcoming Deadlines

Round 20
Application deadline: Friday 04 December 2020
Notification of decision: Friday 12 March 2021

Round 21
Application deadline: Thursday 01 April 2021
Notification of decision: Friday 02 July 2021

Round 22
Application deadline: Friday 30 July 2021
Notification of decision: Friday 29 October 2021

Round 23
Application deadline: Friday 03 December 2021
Notification of decision: Friday 04 March 2022

The Grants Portal opens for applications 1 month befor the application deadline. 

Eligibility Criteria

If you can answer yes to all of the following points, then your programme meets the Fund A criteria.

The organisation is:

  • Is a UK based organisation that has a signed governing document
  • Has been legally constituted and providing activity for one year, and has a set of accounts.
  • Has the relevant insurances** in place (including employers’ and public liability) and complies with all relevant statutory legislation
  • Has a safeguarding policy** that is regularly reflected on and updated
  • Current grantholders only – is up to date on reporting requirements

**We don’t automatically request policies and insurance but they should be available upon request.

The project:

  • Offers a music-related programme for children or young people facing barriers in England
  • Meets one or more of Youth Music’s priority areas (Early Years, Disabled young people, Young adults, Youth justice system, Young people facing barriers and Organisations and the workforce)
  • Is co-designed by children/young people
  • Embeds the Youth Music Quality Framework
  • Doesn’t include ineligible activities
  • Includes an evaluation plan to reflect on programme’s intended outcomes
  • Includes plans to share learning from the programme with others
  • For a school-based programme and or from a Music Education Hub lead organisation – meets the additional requirements
  • Meets the budget criteria (including: pays staff the Real Living Wage, is predominantly for revenue costs, doesn't include ineligible costs)
  • Commits to raising at least 10% match funding (at least  5% cash match funding) and minimum match funding is not from Arts Council England or National Lottery funding.

Please note that for Fund A we will not fund;

  • Individuals and sole traders
  • Profit-making programmes
  • Activities that promote party political or religious beliefs
  • Activities that other statutory bodies would be expected to fund
  • GCSE Music or A-Level Music
  • Activities that have taken place before you have received confirmation of grant award
  • Costs incurred in making your application
  • Significant capital costs
  • The purchase of land or buildings
  • Reserves, loans or interest payments
  • VAT costs that can be recovered
  • Art forms that are not related to music

Essential Guidance and Documents

Before completing your application, please read all the guidance carefully. You can also download a template of the application which is helpful to use prior to transferring information to the main grants portal. 

Fund A Guidance (word)
Fund A Guidance (PDF)

Sample application form (word)
Sample application form (PDF) 

Sample completed budget (coming soon)

 

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