FAQs - Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust

Frequently asked questions presented to the Programmes department.

1.    Is there a minimum or maximum ceiling for funding requests submitted to the Fund?

Currently, the average Culture Fund grant is around USD$ 3 500 but the Board can award up to a maximum of USD$ 20 000 per year.

2.    What is the number of projects that an Individual or organisation can submit ?
An individual, group, association or organisation can submit more than one application but only one, if approved, can be funded in one year.

3.    Is there a limit to the number of projects preselected by the Culture Fund that will be considered for funding?
The Culture Fund does not set such limits. However the fund has sector need-based programmes in place that will be allocated funding in all funding cycles. These currently include; Music and Edutainment Programme, Music and Dance @Schools Programme, Creative Writing in Young People, Free Expression through Festivals Programme, Training & Advocacy Programme and the Research and Resource Centre.
4.    What is the time frame for project implementation?
The Culture Fund has set the time frame for the implementation of projects at one year but has in the past funded projects spanning two years.

5.    Are programmes/projects that involve the production of cultural expressions eligible to apply to the Fund?

The aim of the Fund is to provide support to contribute to the growth and development of the culture sector in Zimbabwe through provision of financial and technical support to cultural practitioners, institutions and activities.

 6.    Who is eligible for funding by the Culture Fund?
Zimbabwean citizens or permanent residents of Zimbabwe with legal status as follows:
•    Individual cultural agents operating independently or as a registered company
•    Artists who work in groups
•    Cultural organizations
•    Cultural institutions

7.    Are activities that do not take place in the country/region of the applicant or beneficiaries, but have a positive effect on the cultural industries in the region eligible?
Activities should take place in Zimbabwe unless they constitute cultural exchange by Zimbabweans with other countries,

8.    Are the Fund’s working documents, for example the application forms and explanatory note, available in other languages than English?
Grant application forms and explanatory notes are available in Shona and Ndebele as well.

9.    Do applicants have an obligation to attach additional documentation (including photos) to the official application form and what type of documentation it should be?
There is no obligation to attach photos to the official Culture Fund grant application form.  However, applicants must attach a project proposal of not more than 6 pages and any relevant information that enhances their application such as quotations and references.

10.    If the applicant has a physical space that will be used for the implementation of the project, should it be included in project costs/budget?
No, the Fund does not support funds for the establishment of offices or pay office rental fees. However the fund supports through festivals the hiring of venues or gallery space for an exhibition.

11.    When a project is submitted by an umbrella organization on behalf of its members, who is responsible for the implementation of the project?
The applicant is the entity who submits the project and signs the application form. It is the same entity who, if the project is selected, will be the only “legal beneficiary”, who will sign the contract with Culture Fund, and in this framework will be responsible for its implementation.

12.    How do funding requests have to be submitted and transmitted to the Culture Fund?
Funding requests can be submitted directly to the Culture Fund offices or via its bona fide technical partners such as the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe and the Ministry of Education, Sport , Arts and Culture .

13.    What is the role of the Culture Fund Secretariat in relation to applications submitted?
The role of Culture Fund Secretariat, upon receiving the grant applications is to perform a technical evaluation to ensure that the applications are complete and therefore admissible. The application forms are then filed and sent for technical assessment by 6 Sub Sector Committees representing sub-sectors of Zimbabwean Culture.  Final assessment is carried out by the Culture Fund Board of Trustees. Their decision is final and the processes do not permit appeal from unsuccessful applicants.

14.    When will Culture Fund announce which applicants will receive funding from the Fund?
Final decision on successful applicants is normally announced in the first and third quarters of the year. Only successful grant applicants are notified. Applicants can access a list of the successful applicants from the Culture Fund website or that of its partners, the Culture Fund office or the media. Offer letters are dispatched to successful applicants soon after the announcement.  

15.    Would the resources of the Fund be transferred to the beneficiaries’ account before or after the realization of the successful project?
Successful projects will receive their allocations in several instalment or as once of payments depending on the nature of each project and proposed implementation plan. Funding will be disbursed upon receipt of a clear work plan and where necessary the grantee has attended a seminar on managing small grants.

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