Secure your share of $25m creative fund: Top bid writer reveals tips for non-London applicants
Is your creative business in Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, the North East, West of England, West Midlands, or West Yorkshire? You could be in for a major cash injection if you meet the requirements. A bid writer explains how best to apply while managing your expectations
The government has announced a £25 million fund for each of these six regions. The goal? To help creative businesses and small business owners grow and innovate.
This cash is part of the new Creative Places Growth Fund. It’s all about empowering local Mayors to distribute the money where it’s needed most. That means support for things like funding, finding a mentor and networking to connect with investors.
When will the funding be distributed?
This isn’t a quick fix; the money will be paid out over three years, starting in 2026. This gives local leaders a chance to really figure out the best way to help creative people in their areas. The funding could be used for anything from skills training to helping with film and TV production.
More creative grants
In a separate move, the government is also giving out £8 million in grants to more than 100 smaller creative businesses across the UK. These grants, from £20,000 to £140,000, are for businesses that are ready to scale up and turn their brilliant ideas into huge successes.
The grants are going to companies in a wide range of creative sectors, including gaming, music, and marketing. Grants will help firms like Translating Nature, an art and design studio in Margate, and King Bee, a creative animation studio in Hertfordshire, to develop innovative new products, attract private investment and access one-to-one mentoring with industry experts.
Bid writer reveals what the application process is really like
Rachel Hayward, a UK-based bid writer, coach and trainer, tells The Freelance Informer it always comes down to the devil in the detail when applying for government grants and sector-specific funding.
“These things are never as easy as people think,” says Hayward. “I get really cross when the assumption is that there are loads of easy cash grants available for businesses. There isn’t. And applying for grants is not easy – and some of them are not 100%, you need to bring some ‘match’ money of your own (or, certain spending is not eligible, e.g. marketing spend sometimes is not allowed).”
She says whenever the government puts out a funding announcement, “It always makes it sound like there is a massive chunk of money for everyone. In reality, there will be some money for some businesses in some sectors for certain projects that the government has identified as its priorities. It will not be for everyone, and people can get very despondent if they are not eligible and therefore think they are not a successful business.”
While not all the details have been revealed about the latest funding and grants for creatives, Hayward offers her insights and tips here about the application process and how to manage your expectations.
Q: Would solo self-employed creatives be eligible for this type of funding, along with grants?
“They might be, it will all come down to the fine print and eligibility criteria. In other similar programmes, they have ring-fenced these to registered companies (or those people who will register as limited companies). ie for freelancers on solely self-assessment, you would not be eligible. I think this omits a large proportion of creative freelancers who run their businesses this way, but those are the funding bodies’ rules.
“For example, the previous create growth programme, self-assessment businesses weren’t eligible. You had to be a limited company with the relevant SIC code. Without seeing the details, it’s hard to know for sure.
“In my experience, most creatives aren’t limited companies (comparison with covid support times, too) and prefer to be sole traders doing self-assessment returns as they have portfolio approaches. But this fund will be targeting those with big ambitions, so the government wants those willing to be limited companies and hence, more assumed clarity in tax returns. It’s all arguable, but I wonder whether some of it comes down to risk, and a limited company has more protection (assumed and real).”
The bid writer and business coach explains there may also be specific requirements for certain SIC code companies, too – Standard Industrial Classification codes are five-digit numbers that identify a company’s main economic activity.
“These codes are mandatory for UK companies to select when registering with Companies House and serve to collect and present statistical data for economic analysis, helping track industry growth, identify new markets, and inform policy…so again, check against this. If your SIC code is not in their list, you won’t be eligible, and whilst you can change it on Companies House, you need to ask yourself why you are changing things to fit one Government scheme?”
Do you need multiple employees and revenues to apply?
“Again this will come down to the fine print criteria – I can’t tell without seeing the prospectus whether you need to have this, but from a commercial point of view, having other income streams would be a strength…and I would expect the business plan that each applicant would have to produce would identify how this money will bring a ROI and likely, create employment – as economic growth and jobs are government priorities (hence releasing the money).”
Is it worth networking with local mayors who will be distributing funds?
“Network and connections are always useful, but remember, do not put these individuals in a potential conflict of interest position. There will be a process to follow, and you should be ethical and transparent in your conversations. This is public money and must be distributed diligently.”
Top funding and grant application tips
Rachel suggests that if you are seriously applying, “Read ALL the guidance – I know they can be extensive, but they are issued for a reason – to weed out those for whom this fund is not applicable. Treat this like a matching exercise. Does your project fit ALL the criteria? If you are unsure, seek clarification.”
- Give yourself plenty of time – These things take a lot longer than you realise – and can’t always be done in the evenings and weekends when you’re tired, or can’t access the information. Their deadline is absolute; do not wait to upload on the final day (give yourself an ulcer, especially if their system crashes!). Late applications are not accepted.
- Build a checklist from the guidance. This will help you make sure you have all the information and keep you on track.
- They will want to see copies of your accounts and bank statements. They may ask for three quotes for items, or UK-only subcontractors – if you don’t want to give this amount of information, or be told who you can/can’t use – then don’t apply.
- If you are not eligible – and this is important – it does not mean you are not a “good/successful” business owner/project/service – you just don’t meet their criteria. This is equally true if you are unsuccessful – but remember, use their feedback to reapply or look elsewhere, IF you want to (you do have a choice)
“Please follow their requirements – word count, attachments, etc. and do as they ask. It’s their fund, they make the rules,” she says.
Do you need expert help?
Rachel says, “If you use a writer to help you, make sure you spend time with them too, and write the application together – this is your bid, your business. And if you use AI, treat it as an apprentice and ALWAYS check its work – it makes things up, this is an important submission. Do not rely on tech for speed.
“And finally, you don’t have to go for it – if you are bending your business to make it fit the grant criteria, ask yourself if you really want to do this – it’s not always the pot of gold that you think it is.”
Could creatives reach out to you for your services?
Absolutely, either my email or via my website www.askthechameleon.co.uk