Get funded: Scale your impact
There are so many funding opportunities available for makers, social enterprises, and community leaders - but having a great idea for a project isn't enough— you need the right tools, proven resources, and live expert support to navigate the grant writing process.
Join our Free live clinic, one off workshops, and live courses to get started today
Upcoming Workshops & Courses
GRANT FUNDING FOR CREATIVES
Turn your idea into a fundable project, and write an application funders say yes to, in four weeks.
For artists, makers and creative social entrepreneurs applying for DYCP, QEST, Churchill Fellowships and similar funds.
Led by Alex Finberg, professional grant writer, Arts Council DYCP awardee and founder of Woodcrafters CIC, who has raised over £580,000 in grant funding for individuals and organisations since 2021.
Thursdays 25 February, 4 March, 11 March and 18 March 2027
10:00am – 12:30pm UK time (2½ hours each, with a break)
LIVE online & recorded
From £100 early bird · £250 mentored · £600 1.1 Support
ABOUT THE COURSE
Grant funding is not a lottery. It is a language you can learn, and once you speak it, a wide range of funding opens up to you.
Many creatives have started an application and abandoned it, or sent one off and heard nothing back but a polite no. The usual answer is to try another fund, then another, rewriting from a blank page each time until the whole thing feels like guesswork.
This course replaces the guesswork with a method. Over four weeks you will find the funds that genuinely match your work, define a project a funder can say yes to, write and budget your application, and build a Funding Blueprint you can adapt for every application after this one. In weeks three and four, you bring your draft and Alex reviews applications live, so you see real bids improve in front of you.
It is practical from start to finish, and you learn as much from the others in the group, drafting and refining their own bids, as you do from the teaching.
Can't make it live? The full recordings are shared with everyone who books.
WHAT WE COVER
WEEK 1 · FINDING THE RIGHT FUND
The funding mindset, and how to find the grants that actually match your project, so that you stop spending months on applications you were never going to win. You leave with a chosen fund and a defined project.
WEEK 2 · WRITING YOUR APPLICATION
The three-part structure every strong bid uses: Need, Plan, Impact. You write your first 500 words in a quick first draft, then shape them into a Funding Blueprint you can use and adapt again and again.
WEEK 3 · BUDGETING YOUR GRANT
From guessing to a budget funders trust: your fees, materials, in-kind support and access costs, and how to make the numbers tell the same story as your words.
Live application reviews: bring your draft for feedback in front of the group.
WEEK 4 · SUBMITTING AND DELIVERING
Pressing submit with confidence, then delivering the project without the chaos: reporting, staying in touch with funders and building towards your next application.
Live application reviews and a final check of your application before you send it.
WHAT YOU LEAVE WITH
• A chosen fund and a clearly defined project
• A draft application, written to the funder's criteria
• A project budget a funder can trust
• Live feedback on real applications, including yours if you choose Group Plus or One-to-One
• A Funding Blueprint: your own templates, budget and examples to adapt for every future application
WHAT YOU GET
• Four live sessions, with time for questions, drafting and feedback
• The full recordings, to watch again or catch up
• Live application reviews in weeks three and four
• The Successful Bid Library: real successful applications to Arts Council England, QEST and the National Lottery, to read and learn from
• The workbook and Funding Blueprint templates
• The Bid Review Circle: a private community of artists and social entrepreneurs, for accountability that lasts beyond the course
• One month's access to the self-paced Grant Funding Academy on our online teaching platform
CHOOSE YOUR LEVEL OF SUPPORT
Everyone gets the full four-week course. The difference is how much personal help you get with your own application.
STANDARD · £100 early bird, then £150
The full course: all four live sessions, the Successful Bid Library, your Funding Blueprint and the Bid Review Circle. You watch the live reviews in weeks three and four and, if time allows, yours could be one of them.
Best for: confident self-starters who want the method and the momentum.
GROUP PLUS · £250
Everything in Standard, plus guaranteed feedback on your bid. Your application is reviewed on screen in weeks three and four, and you receive a written review of your draft against the funder's criteria. You also join an evening group mentoring call in week one, so you start ahead.
Best for: anyone with a live deadline who wants certainty that expert eyes will see their application.
Only 10 places per cohort.
ONE-TO-ONE · £600
Everything in Group Plus, plus Alex available for 1.1 support. A dedicated one-to-one session on your application, a private review of your final draft before you submit, and a direct line to Alex for questions throughout the course.
Best for: the application that matters most.
By application only. 2–3 places per cohort.
WHO IT'S FOR
• Artists, makers, designers, musicians, writers and other creatives applying for DYCP, QEST, Churchill Fellowships, Arts Council Project Grants or similar
• Creative social entrepreneurs and sole traders, including single-person CICs, applying to funds such as UnLtd
• First-time applicants, and anyone who has applied before without success
• Anyone who has ever started an application and abandoned it
You do not need any bid-writing experience, and you do not need to be a confident writer.
Applying on behalf of a charity, community group or larger organisation? Grant Funding for Organisations & Social Entrepreneurs is built for you, checkout the course in the grant funding academy
ABOUT ALEX FINBERG
Alex is an award-winning wood carver, published author, Arts Council England DYCP awardee and professional grant writer, with experience supporting social enterprises and community organisations to secure funding. He is the founder of Woodcrafters CIC and a Fellow of the School for Social Entrepreneurs, and has raised over £580,000 in grant funding for individuals and organisations since 2021.
Alex teaches grant funding the way he teaches carving: one clear step at a time, with real examples and no jargon.
PRACTICAL DETAILS
• Dates: Thursdays 25 February, 4 March, 11 March and 18 March 2027
• Time: 10:00am – 12:30pm UK time
• Format: Online via Google Meet, link sent on booking
• Recordings: Full recordings shared with everyone who books
• Teachery: One month's access to the self-paced Grant Funding Academy
• Group Plus mentoring call: In Week 1 Of The Course
• Cancellations: Places are non-refundable but transferable
PRICES AND PAYMENT PLANS
• Standard: £100 for the first 10 places, then £150
• Group Plus: £250 (10 places)
• One-to-One: £600 (2–3 places, by application)
Payment plans: pay a 25% non-refundable deposit, then the balance in monthly instalments over up to six months.
PART OF THE GRANT FUNDING ACADEMY
Grant Funding for Creatives is one of the Grant Funding Academy courses, built on our £0 → Funded method:
1. Grant Funding for Creatives, for individual artists and makers
2. Grant Funding for Organisations & Social Entrepreneurs, for groups, social enterprises and charities
3. Fund-specific workshops, such as Developing Your Creative Practice (DYCP)
4. The self-paced Grant Funding Academy, to learn in your own time
QUESTIONS
I've never applied for a grant. Is this for me?
Yes. Week one starts from the beginning, with finding the right fund and defining your project.
I'm planning to apply for DYCP. Is this the right course?
Yes, DYCP is one of the funds the course is built around. If DYCP is your only focus, our dedicated DYCP course runs in April, after the new round guidance is published. [Link]
Which level of support should I choose?
If you have a deadline and want guaranteed feedback, choose Group Plus. If the application is a large or career-changing one and you want private support, apply for One-to-One. Otherwise Standard gives you the full method.
Will you write my application for me?
No. You write it, in your own voice, with feedback and support at the level you choose.
Can you guarantee I'll be funded?
No one can. Funders receive far more applications than they can support. What the course does is give each application you send a much better chance.
What if I can't attend live?
Book anyway. You will receive the recordings and all the resources. To have your application reviewed, choose Group Plus or One-to-One, which include written feedback.
What if I book and then can't take part?
Places are non-refundable, but they are transferable. [Say whether to another person, a later cohort, or both.]
Is there any homework?
Allow about an hour a week between sessions to work on your application.
Any other questions? Email info@woodcrafters.uk
GRANT FUNDING FOR CREATIVES
Identify grant funds for your creative practice. Plan a grant application for your creative work, and a year of funding, in one session.
Led by expert grant writer and previous DYCP awardee Alex Finberg, maker, published author and founder of Woodcrafters CIC.
Date: Thursday 4th February 2027
Time: 09:30am – 12:30 UK time
Price: £35 (subsidised by grant funds from School of Social Entrepreneurs)
LIVE online & recorded (recordings sent out after the workshop to all who book on)
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP
Most creatives who try grant funding start with a blank application form and become completely overwhelmed by the whole process (and understandably so!). We read three pages of guidance, write the whole application in the last week, and if the answer is no, we rarely find out why.
In two and a half hours you will learn how to check that a funder fits your project, describe the project clearly, answer the questions in a way which will score highly with an assessor, and build a budget and timeline they can follow. You will turn it all into a Funding Plan, and a blueprint you can use time and again
The workshop is practical from start to finish. Each section teaches one core idea, shows real examples of successful application and gives you the resources to apply this guidance to your own grant applications
Can't make it live? The full recording is shared with everyone who books.
WHAT WE COVER
1. Where you are now
Finding the Right Grant Funds for You, What a grant fund can offer, a quick health check of your creative business, so you know where to focus first.
2. Is a grant right, and which funder
What grants pay for and what they do not, the main kinds of funder for creatives in England, including Arts Council England's two main routes for individuals, and a four-question check for whether a funder fits your project.
3. Your project
Turning an idea into an activity a funder can assess: the need or opportunity, who benefits, what you will make or deliver, and what will change. You will write your project in one paragraph.
4. Writing the application
How to answer the questions in the right language, how an assessor scores your application, and how to turn the funder's criteria into a checklist. A weak and a strong answer, side by side.
5. Your budget and timeline
A realistic budget that pays you fairly, includes access costs and shows the working, and a timeline that shows you can deliver.
6. Making it happen: a funding year, and after the decision
A funding calendar, a bank of reusable text, relationships with funders, what to do after a no and after a yes, and how grants fit alongside the income you earn.
7. Bringing it together
Where grants meet the law (grant agreements, restricted money, tax, safeguarding, data and acknowledging the funder) and who to ask, plus your first steps for the week after.
WHAT YOU LEAVE WITH
• A completed Funding Plan
• One funder checked for fit, and a shortlist for later projects
• Your project in one paragraph, with outputs and outcomes
• A checklist from the funder's criteria, and a first draft of one answer
• A project budget and timeline, and a twelve-month funding calendar
WHAT YOU GET
• The live workshop, with time for questions
• The full recording, to watch again or catch up
• The workbook (PDF), where you write your plan as we go
• The training manual (PDF), an easy-read guide to every key idea, to keep and come back to
• The Project Timeline and Budget spreadsheet, with a funder shortlist, a budget that adds itself up, a timeline chart, a funding calendar and worked examples
WHO IT'S FOR
• Potters, illustrators, photographers, musicians, writers, jewellers, makers and any other creative thinking about a grant for their work
• Small creative organisations and community groups
• People who have never applied, and people who have applied and want a better chance next time
• Anyone in the UK
You do not need a project ready. An idea is enough to start.
ABOUT ALEX FINBERG
Alex is a professional grant writer and a previous Arts Council England Developing Your Creative Practice awardee. He has sat on both sides of the process: as an applicant who has been funded, and as a practitioner who helps others get there. He is an award-winning wood carver, published author and founder of Woodcrafters CIC, and MAKE Southwest member based in South Devon.
Alex teaches grant writing the way he teaches carving: one clear step at a time, with real examples and no jargon.
PRACTICAL DETAILS
• Format: Online via Google Meet, link sent on booking
• Recording: Full recording shared with everyone who books
• Resources: Workbook, training manual and spreadsheet shared after the session
PART OF THE WOODCRAFTERS BUSINESS SCHOOL
4 core workshops: (available for £125)
1. Marketing for Creatives
2. Pricing and Income for Creatives
3. Running Workshops for Creatives
4. Grant Funding for Creatives
You can buy all 4 courses in a bundle and save £15!
QUESTIONS
Will this get me a grant?
No workshop can promise that. Funders receive more good applications than they can fund. What this workshop does is help you apply to the right funder, with a clear project and an application an assessor can score.
Is this only about Arts Council England?
No. We cover Arts Council England, community foundations, local councils, trusts and foundations, and crowdfunding with match funding. Funder details are checked before each workshop, but always read the funder's current guidance.
Can a community group or small organisation come?
Yes. One of the worked examples is a community repair group applying to a local fund.
What if I can't attend live?
Book anyway. You will receive the recording and all the resources, and you can work through the plan in your own time.
Is there any homework?
Allow about 30 minutes after the session to finish your plan. After that, about an hour a month keeps your funding calendar and text bank up to date.
Do you give tax or legal advice?
No. We show you where grants meet tax and the law, and who to ask.
Any other questions? Email info@woodcrafters.uk
GRANT FUNDING FOR ORGANISATIONS & SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS
Find the right funders, build a strong case and write applications that get funded, in two half day sessions.
For community groups, social enterprises, charities and CICs in any sector, anywhere in the UK.
Led by Alex Finberg, professional grant writer and founder of Woodcrafters CIC, who has raised over £580,000 in grant funding for individuals and organisations since 2021.
COURSE DETAILS:
Session one: Wednesday 10th February 2027 - 10am - 12:30pm
Session two: Wednesday 24th February 2027 - 10am - 12:30pm
UK time (2½ hours each, with a break)
LIVE online and recorded
From £145, priced by your organisation's income
ABOUT THE COURSE
Many small organisations know there is grant money out there and still find it hard to reach. Perhaps you’ve had some small successes, but are finding it hard to access funding on a regular basis, or you’re new to the world of grant funding and need to learn the right funder language and understand how to position your application appropriately…
This course provides you with the fundamental knowledge and resources to create a grant funding blueprint you can use repeatedly across multiple applications, and you will leave empowered to professionalise your approach and start winning grant funds
Across two sessions, a fortnight apart, you will check that your organisation is ready to apply, find the funders that genuinely match your work, build a clear case for what you need and why, and write an application that answers what the funder is really looking for. Between the sessions you put it into practice on your own project, so that you arrive at session two with real work to improve.
It is practical from start to finish. Each part teaches one idea, shows it working in real examples, and then gives you time to apply it to your own organisation.
We cover LIVE case studies and can review your current (and past) applications with expert feedback - an invaluable process to go through, getting expert professional input is so key to raising your chances of success.
Can't make it live? The full recordings are shared with everyone who books.
WHAT WE COVER
SESSION ONE: READY TO APPLY, AND WHO TO APPLY TO
1. Where you are now
A quick funding-readiness check of your organisation: your structure, governing document, bank account, accounts and policies, and what different funders expect to see, so you know what to fix first and what you can already say yes to.
2. What you need funding for
Turning a long wish list into clear, fundable projects and core costs, deciding which comes first, and the difference between what you want to do and what a funder wants to pay for.
3. Finding the right funder
How the funding landscape fits together across all four UK nations, from the National Lottery and charitable trusts to community foundations, councils and corporate funders. How to search, how to read eligibility and priorities properly, and how to build a shortlist of funders who are a real match rather than a long list of maybes.
BETWEEN SESSIONS
Over the fortnight you build your funder shortlist and draft the core of your case for support, using the workbook. Allow about two hours.
SESSION TWO: MAKING THE CASE AND WRITING THE BID
4. Your case for support
The need, the evidence, the difference you will make and why you are the right people to do it, written once in a form you can reuse for every application. Outcomes and outputs explained without jargon.
5. The budget
Costing a project properly, including your share of core costs, volunteer time and in-kind support, match funding, and what to do when a funder will not pay for something you need.
6. Writing the application
Reading the question behind the question, structuring each answer, using your community's own voice, and the mistakes that sink otherwise good bids. We look at real examples side by side.
7. After you press submit
What happens if you are turned down and how to ask for feedback, what happens if you are funded, reporting and staying on good terms with funders, and planning a year of applications so that funding stops arriving in a panic.
WHAT YOU LEAVE WITH
• A funding-readiness check and a short list of what to fix
• Your funding priorities, with your first fundable project defined
• A shortlist of matched funders, with deadlines in your calendar
• A reusable case for support for your organisation
• A project budget that covers your real costs
• Draft answers for one live application
• A Funding Blueprint: your plan for the next twelve months of applications
WHAT YOU GET
• Two live sessions, with time for questions
• The full recordings, to watch again or catch up
• The workbook (PDF), where you build your plan as you go
• The training manual (PDF), an easy-read guide to every key idea, to keep and come back to
• The funder directories and funding calendar, to start your search in the right places
• The Project Budget spreadsheet, with worked examples
• One month's access to the self-paced Grant Funding Academy on Teachery
WHO IT'S FOR
• Community groups, voluntary groups, charities, CICs, social enterprises and other not-for-profit organisations, in any sector: community, environment, health and wellbeing, food, heritage, sport, youth, the arts and more
• Social entrepreneurs starting out, with or without an organisation set up yet
• Staff, trustees, directors, volunteers and founders who are responsible for bringing in funding
• Organisations applying for their first grant, and those who have applied before without success
• Small organisations without a fundraiser, where funding is one job among many
You do not need any bid-writing experience, you do not need to be a registered charity, and you do not need to be a confident writer.
ABOUT ALEX FINBERG
Alex is an award-winning wood carver, published author, Arts Council England DYCP awardee and professional grant writer, with in depth experience supporting social enterprises and community organisations to secure funding. He is the founder of Woodcrafters CIC and a Fellow of the School for Social Entrepreneurs, and has raised over £580,000 in grant funding for individuals and organisations since 2021.
Alex teaches grant funding the way he teaches carving: one clear step at a time, with real examples and no jargon.
PRACTICAL DETAILS
• Format: Online via Google Meet, link sent on booking
• Recordings: Full recordings shared with everyone who books
• Resources: Workbook, training manual, directories and spreadsheet shared after session one, plus one month's access to the online grant academy hosted via our online teaching platform
• Who can join: Organisations and social entrepreneurs anywhere in the UK
PRICES
The price is based on your organisation's total annual income, so that the smallest groups pay the least.
• Annual income under £50,000, or not yet trading: £145
• Annual income £50,000 – £250,000: £225
• Annual income over £250,000: £345
Early bird: a limited number of places are available at 15% off.
Group bookings: book three or more places from the same organisation and save 15% on each place. We recommend bringing a trustee as well as whoever writes your bids.
PART OF THE GRANT FUNDING ACADEMY
Grant Funding for Organisations & Social Entrepreneurs is one of the Grant Funding Academy courses, built on our £0 → Funded method:
1. Grant Funding for Creatives, for individual artists and makers
2. Grant Funding for Organisations & Social Entrepreneurs, for groups, social enterprises and charities
3. Fund-specific workshops, such as Developing Your Creative Practice (DYCP)
4. The self-paced Grant Funding Academy, to learn in your own time
TRAINING FOR YOUR NETWORK
Do you support community groups, social enterprises or members who need funding? We run this course for partner organisations, networks, councils and funders, either as a private cohort or with places for your members. Email info@woodcrafters.uk to talk about what would suit you.
QUESTIONS
We're not a registered charity. Can we still get grants?
Yes. Many funders support CICs, constituted community groups and other not-for-profit organisations. We show you which structures each type of funder accepts, and what to do if yours is not eligible yet.
I'm a social entrepreneur and haven't set up an organisation yet. Is this for me?
Yes. Some funders support individual social entrepreneurs, and we show you where to look. The course also helps you understand which structure will open the most funding to you when you do set up.
We're not in the arts. Is this for us?
Yes. The course covers funders and examples from across the community and voluntary sector, and the method is the same whatever your organisation does.
We're in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. Will it still apply?
Yes. The course is for the whole UK, and we cover how funders such as the National Lottery run different programmes in each nation.
We've applied before and been turned down. Will this help?
Yes. Session two looks closely at why good projects are rejected, and you can bring a past application to work on.
Will you write our application for us?
No. You leave with your own case for support, budget and draft answers, written in your organisation's voice.
Can you guarantee we'll be funded?
No one can. Funders have far more requests than money. What the course does is give each application you send a much better chance.
Can more than one person from our organisation come?
Yes, and we recommend it. Book three or more places and save 15% on each.
What if we can't attend live?
Book anyway. You will receive the recordings and all the resources, and you can work through the plan in your own time.
Is there any homework?
Allow about two hours between the sessions to build your funder shortlist and draft your case for support.
Any other questions? Email info@woodcrafters.uk
Grant Funding Academy Testimonials
“Alex is brilliant. He has helped us secure multiple grants inc national lottery, devon community foundation, and smaller pots from the likes of Alpkit, TESCO, the Claire Milne Trust", he’s kind, approachable and efficient - so lucky to have found him”
“Woodcrafters helped me with my applications to DYCP and a local artists grant both of which I got so I’m delighted!”
"He (Alex) truly understands what it is to do the work of a community project - he helped us sit down and calculate the admin time and core costs which we have often overlooked and subsequently overstretched ourselves on past projects! He helped us win grants from major funders like the National Lottery and Postcode Lottery Trust, securing crucial funds we needed to keep going.”
Ali Rabjohns, Textile Artist. Successful @DYCP Round 24
Laura Baxter: Metalsmith & Jeweller. Successful @DYCP Round 24
Applying to Arts Council (DYCP) Developing Your Creative Practice?
Download our Full DYCP Video Tutorial
Video Guides, Tutorials & Case Studies of Successful DYCP Applicants, self paced online.
Click Here for More Info on The Video Guides & Tutorial
Next LIVE Arts Council DYCP Course
With Grant Funding Expert & DYCP Awardee Alex Finberg
Starts 21st April 2027 | 6:45pm
Click Here for Course Details
DYCP ROUND 25: WRITE A STRONG APPLICATION
Turn your idea into a fundable Arts Council project, with your application ready before round 25 opens.
For artists, makers, craftspeople, musicians, writers and other creative practitioners in England applying to Developing Your Creative Practice.
Led by Alex Finberg, Arts Council DYCP awardee and professional grant writer, who has raised over £580,000 in grant funding for individuals and organisations since 2021.
Wednesdays 21 April, 28 April, 5 May and 12 May 2027
6:45pm – 8:00pm UK time
LIVE online and recorded
From £100 ·
ABOUT THE COURSE
Round 25 of Arts Council England's Developing Your Creative Practice fund opens in summer 2027. This course is timed so that your application is written, budgeted and checked by the time the round opens, well in advance - no last minute rushing to upload your application to Grantium!
DYCP can change the course of a creative career. Alex's own DYCP project changed his. But many strong practitioners never apply, or start an application and abandon it, or are turned down for reasons nobody can explain to them. The usual answer is to read the guidance again and hope, and to write the whole application in the last week before the deadline.
This is an action-based course. Over four weeks you will work through the updated Round 25 guidance, test your project against the criteria, build a budget and timeline Arts Council can trust, sharpen your language, and prepare your supporting documents. You do the writing, and we give you the structure, the expert input and the accountability to finish and submit.
It is practical from start to finish, and you learn as much from others in the group, working on their own applications, as you do from the teaching. We feature case studies of successful applicants so you can learn from applications which have actually succeeded
Can't make it live? Every session is recorded, and there is a recorded-only option if evenings do not suit you.
WHAT WE COVER
WEEK 1 · UNDERSTANDING THE DYCP CRITERIA
What has changed in the Round 25 guidance, which projects are eligible, and which parts of yours fit the criteria best. Building your professional profile.
Focus: the 1st question about you and your creative practice.
WEEK 2 · YOUR PROJECT AND YOUR BUDGET
Shaping the developmental opportunity at the heart of your application, then aligning your budget with your project schedule. How to pay yourself properly for your time, how to structure and weight your budget, and how to build a realistic timeline, with real successful applications from a range of creative backgrounds.
Focus: the 2nd question about your developmental opportunity and how you will carry it out.
WEEK 3 · REFINING YOUR FOCUS AND LANGUAGE
Sharpening your project and fine-tuning your language so that the whole application speaks to the DYCP criteria, with a particular focus on legacy: the future this grant makes possible.
Focus: the question about why now, and the future opportunities it will create.
WEEK 4 · GETTING READY TO SUBMIT
Your artist profile, your letter of support and a professional portfolio, then a final review against our Red Flag / Green Flag checklists, so that you press submit with confidence rather than crossed fingers.
WHAT YOU LEAVE WITH
• A project that fits the DYCP criteria, tested before you write
• Drafted answers to every application question
• A budget and timeline that match your project
• Your artist profile, a letter of support lined up and a portfolio ready to upload
• An application checked against our Red Flag / Green Flag checklists, ready to submit when the round opens
WHAT YOU GET
• Four live sessions, with time for questions and feedback on drafts
• Recordings of every session, to watch again or catch up
• All course materials, including the Red Flag / Green Flag checklists
• The Successful Bid Library: real successful Arts Council applications, including Alex's own DYCP bid with its supporting statement and artist profile
• The Bid Review Circle: a private community of artists and social entrepreneurs, for accountability that lasts beyond the course
• Access to the self-paced Grant Funding Academy on our online teaching platform
CHOOSE YOUR LEVEL OF SUPPORT
Everyone gets the full course. The difference is how you take part and how much personal help you get with your own application.
SELF-GUIDED, RECORDED · £75
The recordings of all four sessions, sent weekly from 21 April, plus all course materials and the Successful Bid Library.
Best for: anyone who cannot make Wednesday evenings and wants to work entirely in their own time. You can start anytime! The course is available here
SELF-GUIDED, LIVE · £100
The four live sessions (with recordings if you miss one), all course materials, the Successful Bid Library and the Bid Review Circle.
Best for: anyone who wants expert guidance and has the confidence to write at their own pace.
SUPPORTED · £249
Everything in Self-Guided Live, plus two additions:
1. A project idea call with Alex early in the course, in a small group, where your idea is tested before you write a word, so you build on solid ground rather than guesswork.
2. An in-depth written review of your draft from Alex after week three, at the point where professional feedback makes the biggest difference.
Best for: anyone who wants expert feedback on their application before they submit.
Only 12 places.
MENTORED · £595
Everything in Supported, then Alex’s 1.1 support at every stage: personal feedback on your idea, your budget and your language, and a final check before you submit. It is the closest thing to having an expert grant writer beside you from blank page to submit button.
Best for: the application that matters most to your career.
Only 4 places.
WHO IT'S FOR
• Artists, makers, craftspeople, musicians, writers and other creative and cultural practitioners based in England, who are eligible to apply for DYCP
• First-time applicants, and anyone who has applied before without success
• Anyone who has started an application and abandoned it, or needs help getting theirs into shape
You do not need any bid-writing experience, and you do not need to be a confident writer.
Not sure you are eligible? Use the Arts Council eligibility checker before you book. DYCP limits how many times you can apply, so check that you can apply to Round 25.
Not applying to DYCP, or not based in England? Our Grant Funding for Creatives course covers a wider range of funds.
ABOUT ALEX FINBERG
Alex is an award-winning wood carver, published author, Arts Council England DYCP awardee and professional grant writer, with experience supporting social enterprises and community organisations to secure funding. He is the founder of Woodcrafters CIC and a Fellow of the School for Social Entrepreneurs, and has raised over £580,000 in grant funding for individuals and organisations since 2021.
Alex teaches grant funding the way he teaches carving: one clear step at a time, with real examples and no jargon.
PRACTICAL DETAILS
• Dates: Wednesdays 21 April, 28 April, 5 May and 12 May 2027
• Time: 6:45pm – 8:00pm UK time
• Format: Online via Google Meet, link sent on booking
• Recordings: Every session recorded and shared with everyone who books
• Cancellations: Places are non-refundable but transferable
PRICES
• Self-Guided, Recorded: £75
• Self-Guided, Live: £99
• Supported: £249 (12 places)
• Mentored: £595 (4 places)
PART OF THE GRANT FUNDING ACADEMY
The DYCP course is one of the Grant Funding Academy courses, built on our £0 → Funded method:
1. Grant Funding for Creatives, for individual artists and makers
2. Grant Funding for Organisations & Social Entrepreneurs, for groups, social enterprises and charities
3. Fund-specific workshops, such as Developing Your Creative Practice (DYCP)
4. The self-paced Grant Funding Academy, to learn in your own time
QUESTIONS
Is this course run by Arts Council England?
No. It is an independent course, led by a DYCP awardee and professional grant writer. For official guidance and eligibility, always check the Arts Council website.
The round hasn't opened yet. Why start now?
Because the strongest applications are written before the portal opens, not in the final week. When the round opens, you will be ready to submit.
I've applied to DYCP before and been turned down. Will this help?
Yes, as long as you are still eligible for Round 25. Bring your previous application, and we will help you see where it fell short.
Which option should I choose?
If you want feedback on your own application, choose Supported. If DYCP is a career-defining application for you and you want personal support at every stage, choose Mentored. Otherwise Self-Guided gives you the full method.
Will you write my application for me?
No. You write it, in your own voice, with feedback and support at the level you choose.
Can you guarantee I'll be funded?
No one can. DYCP is highly competitive, and Arts Council receives far more strong applications than it can fund. What the course does is give your application the best chance it can have.
What if I miss a session?
Every session is recorded, so you can catch up in your own time.
Is there any homework?
Allow about an hour or two a week between sessions to work on your application.
Any other questions? Email info@woodcrafters.uk
A self-paced video course for Arts Council England’s Developing Your Creative Practice fund, question by question, with real funded applications to learn from.
£75· Instant access · Updated for Round 25
Most people who apply to Developing Your Creative Practice are not short of talent or ideas. They are short of time, and they are trying to work out what an assessor is looking for. Arts Council prioritise ‘Artistic Excellence’ and Making an ‘Ambitious Step Change in Your Creative Career.’ This can feel overwhelming and
Many applicants approach the application form a week before the deadline, stare at the first question, and write something that describes their practice beautifully but never quite makes the case for change. Because ACE limits how often you can apply, a rushed application is not a free attempt. It can cost you a round and you only get 2 attempts every 5 years!
This course is built so that you can work through your application one question at a time, at your own pace, with your own draft open beside you. For every question on the form, there are three short videos: what the question is really asking, what strong answers do, and how to shape your own.
You can read successful case studies of previous applicants and learn directly from Alex (a previous DYCP awardee) who has raised over £580,000 for creative individuals and businesses over the last 5 years.
What is included
3x Video lessons, three for each application question, which you can watch in any order and come back to as often as you need.
Case studies of successful applications, with an analysis of why each one worked: the language, the structure, and how the step-change was framed.
Alex’s own funded application, including what he applied for, how he framed it, and what the funding made possible.
An eligibility and readiness run-through against ACE’s own criteria, so that you know before you start whether this is your round.
PDF guides and worksheets for drafting each answer, plus the Plain English DYCP Guide.
Updates for each new round, included for as long as the course is sold.
Who it is for
The course is for artists, makers and creative practitioners in England at any career stage. It suits first-time applicants who need the process explained plainly, and previous applicants who were unsuccessful and want to understand why. It also suits anyone who works best alone and at night with a cup of tea, rather than on a scheduled call.
What applicants say
“Alex is brilliant. He has helped us secure multiple grants inc national lottery, devon community foundation, and smaller pots from the likes of Alpkit, TESCO, the Claire Milne Trust", he’s kind, approachable and efficient - so lucky to have found him”
“Woodcrafters helped me with my applications to DYCP and a local artists grant both of which I got so I’m delighted!”
About Alex Finberg
Alex is an award-winning wood carver, a published author, a DYCP awardee and a professional grant writer who supports social enterprises and community organisations to secure funding. He has sat on every side of the process: as an applicant who has been funded, as a writer who helps others get there, and as an assessor on funding panels. He has studied hundreds of successful applications in order to understand what makes them work. Alex founded Woodcrafters CIC, is a member of MAKE Southwest, and fellow of the School of Social Entrepreneurs.
Prefer to work alongside others?
The live DYCP cohort runs in the weeks before Round 25 opens. It includes live online sessions, written feedback on your draft and resources from this course. It is INVALUABLE for getting live feedback on your application
Practical details
Access is sent by email immediately after purchase. Watch online and download the PDFs.
No previous grant-writing experience is needed.
Woodcrafters is independent of Arts Council England. Funding decisions rest with ACE alone, and no course can guarantee an award. What this course can do is help you submit the clearest, best-prepared application you are able to write.
Alex has raised over £580,000 for Social Enterprises & Individual Clients since 2021.
Top funders: NHS, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, National Lottery, UnLtd, Arts Council, The Fore, Devon County Council.
Arts Council (DYCP) Awardee.
Alex is a Fellow of The School of Social Entrepreneurs (SSE)
Join The Next Live Grant Funding Clinic
Free Live Call with Pro Grant Fundraiser Alex Finberg
Step 1: Fill out our 60 second form by clicking the sign up link below. Alex can then analyse your specific grant skills & fundraising goals before the call.
Step 2: Join the Live Q&A: You will receive an email invite to the next available online meeting via Google Meet
Our Grant Funding Services
Get a professional eyes-on review of your grant draft. Our team will provide a 1-10 Likelihood of Success rating, high-impact suggestions for improvement, and a budget audit to ensure you are a 'Safe Pair of Hands'. Perfect for DYCP or National Lottery Project Grants.
How it Works:
Purchase: Click the button below to secure your grant application review & rating
Check Your Inbox: You will receive an automated order confirmation email immediately.
Reply & Attach: Simply hit Reply to that email and attach your draft (Word, PDF, or a link to your Google Doc).
Expert Review: Once our team receives your file, Alex will perform a professional audit of your application and budget.
Delivery: You’ll receive your 1-10 Success Rating and suggested improvements within 72 hours
Move beyond feedback. This is a full professional overhaul of your grant bid. Our team will provide direct written amendments to your application, a 'Red Line' audit of your budget, and a review of your online presence to ensure you are seen as a secure investment.
How it Works:
Purchase: Click the button below to secure your grant application review & rating
Check Your Inbox: You will receive an automated order confirmation email immediately.
Reply & Attach: Simply hit Reply to that email and attach your draft (Word, PDF, or a link to your Google Doc).
Expert Review: Once our team receives your file, Alex will perform a professional audit of your application and budget.
Delivery: You’ll receive your 1-10 Success Rating and suggested improvements within 72 hours
Stop struggling with the overwhelm of writing grant application. We offer a full grant writing-service where our professional grant writers take your project idea and translate it into a high-scoring, professional grant application ready for submission.
Narrative Architecture: we move your idea into a formalised application using pro grant funding language to ensure your application has a high likelihood of success
Criteria Alignment: we align your funder's priorities to build a narrative that proves you are an A-grade investment
Full Cost Recovery Budgeting: A professional budget audit to ensure you are paying yourself a market rate and accounting for every "Nuts and Bolts" cost, from rent to tea and biscuits.
Impact & Outcome Mapping: we help you “Evidence Your Impact," quantifying your results with data and "Theory of Change" language.
Evidence Triangulation: we help you organize your "Proof," including professional photography, letters of recommendation, and "Social Proof" from your community.
Recommended For: Individuals applying for grants over £10,000 and organisations applying for grants between £5,000 - £35,000. We offer a bespoke bid writing service for grants over £35,000
The "Safe Pair of Hands" Result: You provide the vision and the project ideas; we deliver a Gold Standard application that demonstrates Excellence and Impact. We ensure your project is seen as a Safe Pair of Hands that will deliver exactly what is promised within the allocated timeframe.
How it Works:
Purchase: Click the button below to secure your grant application review & rating
Check Your Inbox: You will receive an automated order confirmation email immediately.
Reply & Attach: Simply hit Reply to that email and attach your draft (Word, PDF, or a link to your Google Doc).
Expert Review: Once our team receives your file, Alex will perform a professional audit of your application and budget.
Delivery: You’ll receive your 1-10 Success Rating and suggested improvements within 72 hours
1-on-1 Bid Review & Strategy Sessions
Direct, high-level feedback on your specific high-value grant applications over £10,000
What’s Included:
Full Application Audit: review your draft application against funder criteria.
60-Minute Strategy Calls: Rapid-fire refinement of your outcomes and budget.
The "Impact" Polish: help to integrate outcomes data & improve your own evidence base.
Price: £300 per session (Limited to 2 per month to protect your time).
Why Learn With Us?
Expert-Led: Our grant funding courses are led by experts who have built frameworks and models which can be replicated for structuring high quality funding applications
Strategic Insider Knowledge: We go beyond teaching you how to put together a bid; we teach you how to think and analyse your bid through the eyes of a funder. Learn the criteria and priorities of major bodies like the Arts Council, National Lottery, and Local Authorities.
Implementation-Focused: We move beyond "information dump" courses! Whether it’s a 60-minute clinic or a 4-week Sprint, our focus is on actionable results—moving you from a blank page to a submission-ready bid.
Evidence-Based Impact: We show you how to integrate professional data collection into your bids, so you can prove your project’s value to assessors.
Our Funders
