Funding and Support

Funding

One of the biggest challenges in delivering arts events and activities can be securing the funding to realise your vision.  Below you will find details of a number of grant schemes available, including national and local funders.

Creative Communities Grants

These grants are offered directly by MBC and are designed to support events and activities that encourage arts engagement and community cohesion in the Maidstone Borough.

Total fund available: £30,000 per year

Grant range: £500 - £2,000

Who can apply:

• Individual artists and creatives
• Community groups
• Cultural organisations

You/your organisation MUST be based in, or deliver your work within, the borough of Maidstone.
Individual applicants must be at least 18 years old.
Organisations must have an accountable person who is at least 18 years old.

Our funding priorities

We have set out 4 key priorities for our Creative Communities Fund, which form the criteria we will use to assess your application. Please note, all projects must strongly address at least TWO key priorities to be eligible.

• Increasing Pride in our Borough and its communities
  - How will your project support or increase pride in your chosen community
  - Does the project address a specific issue or answer a particular local need
• Increasing participation/engagement in arts and cultural activities
  - Is the project accessible (as far as possible);
  - is it open to all (inclusive); OR
  - does it seek to work with a specific community group (e.g. elderly, socially isolated, early years, etc.)
• Supporting/improving individual or community health
  - How will the project support or improve health outcomes for participants
  - What are the potential health benefits in taking part
• Promoting environmental awareness and responsibility
  - How will the project promote environmental awareness and stewardship, e.g. through the activities delivered, or how it’s run

What you can apply for:

Any arts/cultural project, event or activity, delivered within the Borough of Maidstone, in any of the following disciplines:

• Visual arts
• Music
• Theatre/performance
• Dance
• Literature
• Heritage

What you cannot apply for:

• Ongoing business running costs
• Capital projects
• Statutory education costs, including fees associated with a formal course of study
• Activities or events that have already taken place
• Projects that make a profit (all funds must be used to deliver the funded project)
• Cash prizes, re-granting or donations

How your application will be assessed

The judges will individually review all applications and assess each against our key priorities/criteria.

If a project meets all criteria, each answer will be scored out of a maximum of 25 points.

Applications meeting fewer than 4 criteria will need to demonstrate a higher level of outputs in the areas they do address.

The judges will then meet to discuss all the applications in more detail, before a final decision is made.

What happens next?

All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application via email within one month of the closing date.

Successful applicants will be sent a Grant Award pack, including:

• Legal agreement – this will need to be signed and returned before funding is released
• A bank details form – applicants must have a UK bank account where funds will be paid
• Branding guidelines, including a high resolution image of the MBC logo – this must be used in all marketing and promotion of grant-funded projects and the guidelines adhered to.
• A blank evaluation report - this will need to be completed and submitted once the project is finished, along with a budget breakdown, supporting documents and photographs.

Successful applicants will be encouraged to actively promote their grant activity through their own websites/social media accounts (as appropriate) and agree to provide video/photos to the MBC Communications team for use in the Council’s social media, subject to appropriate permissions.

Successful applicants must notify MBC immediately of any significant changes to their proposed grant activities, including date changes. All projects are monitored regularly to ensure the funds are utilised as intended.

How to apply

The next round of funding is now open for applications. Apply for a grant

For the 2026/27 financial year, awards will be made as follows:

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Other sources of funding:

ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND

• National Lottery Project Grants - open access programme for arts, museums and libraries projects. Grants range from £1,000 to £100,000. Individuals, organisations, museums and libraries are eligible to apply.
• Capital Investment Programme - open access programme to support cultural organisations to adjust buildings and equipment so that they can operate safely post-pandemic, improve access, seize on technological opportunities, and reduce environmental impact. Grants range from £100,000 (min) to £750,000 (max). Open to not-for-profit organisations including charities, CIC’s, CIO’s and statutory/public bodies.
• Developing Your Creative Practice - supports individuals who are cultural and creative practitioners and want to take time to focus on their creative development. Grants range from £2,000 to £10,000. Individual artists/creative practitioners are eligible to apply.

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NATIONAL LOTTERY HERITAGE FUND

Funding for a broad range of projects that connect people and communities to the national, regional and local heritage of the UK.

Grants are made in different bands:

£3,000 - £10,000

£10,000 - £250,000

£250,000 - £5million

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KENT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

Part of a UK-wide accredited network of Community Foundations, with responsibility for more than 80 philanthropic funds.

Funds are divided into 5 themes and are open all year. Average grant size up to £4,000.

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COBTREE CHARITABLE TRUST

Grants are generally awarded in the range of £1,000 -  £5,000. Trustees meet quarterly in January, April, July and October to review applications. The considerations which any application has to satisfy are:

* To establish, promote, equip, maintain and support any charitable undertaking or object in or for the benefit of the inhabitants of Maidstone and areas within the county of Kent.

* Maintain support of public parks and open spaces, museums and other buildings, and other amenities for the promotion of mental, moral and physical education and health within the above mentioned area.

Please visit the Trust's website for details of how to apply.

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There are a host of other regional and local organisations that also offer grants and funding.

Kent County Council collate the majority of these opportunities into a regular bulletin, called Inside Track, which includes links to the funders websites for further details. To subscribe to this bulletin, please email kccinsidetrack@kent.gov.uk

You can also search for more community grants and funding opportunities on the KCC website

Funding Support

For community groups needing advice and support with their funding application there are a number of organisations that can help:

Action with Communities in Rural Kent

Funding for All

Involve

Business Support

If you're looking for advice and support for your creative practice, our Economic Development team are here to help. Please visit their website for signposting and support with any aspect of your business. You can also arrange to speak with their in-house advisor, Chris Lyle. This is a free service and appointments can be in person or over the phone to suit you.