Active creative, talented performer and arts grants

Can my group apply for a sport, play or arts grant?

Yes. This page provides all the information you need if you are applying for a sport, play or arts grant from the council. The council provides grant funding to support the delivery of programmes that use sport, play and arts to benefit the East Riding and its residents. A number of specific grant pots are available to apply for.

What are active creative, talented performer and arts grants?

You can apply for a grant to help support sport, play or arts-related activity that is delivered in the East Riding and/or benefits the East Riding’s residents.

The types of activity that we fund include:

• performances and exhibitions
• events
• projects and schemes that seek to get local people involved in sport, play or the arts
• development of sports, play or arts facilities
• marketing and promotional activity for new organisations or events
• activities that use sport, play or arts to encourage learning
• support or intervention programmes that use sport, play or the arts to engage people
• organisational development that supports long-term sustainability
• talented-athletes funding for talented performers.

We fund a broad range of types of activity and will fund any type of sport, play or art form that can demonstrate it will benefit the East Riding and its residents.

What specific grant pots are available?

The council has a number of specific sport, play or arts grant pots that you can apply for. 

The specific grant pots are:

• Active Creative - Extending Opportunities (you can apply for grants up to £1000)
• Active Creative Facility Development (you can apply for up to £2000)
• Arts grants (you can apply for grants either under £2000 or over £2000). Closed for 2022/23. Opens 1 December 2022 for 2023/24 applications.
• Talented Performers (you can apply for up to £250).

The factsheets are available to view or download below give you more information about each pot, including the deadlines for applications:

Extending Opportunities Factsheet 2021-2022 (word 72kb)

Facility Development Factsheet 2021-2022 (word 65kb)

Talented Performers Factsheet 2021-2022 (word 107kb)

Arts Grant Factsheet 2023-24 (pdf 4.5mb)

Who can and cannot apply for an active creative, talented performer or arts grant?

Who can apply?

Any not-for-profit organisation delivering sport, play or arts activity in the East Riding can apply. 

Grants for talented athletes are also available for talented sports performers based in the East Riding who have been selected to compete at county level or higher.

Organisations applying for a grant must be accredited through either our East Riding Club Accreditation Scheme (ERCAS) or our East Riding Minimum Operating Standards (ERMOS). ERCAS accreditation confirms that organisations applying for funding meet the following criteria:

• Be a not-for-profit organisation
• Have employee and other relevant insurance
• Have an equal opportunities policy
• Have child protection and/or vulnerable adults policy (if working with these groups)
• Have appropriate governance documents
• Have a bank account with at least two signatories
• Have audited accounts.
  

If you are not accredited, please contact the Health and Wellbeing team on:

Tel: (01482) 392523

Email: healthandwellbeing@eastriding.gov.uk

The council will only provide an active creative or arts grant for activity that is delivered in the East Riding and/or for the benefit of the East Riding’s residents. Applicants must demonstrate that they have sought other funding.

Who cannot apply and what cannot be funded?

We will not fund the following:

• Schools
• Artistic training or tuition for individuals in any art form
• Profit-making activity or organisations
• Activity taking place primarily outside the East Riding
• Activity that has already taken place (i.e. retrospective funding)
• Ongoing revenue costs (e.g. salaries, rent, rates, maintenance)
• Trophies, kit, personal clothing or equipment for teams
• Award ceremonies or prize money
• Trips or parties.

What are our priorities for funding?

Applications for grant funding at any level must demonstrate how they will contribute to the council’s priorities. These are:

• reducing inequalities
• supporting vulnerable people
• revitalising our communities
• safer communities
• local problem-solving
• retaining the East Riding character
• valuing our environment.
  

We particularly welcome grant applications that:

• are from new and emerging groups, talent and activities
• seek funding for new and innovative activities or deliver sport, play or art in new and innovative ways
• demonstrate a clear benefit for our residents
• support and involve vulnerable people in sport, play and the arts
• involve groups who are under-represented in sport, play and the arts
• cross-cultural and social boundaries and appeal to the whole community
• contribute to community development by seeking to involve local people. 
  

It will help your application if you provide evidence of how the activity for which you are seeking funding will benefit the East Riding and its residents. Case study examples, audience or participation data and other evidence can be provided with your application.

How do we scoreapplications?

Each application form is scored using our "scoring matrix". We advise all applicants to read the following scoring criteria which will then enable you to ensure your application form meets our priorities and essential criteria.

Active Creative Scoring Criteria (word 69kb)

How do I apply for an active creative, talented performer or arts grant?

You can apply for a grant online using East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s Grant Application Portal.

This portal will allow you to set up and manage your funding applications to grant schemes administered by the council. 

Once you have completed your registration details you will be able to search for the relevant grant scheme and then follow a simple step-by-step, guided process to complete and submit your form, and upload any relevant supporting documentation.

Use the button below to apply for a grant using the Grant Application Portal:

Apply for a grant

If you require assistance with your application contact:

Active Creative Grants - commuted.sums@eastriding.gov.uk

Talented Performer - healthandwellbeing@eastriding.gov.uk

Arts Grant - arts.development@eastriding.gov.uk

Is there any other funding available for sport, play or art clubs, groups and organisations?

There are a variety of other organisations who provide funding to sport, play and arts clubs and groups, who all have their own set criteria relating to the funding, some examples are:

The Sport England Small Grants Programme

Supports local community sports projects which seek to increase participation, sustain participation or develop opportunities for people to excel at their chosen sport. Funding bids ranging from between £300 - £10,000 can be applied for. For further information or to apply for a grant you should visit the Sports England website:

Sport England small grants (external website)

Sport England Inspired Facilities Grant

This grant scheme is focused on making it easier for local community and volunteer groups to improve and refurbish sports clubs or transform non-sporting venues into modern grassroots sport facilities Part of Places People Play, Sport England’s programme to deliver a London 2012 legacy of increased mass participation in sport, it is investing £50 million of National Lottery funding in up to 1000 community sports projects between 2011 and 2014. 

Read more at:

Sport England - Inspired facilities (external website)

Football Foundation

Is a partnership between the Football Association, The FA Premier League, Sport England and the Government. Its goal is to put in place a new generation of modern football facilities in parks, local leagues and schools. To find out more information or to apply for grant you should visit the Football foundation website:

Football foundation (external website)

Big Lottery Fund - Reaching Communities Programme

Community buildings within targeted urban and rural settings are able to attract funding between £100,000 and £500,000 through the Reaching Communities Programme. The programme is open to voluntary organisations along with parish/town councils from eligible areas. Grants will be awarded for the renovation of any multipurpose building currently used by communities, including memorial halls, community centres and village halls. For further information or to apply for a grant you should visit the big lottery fund website:

Big lottery fund (external website)

Awards for All

Awards for All gives groups a quick and easy way to get small Lottery grants of between £300 and £10,000. They want to fund projects which address the issues, needs and aspirations of local communities and people. We will fund a wide range of community projects aimed at developing skills, improving health, revitalising the local environment and enabling people to become more active citizens.

For further information or to apply for a grant you should visit the Big Lottery Fund website:

Awards for All (external website)

Arts Council England

They fund arts activities that engage people in England or help artists and arts organisations carry out their work.

Arts Council England (external website)

Heritage Lottery Fund

Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) gives grants to sustain and transform our heritage. From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions we invest in every part of our diverse heritage.

For further information or to apply for a grant you should visit the Arts Council England website:

Heritage Lottery Fun (external website)

Do you provide grant aid to talented athletes?

Yes. We offer a Talented Performer grant and a scheme called the Talented Athlete Leisure Centre Scheme (TALCS).

1. Talented Performer grant:

This is designed to assist individual talented sports performers, based within the East Riding, to meet the costs involved in developing their sporting potential. Priority is given to supporting emerging talent rather than those individuals who have reached a level at which other funding mechanisms are available e.g. World Class Podium.

Grants are awarded between £50 and £250 and can be used for the following items:

• the cost of travel to events
• entry fees to tournaments/events
• accommodation fees for events/training
• coaching fees.

The minimum criterium for applicants is:

• individuals must have been selected to represent the county (Yorkshire).

Please note:

• Applicants can only make one application per year
• Applicants must apply 6 weeks prior to the competition/training taking place
• Grants will only be paid upon receiving a claim form along with valid receipts
• Grants will not be awarded in retrospect of a competition/event having previously taken place before a grant is awarded.

To apply for a Talented Performers grant, please use the application form below (not the application forms listed in the above sections):

Apply for a grant

Talented Performer Grant fact sheet 2021-2022 (word 70kb)

2. Talented Athlete Leisure Centre Scheme (TALCS):

This scheme supports elite sports performers competing at a national level and above with a training support package to access East Riding Leisure Centre facilities free of charge in the run-up to the 2012 Olympic Games.

TALCS is open to sports performers of all ages who currently reside in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Athletes can choose to access swimming pools, gym equipment (ages 14+) and a variety of other facilities to boost their fitness/training requirements.

Another benefit to athletes on the scheme is that they can access priority physiotherapy appointments through NHS East Riding at a range of sites convenient to the athlete to enable a quick recovery back into training and competition.

Criteria for the scheme:

Evidence is required from the appropriate National Governing Body of Sport to verify that the individual is a member of a national team or squad (GB/England). They must be listed in the top 10 of any national age group ranking or have finished in the top 10 of a national age group competition (e.g. English Schools, National Championships, etc) in the preceding 12 months in any sport.

Any playing individual within a team (not squad member) who has been part of a winning national team competition would also be eligible.

Applicants must renew their membership on a yearly basis and prove that they are still competing at a national level.

If you require any further information you can contact us