51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp

Save and Continue Function

You will have the option to save and continue with your application using the button which appears on the bottom of each page from page three (Your Event and Organisation Part 2).
You can return to your form at any point using the link provided in the email sent when your progress is saved. 
You will be asked to set up a PIN which you will need to enter each time you access the form.

Before You Start

Please Note there have been updates to the financial information you are required to submit.

You will need to upload the following documents to your application therefore please have these ready before filling out the application:

1. Constitution or Articles of Association
2. Business and Marketing Plan/s
3. Environmental Management Plan
4. A signed copy of the most recent audited or independently examined accounts, or OSCR return
5. Most recent bank statement

Introduction

• The introduction page provides links to information and guidance.
• Please read and confirm agreement of the terms and conditions of the Privacy Policy.

Your Event and Organisation Part 1

• Please provide basic details of your event/festival and organisation, including contact information.
• If your organisation employs or contracts staff, you must confirm that your organisation pays the Real Living Wage and supports all employees to have a voice at both a collective and individual level.  For more information, please visit .

Your Event and Organisation Part 2

• Please provide the total cost of your event/festival and how much you are applying to the Strategic Events and Festivals Fund for.  You can only apply for up to 20% of your total event/festival costs.
• Summarise your event/festival and include a detailed outline of the proposed programme of activities.  More detail is required from new events including evidence of need and information about the skills and experience of board members.
• Tell us why you are applying to the fund, what costs you are specifically applying for and how it fits with the aims of the fund.  Please give a full description of spend.  The fund aims to support events/festivals to add value, and increase resilience, sustainability and growth.
• Please tell us for how many years your event/festival has been running
• Confirm that your organisation does not have any outstanding debts to the Council in relation to the event or festival.  If your organisation does have a debt a box is provided to explain the situation regarding the outstanding debt. However, your application will not progress if there is not a justifiable reason for this debt.

The Strategic Fit of Your Event

• You should check the boxes provided to say which strategic pillar your event/festival best aligns with.  Use the space provided to describe how your event aligns with 51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute Council’s Economic Strategy, as well as the Culture Heritage and Arts Action Plan and the Event Scotland National Events Strategy.  All Applicants should provide a description and if you are applying for more than £5,000, we require more detailed information. Please find the documents below.

51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute Council’s Economic Strategy

Culture Heritage and Arts Action Plan

51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute’s Outcome Improvement Plan

Your Audience

• Tell us how many attendees are expected and confirm if your event/festival will attract international visitors. If you are applying as a large-scale event/festival you will be expected to show that a significant percentage of your attendees, come from out with Scotland and be able to provide a detailed breakdown on the make-up of your attendees. Please highlight this section within your business plan.  Similarly, if you are applying for a larger amount based on the uniqueness of your event, with the ability to attract new visitor markets to the area, you will be expected to show how your event appeals to new or emerging markets.

Economic Impact

• Please complete your forecast of the economic impact your event will have. You should think about how many visitors you anticipate, how many tickets they might buy and what impact they might bring to the area, in terms of spend at the event, spend on food and drink and accommodation. At the bottom of the table, you should add all the anticipated spend and this will give an indication of the total economic impact. This should take into consideration your economic impact figures from the previous year if you have them.

Community/Cultural Impact

• Please demonstrate whether your organisation provides opportunities for the community to be involved.  Please note that volunteer involvement is an essential eligibility criterion, and events run entirely by volunteers will score highest in this category.
• Confirm whether your event or festival will support Gaelic Culture and explain how.
• Tell us whether the event of festival will be held in an area of disadvantage and provide details.  Areas of disadvantage are within the top 20% most deprived places in Scotland, and which can be found using  (SIMD Deciles 2020 map data).
• You must confirm whether you require a PVG check for the event/festival.  Please note that this is the responsibility of the event/festival organiser to confirm.

Environmental Management 

• Environmental Management Plan 

Please attach your environmental management/ action plan to demonstrate how you are reducing the carbon footprint and waste impact of your event/festival.  Please find advice on this here . 

• If your environmental management plan doesn’t address the efficiency measures noted, please tell us what you plan to do to address these. 

Promotion

• You should provide a breakdown of who your event/festival marketing is aimed at.  Please consider how to you see to promote your event/festivals out with 51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute to UK and international audiences.

Finance

• Please complete the anticipated Income and Expenditure.  Please note that this budget breakdown MUST balance.  A budget breakdown which does not balance means your application will be ineligible. Please ensure you show what you are requesting funding from SEF for.
• Due to the limited funds available and the desire to support as many events as possible, you are reminded that there is no guarantee of securing SEF funding, nor is there a guarantee that should you be successful that you will secure the full amount requested. It is therefore important to consider, and to show, an element of contingency within your Budget Breakdowns. Funds will only be provided to event organisers on the basis that the event is guaranteed to happen and that sufficient measures are in place to mitigate against any risk of the event not taking place.
• You must complete the funding profile for your event/festival, showing any other funding that you have applied for. Please note that any Strategic Events and Festivals award will be notified in February 2026.

Risk

• Please provide details on how you will manage risk, and health and safety legislation. If you have a risk assessment document, please upload.

Checklist

• Constitution or Articles of Association

Please note only not-for-profit organisations are eligible to apply.  If you have submitted this information to the fund in the last three years only supply a copy if there have been amendments.

• Business and Marketing Plan/s

Please provide a copy of your Business and Marketing Plan/s relating to the event/festival.  Where business plans extend beyond the scope of the event, please highlight the relevant pages and chapters in respect of your application. Applications will not be considered without this information. Plans must be current and relevant, i.e. prepared within the last two years.

• A signed copy of the most recent audited or independently examined accounts, or OSCR return

A financial projection/cash flow forecast can be accepted for new organisations.  Accounts and projections must be approved and signed by someone independent of the organisation.  The name and address of the auditor or independent examiner must be provided.

• Most Recent Bank Statement

Please submit your organisation’s most recent bank statement.  Please note that this must be a full statement which clearly shows the account name, number, and sort code.   Statements for all accounts held by the organisation should be submitted. 

Declaration

Please sign the declaration to confirm all the information provided is accurate and that you are authorised to submit the application on behalf of your organisation.