FAQs
If you would like more information please go to Contact Us for our email details.
We are conscious of the challenging economic and fundraising climate that organisations are working within and want to ensure that the funds we manage to distribute are making the maximum impact. We therefore have made four major changes:
- Our grant programmes for both Arts and Conservation now offer one-off grants of £7,000 (previously £5,000);
- We have added a new strand to our funding - multi-year awards. These awards are available by invitation only;
- We no longer accept applications from places of worship – even if they are UK Registered Charities;
- Priority will be given to conservation applications that include a knowledge sharing element as an outcome of the project
For full details, please refer to our Funding Guidelines.
2024 Application Deadline:
Apply by Thursday 5 September 2024 at midday to receive a decision by early December 2024
No. The Arts funding programme supports programmes that work with professionals at an early stage in their career. Whilst we often see applications where the beneficiaries are in their twenties, we recognise that adults can be in an early stage of career development across age brackets.
We only fund UK Registered Charities that have submitted at least two Annual Returns to the Charity Commission, and some UK Excepted Charities (for example, some museums and galleries). We do not fund social enterprises or Community Interest Companies unless they are also UK Registered Charities. Please see our Funding Guidelines for further information.
If your project is reliant on a major funder (for example the National Lottery Heritage Fund), it is unlikely that we would fund the project without substantial funding in place. However, we regularly fund larger projects that have a major funder already in place.
If you were unsuccessful, you must wait a full year before re-applying.
No. We require a gap of at least 24 months. Thus, if you received an award in November 2023, the earliest you would be able to apply again would be to meet our Autumn deadline for a November 2025 decision. You can find our current deadlines on Apply for a Grant.
We prefer to fund projects that have not started, but also understand that there are some projects - within both our Arts and Conservation programmes - that run for a year or more. We occasionally consider funding these projects after they’ve started. However, in both cases, we would need to understand the need for funding and the difference our grant would make.
We fund either the total costs or make a contribution towards a larger funding target.
No. We do not fund capital projects including extensions and new facilities.
No. Idlewild Trust cannot support projects for children under the age of 18. Please see our Funding Guidelines.
No. Idlewild Trust supports projects for people that have sufficient core training or experience to be ready to start a career or develop their early career. Not all projects we support are for people that have been formally trained at, for example, dance, art or drama school or music college, however, we then expect participants’ experience to be of an equivalent standard and highly relevant and valuable.
No, the Trust supports programmes that help enable participants to realise their potential for a career in their chosen profession, as a performer - in music, dance, theatre, visual arts; or in backstage roles - stage management or technicians; or creatives - such as composers, curators, writers and theatre-makers/designers.
No, the Trust does not fund arts management programmes.
No – we only accept applications from UK Registered Charities or UK Excepted Charities.
No. Idlewild Trust supports programmes designed to benefit multiple participants.
No. We don’t fund overseas tours or residential programmes abroad.
You are eligible to apply if you are registered with the Scottish Charity Regulator (www.oscr.org.uk/) or if you are either registered or ‘deemed’ with the Charity Commission Northern Ireland NI (www.charitycommissionni.org.uk/manage-your-charity/register-your-charity/the-deemed-list)
No. Even if the education institution is a UK Registered Charity, we do not fund higher, secondary or primary institutions including universities, schools, colleges and conservatoires, whether state or privately funded.
No. We only award Arts grants to charities that are working solely in the arts sector such as theatres, arts centres, galleries and orchestras.
Yes. We give grants for the conservation of collection items.
No, we no longer accept applications from Churches or other places of worship.
No. A Conservation Report by an independent and accredited conservator needs to be completed before you apply to us. The report should include independent authentication, information on condition, proposed treatment and cost. If your organisation has an in-house, qualified conservator, we'll accept an internal Conservation Report if the conservator is accredited with Icon.
The Icon Conservation Register provides a listing of professional conservator-restorers who have been accredited by the Institute of Conservation (Icon). Icon Accreditation is aligned to Icon's Professional Standards and demonstrates that a professional has been assessed at working to the very highest standards of conservation-restoration practice. The register allows users to search for an Accredited member by material, object, and collection type as well as those who can undertake preventive care and provide advice around safe storage and display.
For help in identifying an accredited conservator, see link to register:
Our deadlines and decision dates are on our website under Apply for a Grant. When you apply through our online system, you will receive an automatic email that will confirm your application has been received. You will receive an email about whether your application has been successful, as far as possible, within 7 days of the decision.