by Author Zoe Kilb

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Trailblazer Fund and Catalyser Fund Questions and Answers

Updated on 23 October 2024

These are questions we have received about our Trailblazer and Catalyser funds.
 

What's new in October 2024?  

We’ve made some small but important improvements since the last round of Trailblazer funding. 

  • Purpose of Trailblazer Fund grant: Trailblazer grants can now be used to sustain a grassroots programme, as well as test and trial new ways of working. We’ve made this change based on your feedback. It means organisations who have demand from young people don’t have to invent ‘new’ projects when they already have one that works.
  • Personal access costs for staff and volunteers: You can now request personal access costs. These are costs that remove barriers to enable staff to deliver the project and undertake the grant reporting. Designed for those facing the following additional barriers:
    • d/Deaf or disabled.
    • Neurodivergent.
    • Have learning difficulties.
    • Have a mental health condition.
    • Have a long-term health condition.

You can apply for personal access costs in addition to the main grant amount, up to a maximum of 10%. Further guidance about personal access costs is available on our website.

 

The application process
 

When does our project need to start?
Your work needs to start between 6 weeks and 3 months of notification. For example, Trailblazer Fund Round 8 notification will be on 21 March 2025 so projects need to start between 02 May 2025 and 21 September 2025. For Catalyser Fund Round 4 notification will be on 08 November 2024 so programmes need to start between 20 December 2024 and 08 February 2025.

How many funding rounds do you have each year?
We aim to have three Trailblazer Fund rounds per year and one Catalyser Fund round per year. All confirmed funding round dates are on the Youth Music Network.

How long until you hear results after making an application?
All notification dates are published on the Youth Music Network.
For the Trailblazer Fund you will hear whether your application has been successful or not, around 3 months after the funding round deadline.
For the Catalyser Fund you will hear whether your Expression of Interest has been invited through to Stage 2 (the full application form) around 2-3 months after the deadline. And you will hear whether or not your application has been successful 2-3 months after the Stage 2 (application form) deadline.

What are the dates for future funding rounds?
All confirmed funding round dates are on the Youth Music Network.

Where can I see a list of your funding priorities?
You can find out our latest funding priorities for the Trailblazer Fund and the Catalyser Fund on the Youth Music Network.

We were successful at the Expression of Interest stage of the Catalyser Fund, however our situation has changed and can no longer put in an application for Stage 2. Do we have to start over for the next round or can we defer our application? 
Unfortunately applications cannot be deferred. You will need to submit a new Expression of Interest in a future round for your application to be considered. You are however welcome to submit the same proposal, but make sure you speak to Youth Music's Grants & Learning team before re-submitting. 

We were successful at the Expression of Interest stage of the Catalyser Fund; the stage 2 application form asks us to reattach our proposal – does this mean we have to write a brand-new proposal?
We ask you to reattach your proposal, so we can be completely sure we have the most up to date version. We may have asked you to make some changes between the Expression of Interest and application stage or maybe things have changed at your end - so you might need to make some changes to your proposal. But if nothing has changed it is fine to re-upload the same document.

We were successful at the Expression of Interest stage of the Catalyser Fund; for our stage 2 application - can we provide our proposal in a different format to the one we used at EOI stage? 

Yes you can. At stage 2 we will only assess the proposal you attach at this stage - we won't refer back to your EOI proposal - so you should ensure your new proposal includes all the required information, and doesn't rely on information provided in your original proposal. 

The Catalyser Fund application form asks us to provide letters or emails from our partners. Do we have to provide letters from all our partners or just key ones? 
This partly depends on your programme, how you're working in partnership and how many partners you have in total. Our guidance says to provide letters/emails from 'key partners'. We suggest focussing on the partners that are adding the most value to your programme and have the biggest role to play in the programme. These will likely be partnerships where things are clearly mutually beneficial, and the relationship works both-ways, with both organisations making clear contributions to the partnership. If you're unsure - please contact the Grants & Learning team on grants@youthmusic.org.uk for advice.

We are working with a large number of Music Education Hub partners/early year settings/school settings - do we have to provide letters from all of them?
If you are working with a large number of partners, who all have a similar role to play in your programme, it is not always necessary to provide letters/emails from each of them - in many cases a sample of partnership letters/emails would be fine. If this applies to you - we recommend contacting the Grants & Learning team on grants@youthmusic.org.uk to discuss your specific situation. 

Decision-making

Will my application be looked at by someone who understands my organisation and the work I am doing or has an understanding of the barriers/challenges I am facing?  
Who makes decisions about what to fund at Youth Music?
At Youth Music, we believe that a greater diversity of views, skills and lived experience leads to better decisions.

That’s why we appoint a unique group of decision-makers for every funding round. Each group comprises internal and external experts with lived experience relevant to applicants, the organisations they’re from, and the young people they support. We also work with children and young people via our funded partners as part of this. Applications are reviewed by multiple people, and decisions are always made collectively.

How many times can we reapply to Youth Music if we are unsuccessful?
There are no limits to how many times you can apply to any of Youth Music's funds. We provide feedback on all applications received, which can help you decide whether you'd like to re-apply or not. 

 

Who can apply?

Can schools apply?
Schools and academies cannot apply to the Trailblazer Fund or Catalyser Fund. This includes primary, secondary, Pupil Referral Units (PRUs), and special schools.

My organisation is a charity and a school can I apply?
If the organisation who is submitting the application is a registered charity then you would be eligible to apply – provided you meet all the other criteria. If you're unsure about your organisation’s eligibility  – contact the Grants & Learning Team on grants@youthmusic.org.uk for advice.

I am an alternative education provider, can I apply?
Yes, you can apply – provided your organisation is a constituted UK based organisation (and not a school or academy). Please note Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) are not eligible to apply.

Why are schools no longer eligible to apply?
This decision allows us to prioritise funding for grassroots music organisations.

Will you fund work taking place in schools?
We will continue to fund work taking place in schools, mainly special schools and Pupil Referral Units (PRUs). Work in schools must still meet all our eligibility criteria. In particular we would highlight that work must be targeted at children and young people facing barriers, must be co-designed with children and young people and we cannot fund whole class tuition in school, individual tuition fees to learn an instrument in school, GCSE or A Level Music, or school based music curriculum activity (unless in a special school, Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) or alternative provision setting).

If you are a school who is interested in delivering this work then you could consider partnering with another eligible organisation, who could then apply for the grant. Our project map can help you identify potential partners. 

Your guidance says that the Trailblazer Fund is targeted at small organisations – what counts as a small organisation?
Organisations who could be considered as small are likely to have:

  • A turnover less than £250,000 per annum
  • A small staff team (and in some cases, no permanent or full-time members of staff)
  • Limited fundraising capacity (e.g. no dedicated fundraiser or fundraising team)

These are just a guide, not strict rules. For Trailblazer we target organisations with a turnover of £500,000 or less. 

We’ve never applied to Youth Music before - can we apply for a Catalyser Fund grant or do we have to apply for a Trailblazer Fund grant first?
You can apply for a Catalyser Fund grant provided you meet all the Catalyser Fund criteria – you don’t need to have received a Youth Music grant previously.

We’re a small grassroots organisation. We don’t feel ready for a Catalyser Fund grant, but we've already had a Trailblazer grant and I'm not sure we still meet the Trailblazer Fund requirements – what should we do?
The Trailblazer Fund is there to support organisations to trial work or test a new way of working, sustain a grassroots programme; or disrupt the status quo. If you still need to explore your project or an aspect of your organisation’s work further, then the Trailblazer Fund could still be a good fit for you. If you are delivering a grassroots programme that you want to continuing delivering – then Trailblazer could still be a good match for you as this fund can be used to sustain grassroots programmes.  
The Catalyser Fund is there to support established and experienced organisations to scale-up or sustain a grassroots programme. If you are looking to sustain, want more budget and have the skills and experience to meet all the additional Catalyser Fund requirements – then you could be a match for this fund.

Still unsure? Contact the Grants & Learning Team on grants@youthmusic.org.uk or 020 7902 1060.

It says the Trailblazer Fund and the Catalyser Fund can be both be used to sustain grassroots programmes/projects – how do I decide which fund I should apply to?
There are several things to consider.

  • How much money do you need? Trailblazer Fund offers grants of up to £30,000 and Catalyser Fund grants of between £30,001 and £300,000
  • How long do you want your project/programme to last? Trailblazer Fund can fund projects lasting between 6 months and 24 months, and for the Catalyser Fund programme must last at least 24 months and up to 48 months.
  • How big is your organisation? Both funds will prioritise grassroots organisations. But the Trailblazer Fund prioritises smaller organisations – in particular those with a turnover of less than £500k. 
  • How experienced is your organisation? Catalyser Fund is for experienced and established organisations. You must have been set up for at least a year, and experienced in the work you are proposing to deliver. Newer organisations, including those only recently set-up can apply to the Trailblazer Fund.

Finally, you should remember that you can’t hold a Trailblazer Fund grant at the same time as a Catalyser Fund grant. Therefore, if you were successful with a Trailblazer Fund grant it might prevent you from applying to the Catalyser Fund and vice versa, so we would encourage you to consider this when you apply.  

Can local authorities or statutory organisations apply?
Yes, provided you meet all the criteria for the fund that you want to apply to. Please note that we cannot fund activities that are a statutory responsibility.

I am an artist/musician – can I apply?
Sole traders and individuals cannot apply to the Trailblazer Fund or the Catalyser Fund. We only fund constituted UK-based organisations. If you are an artist/musician who is interested in delivering this work then you could consider partnering with a constituted organisation, who could then apply for the grant. Our project map can help you identify potential partners. 

The Trailblazer Fund seemed to be mainly focussed on small, new organisations. But one of your examples is a Music Education Hub – they’re not small or new. What are the conditions for a larger organisation being successful in their application?
The Trailblazer Fund is here to support organisations to trial work or test a new way of working, sustain a grassroots programme; or disrupt the status quo. Generally we are looking to support small organisations with their ideas. Sometimes, Youth Music will invest in more established or larger organisations through the Trailblazer Fund, but usually we’ll be looking for projects that are focussed on doing something different, as more established and larger organisations who want to sustain a project are more suited to the Catalyser Fund.

Could you explain what constitutes a track record? Does this mean a track record of working specifically with Youth Music?
No, you do not have to have a track record of working with, or being funded by, Youth Music. For the Catalyser Fund we expect organisations to have a track record in supporting children and young people facing barriers to make, learn and earn in music. If you do not have a track record in this type of work, then the Trailblazer Fund could be the fund for you.

What do you fund?

Trailblazer Fund - what does "disrupt the status quo" mean?
The status quo means ‘the way things are now’. We know that the current status quo is that many young people experience barriers to music making and that music opportunities are not as diverse or as inclusive as they should be. The status quo doesn’t work for many young people. Organisations who are disrupting the status quo are changing this situation – removing barriers, doing things differently, working with different people and sharing power in different ways. Until the status quo becomes a situation that is inclusive, and accessible with no barriers, we need to keep disrupting things!

We facilitate music production support – will this be considered or is it just 'music-making' itself and not the music industry in general that you will fund?
We believe in music in all its forms, whether that’s making music with friends or learning about the music business. Projects/programmes can offer music making, learning, or earning – or a combination of all three.
As well as music production support, we can also fund activities like music photography, music journalism, music video production, and music radio/podcast production.

 

Budget & Finance

You say a proportion of the budget must be spent on delivery costs – can you provide guidance on how much is expected?
Provided some of your budget is being spent on delivery costs, and your budget makes sense in the context of your proposal, there is no set requirement on how your budget is split between delivery costs and core costs.

What do you consider capital costs?
Capital costs are items that have a use that extends beyond the project or could be sold on once the project has been completed. Examples of capital costs include: musical instruments or studio equipment such as speakers or computer equipment. No more than 20% of the Youth Music grant can be spent on capital costs. Please note that we cannot fund the purchase of land or buildings.

Would sound proofing a studio be considered a capital cost?
Yes.

Can you break down what you mean by match funding and how much we need to raise? 
Match funding is additional money on top of your Youth Music grant to support your project.
How much match funding you need to raise depends on how much money you are requesting from Youth Music: 

  • For grant requests between £2,000 and £30,000 you need 10% total match funding or higher (at least 5% must be cash match funding).
    • For example if you requested £30,000 from Youth Music, then you need £3,000 total match funding or higher (at least £1,500 must be cash match funding).  
  • For grant requests between £30,001 and £100,000 you need 15% total match funding or higher (at least 7.5% must be cash match funding).
    • For example if you requested £100,000 from Youth Music, then you need £15,000 total match funding or higher (at least £7,500 must be cash match funding). 
  • For grant requests between £100,001 and £300,000 you need 20% total match funding or higher (at least 10% must be cash match funding).
    • For example if you requested £200,000 from Youth Music, then you need £40,000 total match funding or higher (at least £20,000 must be cash match funding). 

For the match funding evidence – how is this presented?
If you are awarded funding we may ask for evidence of your cash match funding. This could be a letter/email from a funder, or a letter/email from a partner organisation, or evidence of the funding entering your bank account.
You will also be assigned a member of the Youth Music team to support you throughout your grant. They will be able to help if you’re unsure what you need to do.  

The guidance says we have to pay the real living wage – does this rule out using volunteers?
You can use volunteers on Youth Music funded projects/programmes. But any paid members of staff (whether freelance or salaried) we expect to be paid the real living wage or above.

We have mentors that donate their time – does this equate to match funding?
Yes – this would count as in-kind match funding.

Can cash match funding come from our reserves?
Yes, cash match funding can come from your reserves.

Does match funding have to be already secured by the time we submit an application?
No. Match funding does not need to be secured by the time you submit your application. In the application form you will be able to tell us whether the money is confirmed or not.

 

Youth Voice and Co-design                                       

We don’t feel co-design is possible due to the target group we are working with.
Youth Music strongly believes that co-design is possible with any group of children or young people. We know that you might have to go about in different ways for different groups. Co-design doesn’t have to involve speaking, filling in surveys or taking part in youth forums – it can involve observation, creative activities, and from what happens in day-to-day interactions with your children and young people. Take a look at our Youth Voice Resource Hub for more support.

We also understand it isn’t always possible to co-design with children and young people before you submit your application, which is why we also ask you to explain how you intend to co-design (if you are awarded a grant). 

I am planning an Early Years project; are you expecting me to co-design the project with babies and toddlers?
We understand that it may not be possible to consult directly with babies and young children. But it is still important that you demonstrate that you have taken into account their views, opinions, likes, etc. For early years children this could include co-designing the project with relevant adults (e.g. parents/carers, other family members or early years practitioners). You probably also have a good understanding of what early years children like or need based on their responses to previous work you have done. We are not expecting you to interview early years children or ask them to complete surveys, but it’s still important that you demonstrate how you have included and considered these children in the design of your project. There are resources about youth voice in the early years on our website.

I am planning a workforce and/or organisational development project – do children and young people have to co-design the project?
Yes, this is just as important as for any other type of project. We believe that in order to develop your workforce and your organisation that you need to understand the needs of children and young people. You need to listen to them and give them opportunities to influence and make decisions. We would be unlikely to fund a workforce or organisational development project that is unable to demonstrate how children and young people have been involved in its design. They may not help design the project itself, but their needs and interests should inform the contents. For example, if they want more music production activities this may lead to a project focused on upskilling staff in this area of work.

 

Project Activities

Can we put together a programme addressing more than one funding priority?
Yes. Your application needs to address at least one of our funding priorities. But you are welcome to address multiple funding priorities.

Support from Youth Music

Do you still offer flexibility as an impact of the pandemic/covid-19?
Yes. If you have a grant with Youth Music we understand that you may need to make changes to your original plans. These should be approved by your Youth Music contact. You’ll have their email and phone number so you can always contact them directly to discuss. We’ll always try to approve any changes you request, so long as they meet the aims of the fund your grant is from.

What support can I get from the Youth Music team in order to support my application?
We have a range of resources to help you plan, deliver, and monitor your project.

IDEA Hub
Evaluation and reporting hub
Youth Voice hub
Safeguarding hub
Finance and budget hub
Youth Music Quality Framework

You can also check our Exchanging Notes learning and development programme for details of upcoming events that may help with your application.

If you identify as Disabled and require additional support to make an application to Youth Music, you can apply to our Access Fund. You should apply for this money before you start making your application.

If you still have questions you can contact the Youth Music team on grants@youthmusic.org.uk or 020 7902 1030.

Can someone read through my application form before I submit?
No, due to the volume of enquiries we receive we are not able to read through your entire application form before you submit.

We can answer questions about completing your application; this could include how to submit your application form through the online grants portal, advice about answering questions and questions about whether your organisation or project/programme meet the criteria.

 

Evaluation

It looks like outcomes have decreased in importance in the guidance and application form – do we still need to write outcomes? We now have a more flexible approach for Trailblazer Fund and Catalyser Fund than we did for Fund A or Fund B – so we don’t require you to set or track outcomes. If outcomes work for your organisation and project, then you are welcome to set outcomes and use these to evaluate your work.

If I am funded what will my reporting look like?
You can download example report templates from the network.
 

Current/previous grantholders

I am applying to Youth Music for continuation funding – what do you expect to see from me?
We would expect to see in your application some reflections on what you have learnt, how do you know things are working and how this has informed the new application? Most importantly we would want to see how any new application has been shaped by the children and young people you are working with.

Can I apply for a Trailblazer Fund grant if I hold a Catalyser Fund grant? Can I apply to multiple funds at the same time?
You cannot hold a Catalyser Fund grant at the same time as a Trailblazer Fund grant.  
If you hold a grant from a different Youth Music fund then you may be eligible to apply. We ask that you contact your Youth Music contact for advice before starting an application.
You can apply to multiple Youth Music funds at the same time.

Do I have to wait until our current grant is closed before we can apply?
No, you can apply for a new grant whilst your current grant is active. What we will take into account when making our decisions, is whether or not the new grant will be active at the same time as any existing grant.

Access Support

What happens if I don’t have anyone with access needs on my team right now, but then someone new joins mid project? Can I apply for access costs for them mid-way through?

Yes, you can. In the first instance contact your Grants & Learning Officer, who can advise on what to do.
We would also advise you to look at the Government’s Access to Work scheme. as soon as possible to see what support your team member might be eligible for. 

If you would like to know more about access to work:

What is access to work?

 Access to Work is a Government scheme to help those with a physical or mental health condition to get or stay in work. This includes freelancers. It provides funding for things like support workers, work coaches, equipment and transport. You do not need a formal diagnosis to make an application.

Do you need to have a formal diagnosis to be eligible for access costs?

No, as long as the person that you are applying for access costs for is facing additional barriers because they fall into one or more of the following groups (which they might self-identify as  belonging to):

  • d/Deaf or disabled
  • Neurodivergent
  • Have learning difficulties
  • Have a mental health condition
  • Have a long-term health condition

My access support costs more than £300 a day – what counts as an exceptional circumstance? What should I do if I think this applies to me?
or
Our personal access support costs total more than the limit of 10% - what counts as exceptional circumstances? What should we do if this applies to our organisation?

There is space on the application form to outline and describe costs, so you can include any relevant information and we will take that into account when assessing your access costs. You can also contact the Youth Music team for advice before submitting your application.
Telephone: 020 7902 1060 (select option 1 to speak to a member of the Grants and Learning Team).

Email: grants@youthmusic.org.uk

We don’t have specific guidance about what counts as an exceptional circumstances, as this will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. But it may be related to the specialist nature of the support that you require, for example you need to work with more than one access support worker at a time, or you need specialist equipment that is more costly.

Why don’t you have a separate budget for participant access needs?

Our funding supports young people facing barriers, who have a range of access needs. All access costs should be budgeted within your main grant. Whilst some groups have higher access needs, there is no additional funding available for this. However, we understand that projects with high participant access needs might look different from others. For example, they might work with fewer participants.

Can you recommend anywhere I might be able to find an access support worker? I don’t know where to start looking.

Youth Music is unable to supply access support workers. If you are choosing an access support worker, we recommend that you:

  • Choose someone that you are happy to work with.
  • Check that they have the right skills and experience before you commit to working with them.

You should not be required to pay someone upfront. You should wait until they have completed the service to a satisfactory standard before you pay them.