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Application support
ACE NPO Support Levels
ACE NPO Support Levels
Applying to join, or remain in, Arts Council England’s National Portfolio is a major piece of work.
The application may be the visible part, but the real challenge is often earlier: deciding what NPO funding would enable, shaping a credible programme, testing the financial model and making sure the organisation can clearly explain its purpose, quality, ambition and plans.
We offer different levels of support, from a free peer community through to full programme development and application writing. You can choose the level that fits where your organisation is now.
NPO support at a glance
Free NPO support – Join the community, access resources and take part in free Q&A and co-working sessions.
Borrow My Brain – A focused strategy session to answer your questions and help you decide what to do next.
Strategic Review – Expert feedback to strengthen your plans or challenge a draft application.
Application Writing Support – Professional support to structure, write and refine your NPO application.
Programme Development & Writing Support – End-to-end support to shape your programme and develop a compelling application from the earliest stages.
Free NPO Support
Whether you're just starting to think about applying or already working on your application, there are free ways to stay informed, connect with others and get practical support.
Free NPO Support
Whether you're just starting to think about applying or already working on your application, there are free ways to stay informed, connect with others and get practical support.
Our free NPO support includes:
ACE NPO Chat – a Facebook community for discussion, advice and shared learning.
Live Q&A and co-working sessions – regular online sessions to answer questions and help you make progress.
NPO mailing list – occasional updates, resources and invitations to upcoming sessions.
Click to find out more.
ACE NPO Chat
ACE NPO Chat
ACE NPO Chat is a free Facebook community for organisations preparing for the 2028-33 National Portfolio. Nearly 200 people signed up in the first 10 days!
It is a space to:
share questions and ideas
discuss Arts Council England updates
learn from other applicants and current NPOs
join Q&A and co-working sessions
access practical guidance and useful resources
The group is open to organisations at any stage, whether you are considering NPO status for the first time or preparing to reapply.
Join ACE NPO Chat - https://www.facebook.com/groups/acenpochat
Live Q&A and co-working sessions
Live Q&A and co-working sessions
Throughout the NPO application process we plan to run free online sessions to help organisations stay on track, get answers to their questions and make progress on their applications.
These include:
live Q&A sessions where you can ask questions about the NPO process and your application
virtual co-working sessions with dedicated time to work on your application alongside other organisations
opportunities to share ideas, learn from others and tackle common challenges together
Sessions are open to members of the ACE NPO Chat community and mailing list subscribers. Dates and joining details are shared through both channels. Join one to find out more!
NPO mailing list
NPO mailing list
If you'd rather receive updates by email, you can join our free NPO mailing list.
Subscribers receive occasional emails with:
key Arts Council England announcements and deadlines
practical advice and resources
new blog posts and guidance
details of upcoming support sessions
funding tips and grant opportunities
information about new support offers
We only email when I have something genuinely useful to share.
Join the mailing list - https://forms.gle/QJv2JqGkYWaEJeLC6
Borrow My Brain
Sometimes you do not need a full consultancy package. You just need focused time with someone who understands the process and can help you work out what to do next.
Borrow My Brain is a 60-90 minute strategy session with Lucy focused on your organisation, your questions and the decisions you need to make.
Click to find out more.
This could include:
This could include:
whether NPO is the right opportunity for your organisation
what problem NPO funding would solve
how much to apply for
how to position your organisation within the portfolio
what to prioritise before the application opens
how to respond to a particular challenge or area of uncertainty
feedback on an early idea, structure or approach
You will leave with greater clarity and practical next steps.
£200 + VAT
Book a Borrow My Brain session by emailing me - hello@nostoneunturned.uk
Strategic Bid Review
Strategic Bid Review
A strategic bid review gives you an experienced critical friend who can test your thinking, identify gaps and help strengthen your application.
This is suitable for organisations that are largely developing the work themselves but want external challenge and expert feedback.
Click to find out more.
The review can cover:
the strength and clarity of your overall case
your organisation and purpose
governance arrangements
experience and previous delivery
quality and ambition
financial and management position
proposed work for the investment period
the relationship between your plans, budget and funding request
areas that may need stronger evidence or explanation
The review is followed by a discussion, so you can explore the feedback, test possible changes and agree priorities.
One review or two?
One review or two?
Some organisations choose a single review when the application is well developed.
Others choose two:
An early strategic review helps test the direction before too much time has been spent drafting. It can identify gaps in the programme, evidence, governance or financial case while there is still time to address them.
A final review takes place when the application is nearly complete. It focuses on clarity, consistency, persuasiveness and whether the final submission presents the strongest possible case.
Two reviews can be particularly useful for applications involving organisational change, a significant increase in funding, a new programme model or a first application to the portfolio.
Enquire about a Strategic Review by emailing me - hello@nostoneunturned.uk
Application Writing Support
Application Writing Support
This option is for organisations with a clear programme, budget and strategic direction that need support to write and structure the application.
We will work with your team to draw together the evidence, shape the narrative and produce a clear and persuasive submission.
Click to find out more.
Support may include:
planning the application process
developing the narrative structure
interviewing key staff and trustees
drafting application responses
strengthening the evidence and examples
aligning the programme, budget and funding request
managing feedback and revisions
preparing the final application for submission
Your team will still need to provide the organisational knowledge, evidence and decisions. Our role is to help turn that into a coherent and credible application.
Enquire about Application Writing Support by emailing me - hello@nostoneunturned.uk
Programme Development and Writing Support
Programme Development and Writing Support
Some organisations need more than application writing.
Some organisations need more than application writing.
You may still be working out what your NPO programme should include, how much to request, what needs to change or how the investment would support the organisation’s longer-term development.
This option combines strategic development with full application support.
Click to find out more.
Click to find out more.
We may work together on:
clarifying what NPO funding would enable
shaping the programme for the investment period
identifying the strongest strategic priorities
reviewing organisational readiness
testing the delivery and financial model
considering governance, capacity and risk
developing outcomes and measures of success
deciding how much to apply for
writing and refining the application
This is the most suitable option where the organisation needs support with both the thinking and the writing.
Enquire about Programme Development and Writing Support by emailing me - hello@nostoneunturned.uk
Who we work with
Who we work with
We support arts and cultural organisations across England, including:
current NPOs preparing to reapply
organisations applying for the first time
smaller and independent organisations
venues, festivals and producing organisations
music, theatre, dance and participatory arts organisations
We have particular experience supporting organisations that are rooted in their communities and those working with people who have historically been under-represented in the cultural sector. This includes organisations that are lived experience-led, disability-led, LGBTQIA+ led and culturally diverse, as well as organisations creating opportunities for children and young people, people facing disadvantage and communities whose voices are too often overlooked.
Our role is not to tell you that every organisation should become an NPO. It is to help you decide whether NPO is right for your organisation and, where it is, to build the strongest and most credible case possible.
“Lucy is a quick study, a strategic thinker and a clear communicator - exactly what you would want in a fundraising consultant! She just gets it. We’ve enjoyed working with Lucy greatly so far and are looking forward to more projects in the future.”
David Sheppeard, FRSA
Co Creative Director / Joint CEO
Marlborough Productions
“She is on top of all the guidance, every meeting has insightful comments about our work and about what we need to do to progress, has useful insights about how to restructure our business plan, very clear format about how to approach the NPO, practical timelines, everything really clear - very easy to work with, its been a pleasure so far!”
Andrea Frances
Festival Director, Arts by the Sea and Cultural Development Manager BCP Council
“ I like working with Lucy because she's really supportive; she understands the challenges and competing demands on time for CEO's in small and medium organisations. Her approach is practical and methodic, but she also quickly gets to grips with the soul and ethos of the organisations that she's working with. Because of this, she is able to maintain their 'voice', reputation and integrity.”
Suzanne Bull, MBE
Founder, Attitude is Everything.
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