WMCA Activate Skills Development Grants
Frequently Asked Questions

I was unable to attend the briefing session, is there a recording?

You can watch the briefing session on YouTube following this link 

Who is this grant for?

This grant program is open to individual artists, freelancers, micro-enterprises, and small organisations working across all creative and cultural disciplines, including (but not limited to) performing arts, visual arts, crafts, literature, museums, heritage, and more.

Applicants can be at any stage of their creative careers - from emerging to established practitioners.

When does my grant application have to be submitted?

The grant application will open on 30th August and closes on 18th September at 11.59pm.

All questions must be answered, and evidence uploaded by the deadline, or your application may not be considered.

What type of organisations and freelancers can apply?

• Individual freelancers
• Small organisations

Where do I have to be located?

You must be located in the West Midlands

You will be required to provide evidence of your address as part of your application.

You can check your local authority here - https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council

• Birmingham City Council 
• Coventry City Council 
• Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council 
• Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council 
• Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council 
• Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council 
• City of Wolverhampton Council 

There will be a small amount of funding (10% of the total fund) available to the following local Authority areas. Please note this when you are applying and are based in this area that the number of grants will be extremely limited.

• Cannock Chase District Council 
• North Warwickshire Borough Council 
• Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council 
• Redditch Borough Council 
• Rugby Borough Council 
• Shropshire Council 
• Stratford-on-Avon District Council 
• Tamworth Borough Council 
• Telford & Wrekin Council 
• Warwickshire County Council 
• Warwick District Council 

Any applications from outside of the listed areas will not be eligible.

What if I live and work in an eligible area but my business is registered somewhere else?

You are eligible to apply but must be able to provide proof of address and include this in your application.  

How much can I apply for?

Grants are available between £1000 and £9000.

When you submit your budget, there will be an additional section for you to let us know of any personal access costs during your activity. Personal access costs can only be for the activity period. Costs cannot be incurred before your activity start date and must end by 13th December 2024.

Please only apply for what you need as there is limited funding of only £430k available.

We are not able to cover costs for support that is unrelated to your activity or that is covered by the Access to Work scheme. Personal Access Costs are costs related managing and delivering your grant funded activity to remove barriers. Examples include a carer/personal assistant, BSL interpreter for meetings with international partners, additional travel expenses related to access, costs related to helping you manage your activity, and more. Access costs are additional to your core activity costs.

What can the grant be used for?

Due to the wide-ranging nature of skills development then there are many different projects, training courses or skills development programmes that could be funded. The grant must be used for skills development and should not cover existing projects or equipment.

We are committed to ensuring creatives are fairly paid. Applicants can include a fee for their time to undertake the professional development opportunity they are applying to undertake. Applicants may wish to consult relevant lead bodies advice and guidance on fair pay, such as Creative Union's advice, guidance and rate cards.

Below is a table of eligible and ineligible activities to help applicants to development their application;

What do you mean by Continuing Professional Development (CPD)?

CPD refers to the ongoing learning and development activities that professionals engage in to, improve, maintain and broaden their skills, knowledge and competencies throughout their careers. For creative and cultural workers, CPD can take many different forms.

The key for this fund is that CPD activity must be focused on developing new skills, enhancing existing skills, knowledge or capabilities that will directly benefit the applicant's creative practice or organisational development.

How will the grant be paid?

The grant will be paid 80% up front, following signature of the grant agreement, and then 20% following completion of the activity and provision of evidence such as invoices and completion certificates.

Is the grant award subject to tax?

In general, all grant payments should be treated as income and are therefore taxable.  You must record the grant value within in your income/revenue records. Only businesses and freelancers which make an overall profit once grant income is included will be subject to tax. 

If you are VAT registered, then VAT does not need to be paid on the Grant income. Business can still reclaim VAT (subject to VAT registration and reclaim processes) on associated purchases in the usual way. 

When does the funded activity need to completed by?

All funded activities must be completed by 13th December 2024, to ensure that there is enough time to submit evidence and make final payments. 

Applicants will need to clearly explain how they can complete all activities by 13th December and managing any risks such as a training course being cancelled.

What if I can’t find a funded activity in time?

We understand the tight timescales of this grant programme may present a challenge, particularly for those in the early stages of their creative careers who may have more limited access to professional development opportunities. While all funded activities must be completed by 13th December 2024, we encourage applicants to think creatively about how they can make the most of this short window.

We encourage applicants to be upfront about potential timing risks and how they plan to mitigate them.

Our aim is to make this funding as accessible as possible, but we understand that this opportunity may not be right for everyone at this time.

What would happen if I don’t manage to finish the project by 13th December?

If you are unable to complete all funded activity before 13^th December, you may be required to refund all or part of your grant.

How will the Grant be assessed?

We will assess each application as follows

Eligibility – does the applicant meet the basic criteria?

• Is the applicant a small organisation or freelancer
• Is the applicant based the West Midlands
• Is the applicant working within the Creative or Cultural sectors

Feasibility – can the applicant complete all funded activities by the December deadline?

• When will the activities be completed by
• Clear dates for completion
• What happens if any activities are cancelled or delayed

Grant Application Scoring

• Three short questions which will require the applicant to explain how they are going to use the grant and its impact to them.

Questions will be scored 1-5, 5 being the highest score E.g.,

• 1. Very little or no evidence
• 3. Some evidence
• 5. Excellent evidence

Will I get any feedback on my application?

Unfortunately, due to the large number of applications, we are not able to provide individual feedback to applicants. We will provide signposting to other relevant programmes in the local area.

How do I access the application in a different format?

If you require an application form in an alternative format or would like to submit an audio or video application, please send an email with your specific access requests to wmca@smartersociety.org

Can I access support to complete my application?

If you require any access support before you apply, please send us an email with details of your requirements to wmca@smartersociety.org

Requests for access support should be received by Friday 6th September to ensure that support can be put in place before the grant application deadline.

Access support can include, but is not limited to, help with reading our guidance, support using our online grant system or a support worker to help you make an application. Access support is for people who may need support because they identify as disabled, D/deaf, neurodivergent, having a long-term health condition, and/or having a mental health condition. We understand that our systems and processes can present barriers, and we are committed to being open and accessible.

Please send an email to wmca@smartersociety.org detailing your specific access requirements and we will work with you to find a practical solution.

Can the grant be used for International Workshops /Seminars?

Funding can be used to enable the freelancer or organisation to attend an international workshops/seminar but this will only be considered in the event that there is no UK based alternative or similar option.

You should always visit the UK Government Foreign Travel Advice website before planning your trip to ensure it is safe to travel to your destination https://www.gov.uk/foreigntravel-advice. You should also check if any vaccinations are required.

Please note that the WMCA & Smarter Society does not take any responsibility for any actions during your project. If travelling to another country, you should ensure you familiarise yourself with local customs and rules prior to travel and consider safety concerns. You should always respect local customs and laws and any unlawful activity will result in funding being withdrawn.

If you have been a recipient of a WMCA International Fund grant, applications for further international travel will be ineligible.

What are personal access costs?

Personal Access Costs are costs related managing and delivering your grant funded activity to remove barriers. Examples include a carer/personal assistant, BSL interpreter for meetings with international partners, additional travel expenses related to access, costs related to helping you manage your activity, and more. Access costs are additional to your core activity costs.

Is there a limit to how much I can request for Personal Access Costs?

There is no limit on how much you can request for personal access costs.

Can I use some of the grant to cover childcare costs to enable me to carry out the funded activities?

Childcare costs can be included within your grant application.

What if I am a freelancer/sole trader/individual and I do not have a business bank account?

You can submit details of your personal bank account as long as it is in your name and matches your application address.

What type of ID do you require if I am a freelancer/sole trader/individual?

Please provide proof of ID and proof of address (E.g., Passport and Utility Bill).

If I was unsuccessful in applying for the Activate Programme, can I still apply for this grant?

As long as you meet the eligibility criteria, you are able to apply for this grant.   

Where can I find my UTR?

When you register for self employment, you receive a Unique Tax Reference (UTR) which is a 10-digit number.  You can find your UTR number:

·       in your Personal Tax Account

·       in the HMRC app

·       on previous tax returns and other documents from HMRC (for example, notices to file a return or payment reminders)

If you cannot find your UTR on any documents or online, contact HMRC.

What if I am a freelancer/sole trader/individual and I do not have a UTR?

You must be able to demonstrate that you work professionally within one of the eligible sectors and be able to provide clear evidence that you are currently trading.

What if I am a freelancer/sole trader/individual and my creative work does not generate an income?

If your creative practice is not currently generating income, you must be able to demonstrate that you have been practicing professionally for a minimum of 6 months. Evidence can include links to websites, social media etc.

Am I eligible if I have just started working in the Creative or Cultural sectors?

You must be able to demonstrate that you have been practicing professionally within the Creative or Cultural sectors for a minimum of 6 months prior to the launch of the Grant Scheme to be eligible.

How do I see a copy of my application after it has been submitted?

When you login to your account after your application has been submitted, you will see the date you submitted the application. You can click on this date to view a copy of your application. 

When will I find out if my application has been successful?

Applicants will be notified of the outcome on 4th October 2024.

If I am successful, when can I start the funded activities?

Applicants will be notified of the outcome on 4th October 2024 and will be required to complete an acceptance form before the funding can be released. It is anticipated that you will receive the funding week commencing 7th October 2024.

When does my application need to be submitted?

Applications close on 18th September at 11.59pm. Applications cannot be submitted after this time.

We would suggest that you submit your application at least a few hours earlier to allow for any technical issues.