Applying for a grant
How it works
Do you have a good idea for a project? And are you thinking about applying for a grant from the Fund? On this page, we will tell you how it works one step at a time.
More information about applications from the Caribbean?
Check Team CaribbeanSteps
Step 1. Search and find the right grant for your project
The Fund has several grant schemes. Not sure yet which scheme you want to apply for?
● Please answer the questions in the Grants Guide to find out which scheme suits your plan.
● Check out all our grants and read up on all the possibilities.
● We frequently organise consultation hours, information sessions and meetings around specific schemes. Be sure to check our calendar regularly or sign up for the newsletter at the bottom of this page to stay informed.
Step 2. Read the grants page carefully
Have you found a scheme that suits your project? Please read the grant page, criteria and official documents carefully. Good to know:
● The full grant scheme can be found under 'Documents', on the right-hand side of the grant page. This full grant scheme is the legal version. This describes the exact requirements for your application.
● The sample application form provides the questions you should be able to answer when submitting an application. You can use this sample application form to prepare for submitting your application
Step 3. Create an account through My Fund
You can apply for a grant using your My Fund account. Don't have an account yet? Please create one on time. It can take up to 5 working days for your account to become active.
Step 4. Submit your application via My Fund
The scheme is up and running and the time has come: you are going to apply for a grant. You don't have to complete it all at once, My Fund will store your progress. Once you have completed your application, you can submit it digitally and you will receive immediate confirmation by email. Our grant advisers will review your application. If your application is fully completed and meets the conditions, it will be processed.
● For schemes for which you can apply on an ongoing basis, we will try to let you know whether your application is up for consideration within 14 days.
● For schemes with a single submission deadline, we will try to let you know whether your application is up for consideration within 14 days after the deadline has passed.
Note: We almost always process applications in order of receipt. We may therefore have exhausted our budget when we start assessing your application. In such a case, you will receive a rejection without an assessment. So make sure you are on time and don't wait to submit until the closing date of the scheme.
Tips for your project plan
Unsure about how to write a project plan? Or would you like some tips to get you on the right track? Check out our tips for writing a project plan here (Dutch).
Step 5. Reviewing your application
We will now assess the content of your application.
● Applications up to and including €25,000 are almost always assessed by the Fund's internal advisers.
● For applications higher than €25,000, the Fund will engage an advisory committee. This committee includes specialists from the field of cultural participation and cultural education. You can find the members of our advisory committees on this page.
The internal advisers or advisory committee will assess whether your application meets the criteria of the scheme. They will proceed to advise the Fund's board on whether or not your application should be granted.
Step 6. Decision-making
In most cases, you will be notified within 13 weeks whether your application is granted. On the website under the scheme, you will find the response time corresponding to your scheme.
In case the grant is awarded, you will find the amount awarded and information regarding the next steps in the decision letter. Unfortunately, we also have to reject applications. The decision letter will tell you why.
Step 7. After a positive decision: get to work!
Congratulations! Your application has been accepted and you can start implementing your project. We like to keep in touch. We ask you to place our logo on printed or online expressions. Do you have any great photos or news about your project? We would be happy to receive them via communicatie@cultuurparticipatie.nl.
We also like to stay in touch via social media and share stories about your project online. Tag us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Instagram, or YouTube.
Step 8. Accountability
If your project is accepted, you will receive a grant decision via My Fund. This contains all relevant information regarding the accountability of your project. This information serves as a guide. In addition, the general rules of the national grant framework (Uniform Subsidiekader, USK) apply.
General guidelines
● You are obliged to always report interim changes to your project to the Fund in a timely manner.
● Other grant conditions listed in your grant decision should be followed.
Any questions about accountability? Please contact the contact person mentioned in your grant decision letter.