Culture, Heritage and Events Fund (CHEF)

The Culture, Heritage and Events Fund (CHEF) is a fund for artists, organisations and communities to support creative projects and events throughout Renfrewshire and beyond.

The purpose of the fund is to raise cultural ambition and stimulate new cultural, heritage and events activity, aiming to create long-lasting cultural, economic and social transformation in Renfrewshire.

The objectives of the fund

The objectives of the fund are to:

• increase the number of people taking part in creative activity in Renfrewshire
• increase opportunities for young people to develop their creative ambition
• stimulate the local economy
• realise the potential contribution creativity can make to education, social inclusion and quality of life
• broaden the network of people developing cultural and creative projects in Renfrewshire
• increase the number of people visiting Renfrewshire
• raise the profile of Renfrewshire throughout the UK.
  The Culture, Heritage and Events Fund is funded by Renfrewshire Council.

Round 14 funding is open to organisations and individuals based or working in Renfrewshire who want to create or develop cultural or heritage activities that benefit or engage communities in Renfrewshire. 

This includes:

• independent artists, designers, makers and producers
• artists collectives, cultural organisations and networks
• voluntary or community organisations
• schools, colleges and universities
• businesses including social enterprises and creative industries.

Support for applicants representing black and ethnic minority communities or new Scots

As part of our commitment to increasing cultural diversity through fund-supported activities and projects, you can get one-to-one support with your application if you are representing Black and ethnic minority communities or New Scots. 

If you would like this support, email us at chef-enquiries@renfrewshire.gov.uk.
 

CHEF supports projects that encourage engagement and participation in cultural and heritage activities in Renfrewshire.

Activity supported includes:

• the production of new artistic work
• research and development for professional artists and creative organisations
• workshops
• performances
• festivals and events
• exhibitions
• tours
• other opportunities for residents and visitors to

Renfrewshire to engage with the arts, heritage and culture.
You cannot apply for activities that:

• are not related to culture, heritage and events
• do not benefit or engage people in Renfrewshire
• will start before 1 October 2025. 

You can apply for grants of up to £20,000. The average grant award in previous funding rounds was £8,621.

However, there is a cap on the funding, and it is expected demand will be high,  so we can't guarantee you'll get a grant or get the amount you've applied for.

You should demonstrate how your proposed activity represents good value for public money, and we encourage you to look for income from other sources and in-kind support where possible. 

In-kind support refers to non-cash contributions that directly benefit a project and reduce its overall cost, such as donations of goods, services, or time rather than money.

Information sessions

There are 2 online information sessions for prospective applicants:

• Tuesday 27 May 2025, from 10am to 11am
• Wednesday 4 June 2025 from 2pm to 3pm

Contact us at chef-enquiries@renfrewshire.gov.uk to book your place at one of our information sessions. Let us know which date you want to attend.

Or if you can’t join the information sessions, and have questions about CHEF, email chef-enquiries@renfrewshire.gov.uk. 
 

Application guidance

Make sure you have read the full Culture, Heritage and Events Fund (CHEF) guidance before you start your application.

Information you need to include in your application

Project details

If you’re an organisation, you’ll need to provide us with details of your proposed project:

• the name, start and end dates, purpose, identified needs, outcomes, monitoring and evaluation, and who is involved in its delivery
• number of participants or audience members, location of activities, and types of artforms or cultural specialities
• total project costs, amount of funding requested, and breakdown of individual items.

Operational details

You need to tell us:

• your organisation’s name, address, website (if you have one), organisational status, registration number, years in operation, and aims
• the details of the lead contact person
• number of employees, volunteers, or practitioners you work with
• the main activities of the organisation
• what geographical areas in Renfrewshire, Scotland or the UK you will deliver activity in.

Financial information

We also need this financial information:

• the organisation’s bank account details
• a bank statement less than 3 months old
• a copy of your most recent annual accounts or an income and expenditure statement - these should be less than 15 months old, dated and signed as approved - you can include a link to the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) or to a Companies House submitted file
• details of any funding you’ve received from us in the last 3 years.

If you’re a new organisation, you can provide us with estimates of income and expenditure for the first 12 months in operation.

Organisation information

You will need to provide this information about your organisation:

• a signed, dated copy of the organisation’s constitution or memorandum and articles of association - you can include a link to the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) or to a Companies House submitted file
• your organisation’s safeguarding or child protection policies, if applicable
• your organisation’s equalities policy or clear evidence of commitment to equalities and diversity
• a completed equalities monitoring form using the template provided.

Any other relevant information

You can also add any other relevant information, ideally in PDF format, to support your application, such as:

• examples of previous work
• letters of support

For individual applicants  

If you’re applying as an individual, you’ll need to provide us with: 

• the name, start and end dates, purpose, identified needs, outcomes, monitoring and evaluation, and who is involved in its delivery
• number of participants or audience members, location of activities, and types of artforms or cultural specialities
• total project costs, amount of funding requested, and breakdown of individual items
• details of any funding you’ve received from us in the last 3 years
• a photocopy of your identity (ID), like a passport, birth certificate, or driving licence - this is only to verify your identity and will not be retained beyond our eligibility checks
• your bank account details – so we can pay you if you are awarded a grant
• safeguarding or child protection policies, if applicable
• a completed equalities monitoring form using the template provided
• any other relevant information to support your application, such as examples of previous work or letters of support.

See our privacy policy on how we use your data.

If you need to contact us about your application, email us at chef-enquiries@renfrewshire.gov.uk. 

How we make a decision

We’ll assess your application based on the criteria for the fund. 
We’ll email you on Tuesday 30 September 2025 to let you know our decision.    

How we pay the grant

If we award you a grant, we will pay this into your nominated bank account. 

This is usually a first instalment of 80% of the grant and a second and final instalment of the remaining 20%.

Conditions of the grant

Your project can run for any length of time, but it must be delivered between 1 October 2025 and 14 March 2028.

If you are not awarded a grant

If you’re not awarded a grant, you can ask for feedback on your application at chef-enquiries@renfrewshire.gov.uk. 

However, the decision is final, and unsuccessful applications will not be reviewed or reconsidered.