From spring 2026 we have updated the guidelines to these funds. Please read the information carefully

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Who can apply?

Applications must come from organisations – we are not able to accept applications from individuals. (For more information on funding for individuals, you can explore ACW’s opportunities.)

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Any organisation, from voluntary or community groups, to professional bodies and charities, as long as you have: 

• a written governing document / constitution

• a bank account

• at least two unrelated people on your governing body (the same person cannot be listed for more than one position on the form)

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We can’t accept applications from:

• individuals (for more information on funding for individuals, you can explore ACW’s opportunities – and keep an eye on Ty Cerdd’s CoDI programme)

• sole traders

• profit-making organisations (for example a company limited by shares)

• organisations based outside the UK

• one organisation applying for funding on behalf another

 

What we can’t fund?

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*new guideline*

From the April 2026 round, we can only fund one application per 12-month period per organisation – with the exception of Engage applications that take forward work funded through Create. 

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• any activity or expenditure that takes place earlier than five weeks after the application deadline.
  NB we cannot fund activity for which tickets are already on sale to the public

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• applications that exceed the new rule allowing one funded application per organisation in any 12-month period, with the exception of Engage applications that take forward work funded through Create. If your application is unsuccessful, you are welcome to reapply in a future round.

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• activities that are statutory or will replace statutory funding (eg activities on a school’s curriculum or education-focused work). Projects with elements of activity in schools will need to show that they clearly benefit the wider community, not just pupils, teachers or parents

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• any capital expenditure (eg instruments, recording equipment, uniforms)

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• activities that are aimed predominantly at audiences outside Wales

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• applications that are exclusively to fund travel costs

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• applications to solely cover the costs of making a commercial recording 

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• existing staff costs; we can pay for individuals to deliver short-term activities

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• organisational overheads (for example utility bills, council tax, rent and insurance)

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• fundraising activity

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• recoverable VAT

 

Priorities for funding

The panel will look to fund projects that provide excellent opportunities for artists / participants / audiences and that align to our Cornerstones

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In addition, the panel will look at the geographic spread and the type of organisations applying to make sure our funds are targeted as widely as possible. We will also look at need, trying to direct funds to where it will make the most difference, and a financial need is demonstrated.

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​​​​​​​When can we apply?

There are four application deadlines per year – in January, April, July and October; precise dates are published on the main Create, Engage, Inspire page.

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​​How to apply 
We have a portal system for Create, Engage and Inspire applications which can be accessed HERE. 

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To apply you will need to:

• Complete the correct project details form and fill in the budget & location document 

• Complete the upload form with some additional information about your organisation and project

• Upload your project details form and Budget and location document

• Submit your application.

 

▶ Project details form - for Create applications 

▶ Project details form - for Engage and Inspire applications

▶ Budget & location document - for all applications

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You will be able to return to the form unless you use a private browser window, like Incognito mode on Google Chrome. You must also use the same browser and device to resume your form submission.

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Alternatively you are welcome to send a video application to us. Your video should be no longer than 5 minutes, and must answer the same questions as written bids. You should submit it through the same online portal, with a budget & location document, uploaded alongside the video. If you need a member of the Tŷ Cerdd team to help you create the budget document, please contact us.

 

Your budget

We’ll need to you submit a budget, using the template above. 

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At the top of the budget form, you’ll need to provide basic information about your organisation’s finances, including the results of your latest financial year and any reserves you hold (nb: you  can tell us if these are restricted or free reserves).

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The budget includes both expenditure (costs for delivering the project) and income, and must balance (ie the total expenditure cost must match the total income). We cannot accept a budget which forecasts a profit or loss.

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If your organisation has applied to another body for formal funding towards the project (such as a charitable trust, foundation etc) you must state whether this funding is confirmed. This may have a bearing on your application when discussed at panel.

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We can only fund up to 90% of the total project cost, so you will need to show 10% of income coming from other sources (eg ticket-income, your own funds, donations). NB: your 10% of match funding cannot come from Lottery sources (including ACW lottery grants).

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For the Engage and Inspire funds, the 10% match can be support in-kind. Support in-kind is a non-cash contribution to your project (e.g. venue provided free of charge). This does not include resources or services provided by the organisation applying. We have created a separate section on the budget for this information. For the Create fund, in-kind match funds cannot be used towards artists’ fees. 

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​If you need support of any kind with your application, please contact lottery@tycerdd.org or phone

029 2063 5640 and we will do our best to assist you.

 

What happens next?

We’ll let you know our decision within five weeks of the application deadline.

 

If your application is unsuccessful we’ll tell you why.

 

If we offer you funding we’ll contact you by email, detailing any conditions of grant (where applicable). You must return the agreement to us within 28 days of the email, together with confirmation that you can fulfil any conditions, upon which we’ll release 75% of the funds to you.

As your project nears completion, we’ll send you a link to the project report to fill in, which helps us to find out how it went, what worked and what didn’t, and what the outcomes were. The remaining 25% of your grant will be triggered after the report is approved and we’ll let you know once it’s been paid. 

Note to successful CREATE applicants: you should return the completion report to us as soon as your music-creator has delivered their score or completed their work (rather than waiting until after the first performance), to ensure the music-creator receives full payment as soon as possible.

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▶ Deadlines for future rounds

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▶ Writing a strong funding application

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▶ Terms & Conditions

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▶ Lottery Funding

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▶ Create

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▶ Engage

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▶ Inspire

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