Our funding

What we fund

We invest around £30 million each year across six funding priorities where we wish to see change. Our commitment to social justice underpins all these priorities.

We have six open application funds, and receive over 1000 applications each year. On average we fund around 20% of the applications we receive, although this varies between Funds.

Find out more about our funding priorities below:

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  • ARTS ACCESS AND PARTICIPATION FUND

    We will pause new applications to the Arts Access and Participation Fund between 15 December (12 noon) and 1 April 2024, to review the purpose and criteria of the Fund and the application process. The Fund will re-open with new criteria in April 2024. Read more

    The Fund addresses inequalities of opportunity to access and participate in the arts. We want to support change in the way the arts are created, presented, accessed and experienced.

    • Grants from £30,000 – £400,000 and lasting between 12 months and 4 years
    • Rolling application cycle – no deadlines. Decision making panels meet approximately 5 times a year.

    Find out more and apply

  • ARTS-BASED LEARNING FUND

    This Fund supports work which enables pupils in formal education settings, particularly those experiencing systemic inequality or disadvantage, to thrive through engagement with high quality, arts-based learning.

    • Grants from £30,000 – £400,000 up to two or three years
    • Rolling application cycle – no deadlines

    Find out more and apply

    TEACHER DEVELOPMENT FUND

    The purpose of the Teacher Development Fund is to support delivery of effective arts-based teaching and learning opportunities in the primary classroom, and to embed learning through the arts in the curriculum. It aims to do this through supporting teachers and school leaders to develop the necessary skills, knowledge, confidence and experience.

    • Grants up to £165,000 over two academic years
    • One deadline per year in September

    Find out more and apply

  • SHARED GROUND FUND

    The Shared Ground Fund supports organisations to influence migration system reform, improve access to support services, strengthen civic participation and inform public understanding of migration and integration narratives.

    • Grants from £30,000 – £400,000 for work lasting up to 4 years
    • Rolling application cycle – no deadlines

    Find out more and apply

  • YOUTH FUND

    The Youth Fund supports organisations whose main purpose is working with and for young people (aged 14-25) who face complex transitions to adulthood.

    • Core funding grants up to £150,000 over three years
    • Rolling application cycle – no deadlines

    Find out more and apply

  • IDEAS AND PIONEERS FUND

    The Ideas and Pioneers Fund supports people with a vision of a better society, helping them to explore the potential of their ideas for change.

    • Grants of up to £15,000
    • The Ideas and Pioneers Fund is currently closed to new applications 

    Find out more 

  • INDIA OPEN GRANTS FUND

    The India Open Grants Fund seeks to enable vulnerable communities living in priority geographical areas to improve their lives. The Fund assists NGOs to design and develop programmes which assist vulnerable communities to build on their strengths.

    We support work in the following states: Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal and Assam.

    • Applications can be made at any time, but are assessed biannually in March and October.

    Find out more and apply