Organisation Support Revenue Fund: Round 6 - Culture

The Cultural Organisational Support Revenue Fund (OSRF) Round 6 aims to provide three-year core revenue funding agreements for constituted not-for-profit cultural organisations within the Dorset Council area. 

These organisations should satisfy the following:

• deliver core cultural activity
• demonstrate progressive programming
• have strong community engagement
• be aligned with Dorset's Cultural Strategy 

Applicants will need to demonstrate how they meet the Vibrant Places priority identified in Dorset's Cultural Strategy, and will need to address their proposed contribution to one other priority, selecting from:

• Healthy Communities
• Economic Development
• Environmental Action

We do not expect applying organisations to respond to all four priorities. 

Further information about the Council’s equality duties can be found here:  Our equality duties under the Equality Act.

Find out more about Dorset communities from the Dorset Insight Page. 

Applicants will need to meet at least one of the our corporate priorities .

VCS/Community organisations cannot apply in this round. 

Application process timeline:

1. Grant fund re-opens midday Monday 3 August 2026.
2. Grant fund closes midday Monday 5 October 2026. 
3. Grant Panel meets week commencing 30 November 2026. 
4. Award decisions 31 December 2026. 
5. Results publicly published 11 January 2026. 

Cultural organisations may apply for between £5,000 and £50,000 per annum for a maximum period of 36 months. Funding will be awarded through a three-year Service Level Agreement, ending in March 2030. 

Due to anticipated high demand, successful applicants may be awarded less than the amount requested. 

The total revenue budget is £486,000 per annum for three years, allocated as follows: 

• £271,000 for accredited museums 
• £215,000 for arts organisations 

We are able to accept applications from non-accredited heritage organisations but available funding will be limited.  

This funding stream aims to support different sizes of organisations that can demonstrate progressive thinking and future sustainability and not have a turnover of more than £2 million.  

Grants are available to support not-for-profit cultural organisations. Funding will be awarded for a maximum of three years and paid annually. 

We will fund organisations that meet the criteria: 

• arts organisations delivering core cultural activity 
• accredited museums 
• heritage organisations 

Use of Artificial Intelligence

We encourage applicants to write in their own voice.  

While AI tools can be helpful to support organisational capacity, we ask that responses are not AI-generated and instead reflect your organisation’s genuine voice, perspective and creativity.  

Criteria 

Applicants must: 

• meet at least one of Dorset Council’s corporate priorities (2024 to 2029) 
• meet the Vibrant Places outcome in Dorset’s Cultural Strategy, and at least one the outcomes listed below: 
  • healthy communities 
  • economic development 
  • environmental action 
• support activity that promotes the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) agenda, in line with the Council’s EDI strategy 
• demonstrate a need for funding towards core revenue costs, such as rent, rates, utilities, salaries, insurance, staffing, training, and volunteer expenses 
• show security of tenure for a minimum of five years 
• have a turnover of £2 million or less  
• demonstrate a sound and sustainable business model 
• have a reserves policy and be able to explain the need for grant funding if a high level of reserves are retained
• provide evidence of a track record of delivering successful cultural work with clear and lasting impact 
• have been operating in the Dorset Council area for at least 18 months
• organisations that regularly use community facilities (including churches) to deliver ongoing cultural activity are eligible 

The following groups, organisations and activities cannot be funded: 

• applications for activities taking place outside of the Dorset Council area 
• applications from VCS/Community Organisations  (e.g. Community centres, Village Halls, Youth Clubs, Food Banks etc.)  
• applications from play organisations 
• applications from sports clubs or uniform groups e.g., scouts 
• unincorporated groups or emerging groups who have been in existence for less than 12 months 
• applications for capital projects  
• one-off distinct projects, ongoing equipment costs, feasibility studies or research projects 
• proof of concept work 
• loss of income from fundraising activities, trading, charitable donations 
• ongoing repairs, routine maintenance, improvements and refurbishments to buildings 
• bursary schemes and hardship funds to individuals or groups 
• IT equipment for personal use (including laptops, phones, or iPads) 
• vehicle costs including hire, servicing, and maintenance 
• loan repayments or hire purchase interest 
• any activities that actively promote religion or belief systems 
• political activities 
• nurseries, pre schools (including PTA and Friend of) schools, colleges, and universities 
• hospices, housing associations, hospitals and residential care homes 
• statutory bodies such as city and county councils or health institutions individuals 
• activities delivered within an educational setting or in curriculum time 
• planning applications and consultancy fees 
• any organisation with an annual income more than £2 million 
• any revenue costs associated with supporting core business in the Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole area 
• overseas organisations 
• commercial organisations or institutions 
• purchase of leases and professional fees such as solicitors or accountancy fees 
• core running or operational costs of town or parish councils 
• national charities who don’t operate in the Dorset Council area, or have a local branch in the council area 
• running costs of churches, places of worship and faith-based organisations 
• organisations that have no reserves policy and limited reserves to cover their normal operational, running costs for less than 12 months 
• purchase of land fees/costs 
• housing associations 

Organisations who fit the following criteria are invited to apply: 

• registered charities including Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIO’s) 
• community benefit societies 
• social enterprises (companies limited by guarantee with a not-for-profit clause) 
• Community Interest Company's CIC’s 
• Collaborative applications from more than one eligible organisation with one clear lead Organisation 
• National Portfolio Organisations (NPO) funded cultural organisations 

Governance requirements for applicants 

All organisations applying for funding must have: 

• a management committee, trustees, or board of directors with at least 3 unrelated members 
• a written constitution, governing document or set of rules that sets out the purpose and management of the organisation. 
• a bank account in the name of the organisation with at least two unrelated cheque signatories 
• Public Liability Insurance (minimum £10 million indemnity) 
• Employers Liability Insurance (minimum £10 million indemnity) if appropriate 
• 2 years of approved accounts (latest must be in last 12 months) 
• recent bank statements covering the last 3 months (with the organisation's name, account number and sort code clearly displayed) 
• Dual authorisation for payments is required for all funded organisations, this means at least two unrelated people must approve transactions, including for online banking
• Safeguarding Policy 
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy 
• Business Plan – fully costed up to 2030 
• General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) Policy or statement 
• Environmental Policy or statement 
• Volunteer Policy (if appropriate) 
• Copy of organisations lease or freehold 
• Reserves Policy (this can be encompassed in the main governing documents or a separate policy)
• CIC's will need to include a Conflict of Interest Policy

Additional guidance for Community Interest Companies (CICs)

We will only fund CICs that:

• have a minimum of 3 unrelated directors and are not members of the same household
• provide a clear Asset Lock Statement and Memorandum and Articles of Association
• are registered with the Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies and are Limited by Guarantee

In addition:

• salaries and benefits paid to directors must be reasonable and proportionate to the work undertaken and the financial position of the organisation
• where a director may benefit from activities delivered by the CIC, an appropriate Conflict of Interest Policy must be in place

Feedback process:

1. Where an application has been declined, feedback will be provided if requested by the applicant.
2. There is no appeal process.
3. We welcome feedback from all applicants on our application process and we are continually looking at ways to make improvements to ensure that the process is efficient and effective. 
4. If you are not satisfied with the service or advice we have provided, you can make a complaint by following our Complaints Procedure.

Please be aware of the following terms and conditions:

• funds will be awarded for 12 months up front starting in April 2027
• if any changes are made to your application or how you deliver your services you must consult with Dorset Council, failure to do so may result in part or all the grant awarded having to be returned
• for applications being delivered by a consortia or partnership, it is the lead partner who is responsible for overseeing delivery and monitoring of the grant
• applicants will be required to submit an end of year survey/report each year of the three year agreement and provide any evaluation/feedback. Failure to do so will delay payment of the following years grant draw down
• applicants will be asked to sign a standard grant agreement with full details of their grants award including terms and conditions
• applications must be submitted on the council’s online form. Hard copies will not be accepted
• applicants will need to demonstrate and evidence that their service is needed and that the intended beneficiaries of their service offer have been involved and consulted with
• decisions made by Dorset Council’s Grants Panel are final. There is no appeals process
• Dorset Council will not accept/consider any applications received after the closing date
• Dorset council will not consider applications where the majority of supporting documents are not provided on the closing date
• we reserve the right to make changes to the guidance and/or programme after its launch. We will communicate any changes as quickly as we can

Dorset Council will share basic data information regarding your application with other local grant managers/funding streams. This will enable us to make informed funding decisions, avoid duplication of funding and ensure value for money is achieved through our grant making processes. Dorset Council will also ensure that applicants data is stored appropriately. See details of our Data Privacy and GDPR Policy.