Funding

How do you fund a cultural project? On the Cultuur Academy knowledge base we show you step by step how to go about it. The structure of these pages follows the logical order in which cultural projects arise: from first idea to execution - and beyond. You start with concept development, work on a realistic budget, research funding sources, learn to justify and think about the future.

The five subtopics you will find information about on this page are:

• Concept development
• Budget
• Coverage plan and funding mix
• Accountability
• Sustainable financing

1. Concept development

You have a good idea and want to realize it. To do so, you need money - and that requires a well thought-out project plan. In this theme you will read how to go about it: from articulating your mission and vision to working out your artistic and business plans. You will find tools to refine and strengthen your idea - as a basis for funding.

Concept development - From idea to concept to project plan

Are you ready to really bring your idea to life? Then it's time to put your plan on paper so you can convince people to support you in it. On this page you will find all the essential elements and practical tips to turn your vision into a clear and convincing plan. We take you step by step through the process, so you know what choices to make and how to develop your ideas.

2. Budget

Once your plan takes shape, it's time to think about the financial side. What will your idea actually cost? In this topic you will learn how to come up with a realistic budget, based on conversations, practical experience and smart estimates. You'll also get tips on how to deal with items such as materials, rent, fees and taxes.

Budget - Cost estimate

You've developed your concept and created a plan, making important choices - such as the location of your project and who will collaborate on it. Now it's time for the next step: understanding the costs. By concretely translating your plans into numbers, you'll create a realistic cost estimate. Based on this, you will prepare a clear and reliable budget that shows what you need to carry out your project.

3. Coverage plan and funding mix.

Once you know what your plan will cost, you need to think about how you will pay for it. What sources of income can you combine? This theme helps you get started in putting together your funding mix: grants, funds, sponsorships, your own income and public contributions. Which mix fits your initiative depends on the type of project and your target audience. You can find information about this here:

• Grants and funds: from small schemes to structural support
• Grant deadlines: current overview for your planning
• Fundraisers: help with writing and submitting your application

Coverage plan and funding mix

Your plan is finished and in your budget you have worked out what it will all cost. Now it's time for the next step: how are you going to cover those costs? In your coverage plan, you give an overview of all expected income and from which sources it will come. All the sources together form your funding mix. A healthy mix consists of multiple forms of financing and shows that you spread your risks - something financiers value.

4. Accountability

Your funding is in and your project is done, but you're not quite finished. In this topic, you'll read about how to get your accountability right. You show how the project went, what it achieved and how the funds were spent. With clear and honest accountability, you increase your chances of getting future funding.

Accountability: progress, reach and impact

You may think that this puts the most important part of funding behind you, after writing your plan and convincing funders. But don't forget the justification! In it you show how your project has developed in practice compared to the original idea. The perfect way to show what you have achieved: in numbers as well as in impact.

5. Sustainable financing

From project subsidy to multi-year work, and who knows, maybe even a place in the Basic Infrastructure (BIS). This theme helps you think about the long term. How do you build a stable organizational structure? What role does risk management play? And how do you remain resilient in a changing funding landscape? Sustainable funding means: not having to keep reinventing the wheel, but building something that will stand: substantively and financially.

Sustainable financing

Many creators and cultural organizations start their practice with incidental funding: from project to project. That is a logical and often necessary first step, but it makes you vulnerable. Sustainable funding means securing income in the longer term, for example through long-term subsidies, structural partners or a permanent place in policy programs such as the Basic Infrastructure (BIS). In this article we explore how to go down that road, step by step.

Getting started? Take the Basic Fundraising Course!

In addition to the information on these pages, Cultuur Academy also offers practical guidance. In the Fundraising Basic Course you will actively work on your own idea or project. You will learn how to draw up a concrete plan, make a realistic budget and write a grant application that impresses. The course is intended for makers and creative professionals in Arnhem-Nijmegen, and offers a combination of substantive guidance and hands-on assignments that allow you to work directly on your own application.

Basic Fundraising Course

Do you have an idea for an event, artwork or cultural project and want to get started with funding? Then our Fundraising Basic Course is a good place to start. The course is designed for anyone who has a good idea, but is not yet sure how to apply for funding or which fund to turn to.

Check our calendar for the next edition!