Funding Advice Sessions

We can provide funding advice sessions that cover a range of topics including: 

  • Fundraising planning and strategy;
  • Understanding funders’ priorities;
  • Feedback on draft applications.


We don’t usually write funding applications for other organisations/individuals unless we are part of developing the project and potentially delivering it as producers.
 

Our standard rate for consultancy work and funding advice is £50 per hour. We can offer discounts to freelance artists and very small organisations and charities.

Time Breakdown

To help you budget, we suggest the following time allocation: 

Single advice session: 2 hours

Draft application feedback:

    • minimum 7 hours (short application like DYCP) 
    • 10-15 hours (under £30k ACE Project Grants application)


This includes reading applicati
on, writing feedback notes, and a feedback session meeting. 

Please allow at least 3-4 weeks for your application to be reviewed. You will need to factor this within your planning process for applications where there is a fixed deadline, or you need to submit by a specific date in order to deliver your project. 

Photo of a young person, hunched over as he writes on a desk.
by Dee Patel

Contact

Please get in touch to chat if you’re interested in working with us. 

Email: [email protected] 

Phone: 01902 427033 

Mobile (call/ text/ WhatsApp): 07376 020819 

We cannot guarantee that your funding bids will be successful if you work with us, but the process should help you to develop your skills and increase your chances of funding success in the future. 

Our Experience

Our Creative Director Jenny Smith has been working in the arts and cultural sector since 2000. She has assessed grants at Arts Council England and created grant programmes and assessed applications at local authorities. She has also done a lot of bid writing, raising funds of up to £500,000.

Our Assistant Producer Isaac Boothman was part of the first Creative Black Country Fundraising Fellowship and actually enjoys entering data onto Grantium!

We are committed to skills development in the sector and to equity, access and inclusion. We hope that providing this support will enable more brilliant creatives to access funding to do their important, beautiful and inspiring work. We particularly aim to provide support to people who have experienced barriers to developing their work due to inequality and prejudice in our society, including ableism and racism.

Photo of Jenny, with participant - looking at a phone together.
Photograph by Nelson Douglas