Guide to Scotland’s next multi-year funding programme

Creative Scotland has released guidance for applicants to its next Multi-Year Funding Programme (MYFP).

The programme will offer funding initially from April 2025 to March 2028, replacing its regular funding for organisations that has been in place since 2018.

It will also replace other funding routes, including Creative Scotland’s Open Funds and Targeted Funds, to becoming Scotland’s only long-term, year on year funding option for grants of over £50,000.

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Alongside the MYFP, opportunities to apply for funding on an annual basis “will continue for a period” after the introduction of the new multi-year programme.

Here, Arts Professional has compiled the key dates and changes for organisations looking to apply to the MYFP.

First things first

All applicants must register intent to apply before 10 August on Creative Scotland’s online portal.

The initial stage, which Creative Scotland has referred to as a “simple, tick box form” on its website, asks organisations to indicate how much they plan to apply for. The funder says this step is to allow for planning around the number of applicants it can expect to receive.

Creative Scotland’s guidance explicitly adds any organisation that does not submit their intention to apply during this period will not be able to make a full application, even if they have been in receipt of multi-year funding in the past.

Two-stage application process

The key change in Creative Scotland’s application process is that applications will be assessed over a two-stage period.

Applicants for Stage 1 will be accepted between 6 September and 25 October this year, with all organisations that submitted an intent to apply eligible to apply.

Those successful during the first stage being invited to apply for Stage 2 in early 2024.

Applicants will be informed of Stage 2 decisions by the end of October 2024, ahead of the funding beginning in April 2025.

Assessment criteria

In the first stage, applicants will have to address how they will meet Creative Scotland’s key funding criteria, which are outlined in the funder’s Strategic Framework.

These are Quality and Ambition, Engagement, Equalities Diversity and Inclusion, Environmental Sustainability, Fair Work and International (for applicants involving international activity).

Applicants will also be asked about their governance arrangements and how their organisation is managed.

Creative Scotland has shared the 21 questions it will ask during Stage 1 – three on each criteria and three on government and management – on its website. Applicants will also be asked for a budget template.

Additional guidance for Stage 2 will be provided at a later date but early indications are that it will expect applicant to go into further detail on how they will deliver the commitments set out in Stage 1. The second stage will also take a closer look at the applicant’s management and the financial risk associated with funding the organisations.

Eligibility

The programme is aimed at non-profit-distributing organisations based in Scotland.

This includes, charities, artists’ groups, companies limited by guarantee or shares, community interest companies, consortia and parents bodies administering an independent legal entity such as culture and leisure trusts, local authorities and universities.

All organisations applying to the MYFP will be required to pay all directly employed staff at least the Real Living Wage and confirm that Effective Voice for workers is in place in their organisation.

Decision making

Creative Scotland says all applications will be passed to an assessment team of specialists.

Response to each of the sections will be scored from 0-4. Applicants must score at least 3 against both Quality and Ambition and at least 2 against all over criteria to have their applicants considered further.

Assessments will be passed through a process to ensure consistency across decision making. The final list of successful Stage 1 applicants will then pass through a series of Portfolio Review meetings for consideration of matters such as the national spread or organisations and the diversity of activity being supported.

‘Uncertainty’ around budget

Creative Scotland has not said how much funding will be available in total. While applicants must ask for at least £50,000 per year, no upper limit has been set.

The funder’s total budget came under threat earlier this year – before the Scottish Government u-turned on a 10% cut following widespread criticism of the plan – and Creative Scotland has since warned it could be forced to reduce the number of organisations it supports if it does not recieve a funding uplift.

“The MYFP is being launched at a time when there is high uncertainty around future budgets and so we are entering into the process on the basis that it will be highly competitive, and that we will need sufficient information to make informed decisions,” Creative Scotland’s guidance states.

“It is likely that there will be many more applications that are worthy of support than we are able to fund. But we will not ask for anything that is not relevant to the decision-making process.”

Creative Scotland has said transition support may be available for organisations in receipt of repeat funding, subject to the availability of funds.

Unsuccessful applicants will also be signposted to other funding opportunities where appropriate.