Made in Halton Small Grant Commissioning Programme (UK)

Deadline: 30-Nov-21

Applications are now invited for Made in Halton small grant commissioning programme to support arts, culture and heritage projects created by artists, creatives and community groups, living or based in the Borough.

The grants can be used to fund the total cost of the project or as seed funding for further grant applications made by applicants.

Made in Halton is a small grant commissioning The Borough of Culture (BoC) is an initiative of the (Local) Cultural Partnership (LCR) and involves a commitment from the Liverpool City Region (LCR) to support cultural activities. Rotating around the LCR each year, Halton is the nominated Borough of Culture in 2021.

Funding is available to assist community organisations and/or individuals to help showcase the Borough’s diverse cultural offer and to collaboratively develop local talent with the potential to incrementally build a sustainable cultural offer across the LCR.

Objectives

The core objectives of the Borough of Culture are outlined below. These objectives will be used as part of the eligibility criteria:

Children and Young People – Increase engagement with children and young people, enabling them to access, enjoy, develop skills and thrive through culture and creative engagement. Talent pathways should also be identified to ensure clear career routes into the cultural sector.
Positive outcomes – Improving health and wellbeing through access to cultural activities. Utilising culture as a mechanism for education, social cohesion and shaping the future world of work.
Communities – Increase participation, particularly from the ageing society. Minimising social isolation and maximising existing community resources, value for money and community engagement.
Distinctiveness of place – Promote the creative and cultural offer to local people and visitors, creating a USP for the Liverpool City Region and each of the boroughs to encourage greater visitor numbers.
Infrastructure – Leaving a legacy through better infrastructure for culture and creativity to celebrate successes and ensure the future sustainability of the sector.

Funding Information

Grants of up to £750 can be made by individuals or groups.

Eligibility Criteria

Applications will only be considered by completing the form on the Celebrate Halton website <link> and sent to the contact details below. Requests can be submitted at any time but the activity must take place in 2021.
Applicants must have the organisational ability to deliver the proposal past idea stage and make it sustainable. Sustainability is a key element considered within the decision-making process.
Once the grant has been approved the applicant will be issued with an offer letter and on receipt of appropriate invoices the grant will be paid. Applicants must not commit to or start any work/activities until an offer letter has been received.
Applicants should consider how their activity/work/ event aims to meet one or more of the objectives above, it is essential it aims to meet objectives 1-5 (how many is dependent on funding request and detailed on application form).
Any application to funding cannot commit Halton Borough Council to any on-going expenditure in future years.
Any allocation that is agree does not commit Halton Borough Council or LCR to a similar expenditure in the following year(s).
Applications are more likely to be successful if it can be demonstrated they will be match funded with money from external sources.
Applicants must declare if they are in receipt of any other funding source.
Applicants must be resident in Halton or working in Halton.
Projects with strong partnership working with other organisations and collaborative approaches are particularly welcomed. This should be clearly demonstrated in the application.
Any allocation made must only be used for the purpose that it is given. The Council will demand repayment of any allocation that is discovered is not used for the purpose for which it was awarded.
Any application for building or decorative work, or buying equipment must be accompanied by three estimates of the cost, unless the estimate has been provided by the Council as part of its normal arrangements for tendering and quotations.
Part of the Borough of Culture programme has a requirement of research and evaluation. Any applications that are successful need to demonstrate how they are going to evaluate the effectiveness of the event and/ or activity in relation to the objective(s) 1-5 outlined above.
Payment can only be made direct into a UK bank account registered on the Halton Borough Council payment system.
Payment will be made following the submission of copy invoices or receipts to show the works/activities have been completed and following the submission of any evaluation criteria as detailed in the application for. In some circumstances, an upfront payment can be made to an organisation if they can evidence, they do not have the funding available to pay for works/activities in advance of receiving the allocation. This will be considered on an individual basis.
Payment will not be made for any retrospective works/activities that were started or completed before the date of the applicants offer letter.