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, our £0>Funded Course or apply to the grant funding masters academy - to learn how to identify high-probability grants and use our proven models to turn your creative vision into a successfully funded mission.
Upcoming Workshops & Courses
Turn Your Vision into a Fundable Reality.
Led by expert grant writer & social entrepreneur Alex Finberg.
Monday 22nd June, Monday 29th June, Monday July 6th & Monday 13th July
19:00 - 20:30pm
Live Online
A live 4 week course teaching you everything you need to know on how to write successful grant applications. Grant funding isn't a lottery. It's a language you can learn, once you speak it, the doors open to potential funding opportunities to help develop your projects and get you funded.
This course teaches you that language. In four weeks. Live. Online with a friendly expert tutor who has supported 100s of clients secure grant funding.
What you'll walk away with
By the end of this course you'll have a reusable blueprint — your own library of templates, budgets and case studies of successful applications, you can adapt for every future application!
4 Live Online Modules
Week 1 — Getting Started: The Funding Mindset Find the grants that actually match your project. Stop wasting months on applications you were never going to win.
Week 2 — Writing Your Application Learn the three-part structure every winning bid uses: Need. Plan. Impact. Write your first 500 words in a grant funding “splurge” then refine it down into a blueprint you can use and tweak again and again.
Week 3 — Budgeting Your Grant Move from "guessing" to "governance." Build a budget funders actually trust.
Week 4 — Submitting & Delivering From "Applicant" to "Grant Manager." Hit send with confidence. Then deliver the project without the chaos - build relationships with funders and get your projects funded
Who this is for
Artists and makers applying for DYCP, QEST, Churchill Fellowships or similar
Social entrepreneurs chasing UnLtd, SSE or Awards for All
Community leaders, CICs& Charities ready to scale their impact, applying to The Fore, The National Lottery, UK Community Foundations, BBC Children in Need, etc
If you've ever started an application and abandoned it, this course is for you.
What's included
4 live online sessions — interactive, with heaps of time to review your drafts, ask questions, get feedback
The Successful Bid Library — real winning applications from Arts Council, QEST and National Lottery. Read applications which have actually been successful.
Weekly 90-minute Live Reviews — I read your draft applications, and give you live expert feedback. In a group coaching space where you learn heaps from others in the same boat
The Bid Review Circle — a private community of artists and social entrepreneurs. Accountability that lasts beyond the course.
Arts Council DYCP Video Tutorial
Led by expert grant writer & previous DYCP awardee Alex Finberg.
Includes 60 minute Video Tutorial & PDF Guides
Updated June 2026 (inc new DYCP guidance)
Available for Immediate Download
ABOUT THE TUTORIAL
A practical video workshop and series of PDF guides on Developing Your Creative Practice (DYCP) — Arts Council England's grant for individual creative practitioners. We cover what DYCP funds, how to apply, and how to give yourself the best possible chance of success
Run by Alex Finberg: grant writer, maker, and previous DYCP awardee. 60 minute in depth video tutorial and live Q&A from future applicants including:
WHAT WE COVER
Arts Council 2026 update — what's changed with the new guidance, new grantium portal, what DYCP is and who it's for. Plain English, no jargon.
Eligibility checklist run-through — we work through ACE's own readiness criteria together so you know by the end whether this fund is for you, and how to position your application
Best practice examples — real examples of what strong DYCP applications look like. The language, the structure, what makes assessors say yes. Alex has analysed 100s of successful applications and offers in depth analysis on WHY applications are successful.
Alex's own case study — his experience as a DYCP awardee: what he applied for, how he framed it, and what the funding enabled.
Live Q&A — bring your questions, your draft ideas, your uncertainties. A direct conversation with someone who knows the process from both sides.
WHO IT'S FOR
Artists and visual practitioners at any career stage
First-time grant applicants — no prior knowledge needed
Previous applicants wondering if 2026 is their year
Rural and regional practitioners — the new ACE direction actively prioritises place-based work outside London
Busy people who need focused, practical help — not a generic overview
ABOUT ALEX FINBERG
Alex is an award-winning wood carver, published author, Arts Council DYCP awardee, and professional grant writer with experience supporting social enterprises and community organisations to secure funding. He is the founder of Woodcrafters CIC, a MAKE Southwest member, and is based in South Devon.
He brings something most grant writing workshops can't offer: he's sat on all sides of the process — as an applicant who has been funded, as a practitioner who helps others get there and as an assessor who has sat on funding panels analysing applications
PRACTICAL DETAILS
Once purchased you will be sent a link to the Online Video Tutorial
Together with PDF Packs & Case Studies
You will get a good grounding in how Alex presents materials and shown future courses & workshops
NEW DYCP GUIDANCE
In April 2026, Arts Council released refreshed guidance on DYCP - download our free PDF guide here
Led by expert grant writer & previous DYCP awardee Alex Finberg.
Monday 22nd June
13:00 - 2:30pm
LIVE Online & Recorded
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP
A practical, expert-led online workshop on Developing Your Creative Practice (DYCP) — Arts Council England's grant for individual creative practitioners. We cover what it funds, how to apply, and how to give yourself the best possible chance.
Run by Alex Finberg: grant writer, maker, and previous DYCP awardee. 90 minutes including live Q&A. All slides and PDF resources shared after the session.
Can't make it live? No problem — the full recording is shared with everyone who books.
WHAT WE COVER
Arts Council 2026 update — what's changed with the new portal, what DYCP is and who it's for this year. Plain English, no jargon.
Eligibility checklist run-through — we work through ACE's own readiness criteria together so you know by the end whether this is your round.
Best practice examples — real examples of what strong DYCP applications look like. The language, the structure, what makes assessors say yes.
Alex's own case study — his experience as a DYCP awardee: what he applied for, how he framed it, and what the funding enabled.
Live Q&A — bring your questions, your draft ideas, your uncertainties. A direct conversation with someone who knows the process from both sides.
WHO IT'S FOR
Makers and craft practitioners (woodwork, ceramics, textiles, metalwork — craft sits within Visual Arts or Combined Arts for DYCP)
Artists and visual practitioners at any career stage
First-time grant applicants — no prior knowledge needed
Previous applicants wondering if 2026 is their year
Rural and regional practitioners — the new ACE direction actively prioritises place-based work outside London
Busy people who need focused, practical help — not a generic overview
ABOUT ALEX FINBERG
Alex is an award-winning wood carver, published author, Arts Council DYCP awardee, and professional grant writer with experience supporting social enterprises and community organisations to secure funding. He is the founder of Woodcrafters CIC, a MAKE Southwest member, and is based in South Devon.
He brings something most grant writing workshops can't offer: he's sat on both sides of the process — as an applicant who has been funded, and as a practitioner who helps others get there.
PRACTICAL DETAILS
Date: Monday 22nd June
Time: 1:00pm – 2:30pm UK time
Format: Online via Google Meet— link sent on booking
Recording: Full recording shared with all attendees after the session
Resources: Slides and PDFs shared after the session, including the DYCP Readiness Checklist and DYCP Decoded guide
NEW DYCP GUIDANCE
In April 2026, Arts Council released refreshed guidance on DYCP - download our free PDF guide here
Client 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.”
Developing Your Creative Practice 4 Week Course
Starts 2nd June 2026 | 7pm | Click Here for Course Details
Turn Your Vision into a Fundable Arts Council Project
A live 4-week course on writing a strong Arts Council DYCP application — led by expert grant writer and DYCP awardee Alex Finberg.
Tuesday 2 June · Tuesday 9 June · Tuesday 16 June · Tuesday 23rd June
19:00–20:30 · Live online (recorded if you miss a session)
The next Arts Council DYCP round opens Thursday 4 June and closes Thursday 2 July. This course is timed to get your application ready for it.
You'll learn from a tutor who has helped hundreds of clients win grant funding — and who delivered his own Arts Council project that changed the course of his career. You'll do the writing. We'll give you everything you need to write a strong arts council application with a high chance of getting funded
How it works
This is an action-based learning course. We give you the tools, the structure and the expert input to write a strong one yourself — and the accountability to actually submit it.
You choose how much support you want.
We have added an option for those who cant make the live sessions, you’ll be sent all the course resources, plus 4 recordings of the live sessions every week from Tuesday 2nd June to Tuesday 23rd June, so you can watch, learn and write your application in your own time
Self-Guided — £99 (Live)
The 4 live online modules (plus recordings if you miss one), all course materials, the Successful Bid Library, and the Bid Review Circle community. Perfect if you want expert guidance but have the time and confidence to work at your own pace.
Self-Guided — £75 (Recorded)
The recordings of all 4 online modules plus all course materials, the Successful Bid Library, so you can watch, learn and write your application in your own time
Supported — £249 - 12 places available
Everything in Self-Guided, plus 2 key additions: 1. a group meeting with Alex to refine your project ideas at the start of the course. 2. An in depth review of your application at week 3. Perfect for anyone wishing for guidance and expert feedback on your application before sumbission.
A project idea-refinement call with Alex early in the course — where we pressure-test your project idea before you write a word, so you build on solid ground instead of guessing.
An in-depth written review of your draft from Alex after Week 3 — at the point getting professional feedback can be vital in ensuring your application is strong enough to have a high change of success
Mentored — £595 - Only 4 places available.
Everything in Supported — and then Alex, in your corner at every stage. Personalised feedback on your idea, your budget, your language, and a final check before you submit. This is the closest thing to having an expert grant writer beside you from blank page to submit button.
By the end, you'll have the skills, resources and accountability to write and submit a DYCP application you're genuinely confident in.
The syllabus
Four live online modules. Recorded, so you never lose a week.
Week 1 — Getting Started: Understanding DYCP Criteria What's changed in the updated Arts Council guidance. Which projects are valid, and which parts of yours fit the criteria. Building a professional profile. Focus: Question 1 — Tell us about yourself and your creative practice.
Week 2 — Developing Your Budget How to align your budget with your project schedule. We share real winning applications from a range of creative backgrounds, and show you how to charge for your own studio and creative time, how to structure and weight your budget, and how to build a realistic timeline. Focus: Question 2 — Tell us about the developmental opportunity you want to undertake, what you hope to get out of it, and how you'll go about it.
Week 3 — Refining Your Focus & Language We help you sharpen your project and fine-tune your language so the whole application speaks to the DYCP criteria. We focus on legacy — the future this grant unlocks. Focus: Question 3 — Why is this important for your practice now, and how will it create future opportunities?
Week 4 — Getting Ready to Submit Creating your artist profile and lining up your letter of support. Professionalising your portfolio. A final review using our Red Flag / Green Flag checklists — so you press submit with confidence, not crossed fingers.
Who this is for
Artists, makers, craftspeople, musicians and creatives — anyone eligible to apply for DYCP.
If you've started an application and abandoned it, been turned down before, or just need help getting yours into shape — this is for you.
Not sure you're eligible? Check using the Arts Council eligibility checker before you book.
What's included
4 live online sessions (recorded if you miss them) — interactive, with real time to review your draft, ask questions and get feedback.
The Successful Bid Library — real winning Arts Council applications from past applicants, including Alex's own successful bid with its supporting statement and artist profile. Download them, read them, learn from them.
Weekly 90-minute live reviews — Alex gives live expert feedback on your draft in a group coaching space, where you learn as much from others in the same boat as from him.
The Bid Review Circle — a private community of artists and social entrepreneurs. Accountability that outlasts the course.
Alex has raised over £500,000 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. Currently @ School of Social Entrepreneurs (SSE)
Join The Next Live Grant Funding Clinic
60 Minutes of Honest, No-Strings Advice to Get You Funder-Ready with Pro Grant Fundraiser Alex Finberg
Whether you’re a maker chasing Arts Council/QEST or an organization eyeing National Lottery or NHS commissions, join fundraising expert & social entrepreneur Alex Finberg to navigate the UK funding landscape on a Free Live 1 hour Session hosted on Google Meet.
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?
Consultant-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.
Ongoing Professional Support: Trainees gain access to an active peer-review community and live coaching, ensuring you have the confidence and community to support your development
Our Funders
