Applicant FAQs

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Eligibility

Am I eligible?

To view the applicant business eligibility
To view the project eligibility

What projects are eligible?

The project eligibility criteria gives details of activities and collaborations that would be excluded from the programme.

Can we apply as a consortium?

No. Consortium bids will not be accepted.

Can charities apply?

No. Charities are not eligible to apply.

Can social enterprises or Not for Profit Organisations apply?

As long as they meet the eligibility criteria, both social enterprises and Not for Profit Organisations can apply.

Can we pool Creative Credits?

Businesses that are selected to participate on the programme will be allowed to work on a joint project with another business that has also been selected. Up to three businesses will be allowed to work together. Each business involved will be able to redeem £4,000 and will be expected to contribute the minimum contribution of £1,000. However, please note that NESTA will not be providing a service to facilitate the matching up of businesses for this purpose.

Successful businesses that wish to pool Credits must inform NESTA when they submit their project proposals.

What is a creative business?

A creative business is one that has its origin in individual creativity, skill and talent and which has a potential for wealth and job creation through the generation and exploitation of intellectual property. The eligibility criteria details the types of business that are classed as creative.

Can I apply for a Creative Credit if we are a creative business?

No. Businesses working within the creative sector cannot apply for a Credit.
Eligibility criteria for creative businesses
Eligibility criteria for Credit applicants

Can I apply for a Credit if part of my business offering is classed as creative?

You can still apply for a Credit if your business carries out some activities that would fall under one of the creative categories as long as not more than 50% of your business activity is creative. A list of the types of creative business included on the programme can be found on the eligibility criteria .

What area does the programme cover?

The list of eligible boroughs is included on the eligibility criteria.
If you are unsure if your business is in one of these areas, please use the postcode checker .

Can a subsidiary company that has a head office outside of the region apply?

The main office of the company must be based in the region. A list of boroughs included in the programme can be found on our eligibility criteria .

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Applying for Creative Credits

How do I apply?

Applications are now closed.

What’s involved in the application process?

Initially you will need to provide basic information about your business using the online application form. This will include things like address, contact details and VAT number and should only take approximately ten minutes.
If you are selected to participate in the programme you will then be asked to submit a project proposal so that NESTA can assess it against the eligibility criteria.
Business eligibility criteria
Project eligibility criteria

What’s in it for my business?

NESTA believes that the creative industries can improve the performance of other businesses, for example in the development of new products and services and in devising platforms to help businesses reach new audiences. Research has found that UK businesses that invest double the amount the average firm spends on creative services are 25% more likely to introduce product innovations.
The programme offers you and your business the chance to do a project you wouldn’t have otherwise been able to do.
You will be able to redeem £4,000 against creative services, as long as you agree to contribute a minimum of £1,000.

When can I apply? When is the deadline for applications?

Applications for the wave two will be open at 9am on 1st February 2010 and will close at midnight on the 1st of March 2010.

How much paperwork is involved?

Paperwork required for the programme has been kept to a minimum. If you are awarded a Credit, you will only be asked to complete a 1 page project proposal, a final project claim and some research questions. For More information please see the research section.

Will my application be anonymous?

Yes. All information provided will be treated confidentially and any information used in the public domain will be anonymous and not associated with the company in any way.
If you are allocated a Credit, your business name, project requirements and contact email address will be displayed on the website unless you opt for these details to be kept anonymous at the time you are informed of the outcome of your application.

What happens after we’ve applied? When will I know if I’ve been awarded a Creative Credit?

After the 1st of March 2010, 75 businesses will be randomly selected and those found eligible then have the chance to submit their project proposal to NESTA. You will be notified if you have been selected to join the programme by the 3rd of March 2010.

How will Creative Credits be allocated? How many will be allocated?

In total, 150 Credits will be allocated. This will be done on a random allocation basis for those businesses that match the eligibility criteria. Those drawn then have the chance to submit their project proposal to NESTA. 75 of these were allocated in the first wave in September and 75 will be allocated in the second wave running in February.

What happens if I don’t get allocated a Creative Credit?

No further waves of Creative Credits are planned at this moment.
Even if you are not successful in being allocated a Credit in wave two, we would still be grateful if you could participate in our research surrounding the programme. For more information please have a look at our research section.

What happens if I get a Creative Credit?

If you are allocated a Credit you will then be able to select a creative business from the online gallery to work with and scope out your project. You will then be required to submit a project proposal form to NESTA. When your project is approved you can then carry out your project.

What are my chances of getting a Creative Credit?

We are unable to indicate the chances of getting a Credit as this will be dependent on the number of applications received. In the first wave the chance of being selected for a Credit was approximately 1 in 4.

Can I make more than 1 application within a wave?

No. Only one application per business will be accepted within any one wave.

If I was allocated a Creative Credit in wave 1, can I apply again in wave 2?

No. Businesses awarded a Credit in wave one are not be eligible to apply for wave 2.

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Projects and creative businesses

What type of projects can I do?

With a few exceptions, you can do any project that seeks to address a business need or problem that a creative business could help with.
Project eligibility criteria
Case studies

What happens if I get a Creative Credit but my project is ineligible?

You will be asked to amend your project and resubmit your proposal to NESTA, this will continue until your project is deemed eligible under the programme project criteria. All proposals need to be approved by 16th April 2010. If an eligible proposal is not submitted to NESTA your Credit will be withdrawn.

Do I have to fulfil requirements or targets?

No. Projects completed under the programme do not need to meet any requirements or targets other than those set by your company.

What if I want to change my project?

You are allowed to change your project at any time however all altered projects must still be eligible. If your project changes once it has been approved, please resubmit your proposal to NESTA for checking. Please note that if your project is found to be ineligible at the end of the project NESTA will not reimburse the £4K.

What happens if I can’t find a creative business to work with?

The Credit recipient is responsible for choosing their creative business from the online gallery of creative businesses. Creative businesses not listed on the gallery cannot be used. NESTA will not be providing any other services to match you with a creative business. Creative businesses need to be selected before submitting your project proposal to NESTA (the deadline for this is 16th April 2010). If an eligible proposal is not submitted by this time your Credit will be withdrawn.

How do I choose a creative business to work with? Who are the creative businesses involved?

A guide on how to select and work with a creative business available to help you choose who to work with. If you are allocated a Credit, you must choose a creative business from the online gallery. to work on your project.

What if I know the creative business I want to work with?

The project eligibility criteria for the programme details the types of creative businesses you would be allowed to work with on your project.

What if I’ve worked with the creative business before?

Under the project eligibility criteria, you will not be able to work with a creative company if you have paid for work from them in the past 5 years.

Will you help me find a creative partner?

All those allocated a Credit have access to the guide to selecting and working with a creative business and access to the gallery which showcases all of the creative businesses participating in the scheme. However, NESTA will not be providing a matching service or offering any support beyond the guide and the gallery.

Are creative businesses approved/ vetted by NESTA?

Creative businesses will only be checked against the eligibility criteriaof the programme and this will be done on a self-declaration basis. NESTA will not be vetting the quality of work or practices of the creative businesses.
It would be good practice to carry out some basic checks on their creative business. It is your responsibility to ensure you are happy with the creative business you have selected. However, NESTA will be providing a guide to help with selection and working with your creative business.

Can I work with a creative business that is not in the gallery?

No. Creative businesses not listed on the gallery cannot be used.

How much time do I have to use the Creative Credit?

If you are allocated a Credit you will have 6 months to carry out your project and make your claim to NESTA. All wave one projects must be completed and claimed by 31st March 2010. All wave two projects must be completed and claimed by 31st August 2010.

What happens if I don’t use my Creative Credit or don’t complete my project?

If you do not use your Credit you will not be reimbursed the £4,000. Please let NESTA know as soon as possible if you do not intend to use your Credit.
However, projects that are undertaken to such a degree that they occur £5k or more of costs will be eligible to receive the £4K reimbursement.

What happens if I fall out with my chosen creative business?

All disputes will need to be settled between yourselves. NESTA will not be involved in resolving disputes. You will be able to change creative providers once your project is underway as long as your new provider is also listed under the programme. Please note that all payments will need to be settled with both providers and NESTA will only provide £4,000 for any one project.

What happens if I’m not happy with the work my creative business does?

All disputes will need to be resolved between yourselves. It would be good practice to agree work and outcomes are agreed in advance.

Can I work with more than one creative business?

You may work with a maximum of 2 creative providers as long as both are listed on the gallery and both are listed on your project proposal.

Do I still have to pay if I’m not happy with the work?

All disputes regarding work and payment will need to be resolved between yourself and your creative business.

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Money and Funding

How much are the Creative Credits worth?

Each Credit is worth £4,000.

Do I have to pay anything?

Those that receive a Credit will be required to contribute a minimum of £1,000 to their project.

What is the minimum project cost? Is there a limit to the amount I can contribute?

The minimum project cost is £5,000. £4,000 of this is covered by the Credit and £1,000 is to be contributed by the company receiving the Credit. There is no upper limit on the amount of funds they can contribute to their project.

How and when do I get the money for my Creative Credit?

On completion of your project, the creative company you are working with will invoice you. Once you have paid this invoice you need to submit a claim form and a copy of the paid invoice to NESTA and you will be reimbursed £4,000 within 1 month.
Unfortunately, funding cannot be given upfront and will only be paid on submission of the relevant paperwork after completion of the project.

What if the project costs are more than expected?

NESTA will only reimburse Credit recipients for £4,000. If project costs are more than expected, payment of these costs will need to be paid by the Credit recipient.

Do we have to pay VAT?

Yes. Those receiving a Credit will be expected to pay any VAT that is charged on work for their project.

Who is funding the programme?

The programme is being funded by the following organisations:

• National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts (NESTA) – www.nesta.org.uk
  
• North West Development Agency (NWDA) – www.nwda.co.uk
  
• Manchester City Council (MCC) – www.manchester.gov.uk
  
• Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) – www.esrc.ac.uk
  
• Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) – www.ahrc.ac.uk
  

Can I still apply if I’ve received government funding from another organisation?

You can still apply for Creative Credits if you have received funding from another organisation as long as receiving a Creative Credit will not break any State Aid regulations. These state that a private company business cannot receive more than €500,000 (approximately £440,900) worth of public sector support from whatever source in any three year rolling period.

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Research

What is the research?

The Creative Credits programme is designed to stimulate business growth by encouraging businesses to work in new, more creative ways. Because this is a world-first there are two clear aspects that we want to assess:

• The success of the Credit in incentivising collaboration
  
• The impact of the new collaborations
  Therefore, those businesses taking part will be asked to take part in research which will help us evaluate the benefits of the programme. The research will help us better understand how creative businesses can help stimulate growth in businesses outside of the creative sector.
  

Do I have to participate in the research?

If you are awarded a Credit you will be required to participate in the research. If you are not awarded a Credit you may be approached to participate but in this case participation will be entirely voluntary.

What’s in it for me to participate? Why should I participate in the research if I didn’t don’t get a Creative Credit?

If you did not get chosen to receive a Credit, we would still like to hear your views on the idea of the programme. This will help us design further programmes in the future which could be of benefit to your company and to other businesses in the region and throughout the UK in the future.
All participants in the research will receive summary reports on the research findings which will help them understand more about the relationship between creative industries and innovation. Participants will also be invited to networking events and be involved in the evaluation community.

What will it involve? When will I have to participate?

All businesses taking part in the research will be asked to complete 5 short online questionnaires and a quick phone interview follow-up. These will be spread out over 2 years.
For the first wave, questionnaires will be sent out electronically in:

• November 2009
  
• March 2010
  
• August 2010
  
• January 2011
  
• June 2011

  Some businesses will also be invited to become case studies , which involve more intensive interviews. These businesses will benefit higher levels of feedback on strengthening knowledge exchange in their organisation.
  

What sort of information will you want from my business? Will I need to provide financial information about my business?

A range of info covering various aspects of the company will be asked as part of the research. This is likely to include financial information such as sales growth and questions on innovation activity and the programme itself.

All information will be treated confidentially. Any information used in the public domain will be anonymous and not associated with the company.

Who is carrying out the research?

Aston Business School (www.aston.ac.uk/abs) and Warwick Business School (www.wbs.ac.uk), two of the leading Business Schools in the UK.

Will my responses be anonymous?

Yes. All information provided will be treated confidentially and any information used in the public domain will be anonymous and not associated with the company in any way.