GrantRadar

City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council

Strategic Investment Organisation Portfolio 2028-2033: Expression of Interest Stage 1

Bradford Council's five-year organisational (core) investment for not-for-profit cultural organisations based in Bradford District, running April 2028 to March 2033, at £5,000 to £50,000 a year (the top of the range is exceptional). This Expression of Interest is only for organisations also applying to Arts Council England's 2028-2033 National Portfolio: it gives an indicative, non-binding decision in principle to support the ACE bid, followed by a full Stage 2 application. Organisations applying only to Bradford should wait for the open round from 11 January 2027.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
£5,000 – £50,000
Closes in
16 days left
6 November
Effort
Heavy
budgets, references, often several stages

Who can apply

  • Organisations that are formally constituted and not-for-profit, with arts, culture, heritage or creativity at the core of their purpose; based in Bradford District (or relocated and operating from Bradford before 1 April 2028); operating for at least 12 months by the deadline; with an appropriate board or governing body meeting legal and statutory requirements; able to show financial viability, resilience and a credible plan, a track record of cultural delivery and public benefit, and a realistic mix of income and fundraising
  • This EOI route is only for organisations applying to both Bradford's SIO Portfolio and Arts Council England's National Portfolio 2028-2033
  • Cash match from other sources is required across the five-year total: 10% for £25,000-£75,000, 20% for £75,001-£150,000, 25% for £150,001-£250,000 (in-kind support does not count)
  • Individuals, sole traders, informal groups, for-profit organisations, public bodies and formal education establishments cannot apply

What it funds

  • Core organisational costs, including staffing, premises and overheads
  • Ongoing cultural and creative programmes and services
  • Artist, practitioner, production and technical costs
  • Participation, community engagement, audience development and targeted outreach
  • Organisational and workforce development
  • Sector development, collaboration and partnership activity
  • A fair share of overheads through full cost recovery

What it will not fund

  • Standalone projects or one-off events without a wider organisational purpose or sustained benefit
  • Capital works
  • Activity without a clear cultural or creative purpose
  • Party-political activity or activity whose primary purpose is religious instruction or worship
  • Activity primarily intended to generate private profit
  • Activity that does not primarily benefit Bradford District and its communities
  • Organisations not applying to Arts Council England's 2028-2033 National Portfolio (they should apply in the open round from 11 January 2027)

who cannot apply: individuals, sole traders or informally constituted groups; commercial or for-profit organisations; public-sector bodies or formal education establishments.

How to apply

  1. Read the EOI Stage 1 guidance in full
  2. Complete the EOI Stage 1 application form (Word) and save the final version as a PDF
  3. Email the PDF and all required supporting documents to sio@bradford.gov.uk by 5pm on Friday 6 November 2026, with your organisation's name and '2028-2033 EOI Application' in the subject line
  4. Outcomes are communicated from the week commencing 23 November 2026; invited organisations complete the full Stage 2 application and five-year budget between 11 January and 12 March 2027
  5. Final decisions are communicated from the week commencing 7 June 2027; investment begins 1 April 2028

late applications are not assessed unless agreed in advance. An indicative EOI decision is not an award and must not be described as confirmed funding. Contact sio@bradford.gov.uk before the deadline for help or reasonable adjustments.

Have ready

  • Governing document
  • Current board or trustee list including roles
  • Organisation chart
  • Latest approved or filed annual accounts
  • Latest management accounts including profit and loss and balance sheet
  • Reserves policy
  • Partnership or accountable-body arrangement (where relevant)
  • Other evidence directly relevant to assessment (optional)

name files starting with your organisation's name, e.g. OrganisationName_AnnualAccounts2026. A full five-year budget workbook is not needed until Stage 2.

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