Event Wales Sustainability Innovation Fund: application guidance

The new  National Events Strategy for Wales 2022-2030 launched by the Minister for Economy on 13 July 2022, identifies that a circular economy – keeping resources in use for as long as possible and avoiding waste - is a key step towards achieving our Well-being goal to be ‘A globally responsible Wales’. Moving to a circular economy can also improve the economic and social outcomes for events.

Consideration of an event’s sustainability practices already forms part of our current considerations for event funding support, so this new ‘pilot’ discretionary fund is not aimed at supporting events to deliver existing sustainability plans.  Instead, the fund will target support towards new and innovative projects, capable of replication, to help the industry deliver the recommended action of “educating and supporting individual events organisers to be champions and share working examples of environmental best practice”.

In line with the Welsh Government’s strategic priorities of inclusive, sustainable growth in the economy, Event Wales will prioritise funding for projects that make a difference to the events industry in Wales over the medium to long-term and those that also promote or support the principles of fair work and pay, well-being, equality and diversity and promotion of the Welsh language. 

Funding of up to £200,000 will be allocated to the Fund in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 financial years.  We wish to support as many projects as possible so anticipate that individual applications would not exceed £15,000-£20,000 but this is a guide only and each application will be considered on its individual merits.   Applicants may submit more than once application.  Whilst we will support full project costs, applications which can leverage match-funding (including value-in-kind support) are particularly welcomed as this will enable our funding to go further.

Applications may be made for projects to be implemented in either the 2023-24 or 2024-25 financial year.  An application may also cover both years, but all projects must be delivered, and all grant funding claimed, by 31 March of the financial year to which the project relates i.e. a project implemented in 2023 must be delivered and claimed for by 31 March 2024.

Event Wales will only provide funding at the minimum level required to enable the project to take place in Wales.  Applicants will need to demonstrate that without Welsh Government support they could not deliver the proposed project, or this would be at a smaller, less effective, scale. 

Event Wales funding should not be presumed, or communicated as confirmed, in your finance plan until due process is afforded to all elements of the application and assessment process, culminating in an Award of Funding letter being fully signed and accepted by you.

By supporting innovation in sustainable event management we will further develop Wales’ reputation as a host of world-class events.

We do not wish the fund to be overly prescriptive and, instead, encourage innovative and forward-thinking applications but examples of the type of activity we would seek to support are listed below:

• Innovative applications which are capable of replication;
• Projects which align with the ambitions, ambitions and actions set out in Beyond Recycling  (e.g. removing unnecessary single-use items from events and other showcase activities in Wales; supporting behavioural change through behaviours at events; minimising food-waste; keeping materials in use for as long as possible; supporting circular business models);
• Projects which position Wales as a strategic lead or ‘champion’ in sustainability innovation and sustainable event management;
• Encouragement of sustainability behaviour change among event spectators or participants;
• Projects which encourage a circular economy approach through reduction and re-use e.g. by reducing the use of raw materials or using those which are made with recycled/sustainable materials and/or can be reused over many events;
• Activity which aligns with the ambitions set out not only in our Strategy but also in the  Stronger, Fairer Greener Wales: Net Zero Skills Action Plan;
• Use of renewable energy sources;
• Research activity which might assist events in the measurement of their outputs/outcomes such as ways to calculate waste or development of a sustainability toolkit for the industry.

We are unable to support the following:

• Any capital costs;
• Costs incurred prior to application, or which can be met through other funding sources (e.g. from existing training or employment funds such as Dysgu Cymraeg);
• Recoverable VAT;
• Redundancy costs;
• Debt or debt service charges;
• Dividends;
• Interest payments;
• Anything which is in contravention of Welsh Government legislation or advice;
• Any kind of activity which in our opinion could bring the Welsh Government into disrepute;
• Costs related to promoting the cause or beliefs of political or faith organisations;
• Projects which depend on, or encourage, free labour;
• Costs not specific to the activity/project applied for.

We welcome applications from event owners/organisers, supply chain businesses, local authorities, academia or others with a relevant role in the events industry.  Applicants must be based in Wales or otherwise able to demonstrate that the funding and supported activity will be applied in Wales.  Partnership projects between two or more events or organisations are also welcomed.  Allocation of funding for such projects will be discussed and agreed prior to award for such projects and it would be helpful if you could set out in your application how you envisage the funding being administered.

Applicants should have a proven track record in providing high quality services in the events, training or other relevant industry.  If this is the first venture for a new start up with no track record, Directors should have a previous demonstrable track record of projects in a similar field. 

Applications must align with the Wellbeing-goal to be a ‘Globally responsible Wales and will be scored against the wider fund criteria at Annex 1.

All projects will be expected to deliver against the core criteria of supporting sustainable event management, but it is recognised that the degree to which projects will deliver against other criteria will vary, depending on the nature of the project. The decision on whether a project secures funding is based on a combined score against all of the relevant criteria.

Based on the content of the application and aims of the project, targets (examples at Annex 1) will be included in the Award of Funding letter and will form part of the terms and conditions of funding.  Appropriate KPIs, tailored to project type, will be discussed and agreed with you before an award of funding is made.

You will also be required to submit a report on completion of the project to evidence these targets have been met and to share any best-practice, or lessons learned, that can be shared with the wider industry.

This is a competitive fund and not all applications may be approved.  Any expenditure committed prior to an award of grant is done so at your own risk and may invalidate your application if it appears that the grant support is not required to fulfil the project

Our team can provide advice on eligibility and the application process but discussing your project with a team member does not imply approval.  This is a competitive fund where all projects will be assessed and scored to the standard criteria at Annex 1.  To request an application form, or for advice on applying, please contact the team at eventwales@gov.wales.

Applications for this initial pilot round of the Fund will open at 12.00 midday on Wednesday 19 April 2023.  Applications should be submitted to eventwales@gov.wales no later than 17:00 Wednesday 31 May 2023.  No late applications will be considered.

All applications and supporting information will be subject to full due diligence and financial checks. This will include a review of your financial projections, a fraud check, and checks on Directors of your company.  Where information is not available (e.g. sole traders not registered with Companies House) you will be asked to provide relevant information separately for this purpose. If you are involved in a business which is in debt to the Welsh Government, you are unlikely to be able to apply for further funding and should discuss this with us in advance of any application.

Applications will be assessed in 2 stages. Initial checks will be undertaken to determine that the following basic eligibility criteria have been met:

1. Offers a strategic fit with the National Events Strategy for Wales.
2. Will support the development of the sector in Wales in the medium to long-term.
3. Will maximise the economic and social benefits to Wales.

Applications which do not meet all the eligibility checks (including due diligence) will be rejected, and notified, at this stage. 

Applications which have met all eligibility criteria and satisfied due diligence checks will then be assessed by Event Wales officials and scores verified at an Assessment Panel.  An official from another relevant department, external to Event Wales, will be involved in this assessment process.

Projects achieving a minimum pass score will be presented to Ministers for approval. Should the value of eligible applications exceed the budget available in any financial year the highest scoring applications will be prioritised for support. 

Following approval by Ministers, successful applicants will be informed and award letters issued.  All awards of funding, including their value, will be published on gov.wales.

This is a discretionary fund with no appeals.  Unsuccessful applicants will be notified by email either after the initial Stage 1 sift (we aim to do this within 2 weeks of the closing date) or following the outcome of the Assessment Panel (no later than 21 July).

The funding will be awarded as a grant, paid in instalments subject to conditions which will be set out in the award letter.

• The funding will be paid in arrears as default.  In exceptional cases funding may be paid in advance, where an applicant can demonstrate a satisfactory business case.
• Details of what you need to provide at claim stage will be included in your award letter.
• We aim to process payment within 20 working days of a claim being submitted with all supporting evidence.
• Applicants should be aware that the grant may be required to be repaid in part or full if you do not meet the terms and conditions of any award of funding.

The Welsh Government is committed to evaluating the success of this grant. Through post-completion monitoring we will assess the extent to which the outputs and outcomes can be attributed directly to the scheme activities and examine whether wider anticipated or unanticipated effects have been realised.

The Welsh Government or a third party acting on behalf of Welsh Government may contact you for the purpose of research and evaluation and/or to give feedback on your experience of the scheme. This information will be analysed and presented anonymously in line with the Privacy Notice.

All successful applications will be expected to:

• Agree to be included on publicity, press releases and marketing material we produce in relation to this Fund, for up to three years from the date of Award.  This may require the supply of images or video, and relevant rights for us to use in press and publicity.
• Agree to include a Funded/Part-funded by Welsh Government credit on their promotional material including, where appropriate, their website.
• Successful applicants will be notified and informed prior to the general release of promotional material.

The objectives of the Act show how each public body will work to achieve the vision for Wales set out in the ‘well-being goals’. The seven well-being goals show the kind of Wales we want to see. The Act makes it clear that the listed public bodies must work to achieve all of the goals, not just one or two. The strategy is aimed at ensuring we expand the contribution that events already make to these seven goals. Reference to and explanation as to how your project meets these goals will be important in the assessment of an application.

Our strategy places a conscious focus on ensuring events cover a wide variety of genres to appeal to as many people as possible. A balanced portfolio will consider age, region, ethnicity, religion, cost to attend and so on to ensure the events on offer are widely inclusive and accessible.

Projects which can demonstrate and address underrepresentation in the industry are therefore particularly welcomed.

The Welsh Government is committed to promoting and growing the Welsh language. The events industry has a key role to play in contributing to the Welsh Government’s priorities for the Welsh language and the target of a million Welsh speakers by 2050 as set out in Cymraeg 2050.

Additionally, one of the 3 key themes of our strategy is ‘Authenticity’. Events in Wales will have a distinct ‘Welshness’ regardless of size, scale, or location.  This will include the Welsh language, reflect the Cymru Wales Brand, and the Well-being Act criteria.  

Please ensure you have read, understood and accept the 'Guidance Notes', and ‘Privacy Notice’ before you start the application.

• Welsh Government Privacy Notice.
• Privacy Notice: Event Wales contacts database – See Annex 2 (We would like to add all our applicants to our contacts database to ensure you receive timely information about further support options from Event Wales, but this is not a condition of funding).

You must ensure that the use of the Funding is compatible with the applicable agreements contained in the World Trade Organisation rules, UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, any Free Trade Agreement involving the UK the Northern Ireland Protocol and any relevant domestic legislation As part of your application you will need to provide details of any previous funding your business has received.

Your application, if successful, will count as Minimal Financial Assistance (MFA) in line with Part 3 Chapter 2 of the Subsidy Control Act 2022 previously known as (SAFA)* / de minimis aid, as per Article 3.2 paragraph 4 of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement. This aid limits the amount of aid a business can receive from the state. 

If you have received MFA, SAFA or de minims in the past, you should have been notified in writing when you received that aid. You will need to add this award to your overall total of MFA over the last three fiscal years which needs to remain under approximately £315,000 and for any future MFA declarations or claims and declare the amount to us at application stage.

You are responsible for ensuring that the Purposes are delivered in line with the State Aid criteria upon which the Funding is awarded.

If you exceed the limit you will be responsible for any action as a result, including repayment of the support you have received.

To request an application form, if you have any further queries related to the Event Wales Sustainability Innovation Fund, or would like the information in a different format, please contact eventwales@gov.wales.

Supporting sustainable event management within our sector is a key priority. We are committed to working towards building a sustainable, inclusive and diverse industry in Wales, and supporting a thriving supply chain across Wales.

Through this discrete fund we are looking for projects which can demonstrate additional commitments towards the ambitions and actions set out in the Welsh Government’s Beyond Recycling strategy to move to a circular economy in Wales which seeks to ensure less waste is generated and resources are kept in use for longer.  We are also looking for projects which can improve awareness of careers within the sector as well as supporting career progression in the form of providing upskilling opportunities and which can be shared as best practice or replicated by others across the industry.

Assessment Criteria which may be used to assess an application and/or measure outcomes of the funding intervention include:

• Carbon saving levels;
• Quantified levels of re-use of materials;
• Change to products which are re-used, refurbished, remanufactured; made from sustainable materials or from single use to re-use;
• Materials diverted from landfill, incineration or energy from waste;
• Waste reduction targets;
• Shortened supply chains (either for goods and/or waste management e.g. supplies re-used/remanufactured locally);
• Number of innovative training schemes/workshops;
• Costs reduction of moving to a more circular economy approach;
• Equality and/or Welsh language plans developed or implemented;
• Community participation/engagement activities.

Applications will be assessed in two stages. Initial checks will be undertaken to determine that the following basic eligibility criteria have been met:

1. Offers a strategic fit with the National Events Strategy for Wales.
2. Will support the development of the sector in Wales in the medium to long-term.
3. Will maximise the economic and social benefits to Wales.

Applications which do not meet all the eligibility checks (including due diligence) will be rejected, and notified, at this stage. 

Applications which have met all eligibility criteria and satisfied due diligence checks will then be assessed against the following criteria and scores verified at an Assessment panel.  An official from another relevant department, external to Event Wales, will be involved in this assessment process.

*Should the value of eligible applications exceed the budget available in any financial year the highest scoring applications will be prioritised for support.

Event Wales would like to keep you up to date about events, industry related policy, news and research via email. In order to do this it is necessary to process some personal information about you. Your personal information will be kept on a contacts database and stored with secure Welsh Government systems.

The Welsh Government will be the data controller for any personal data you provide and will process it as part of its public task in supporting and developing the events sector in Wales.

Being on our contacts database is entirely voluntary and will require you to actively ‘opt in’ by emailing Event Wales at eventwales@gov.wales providing the following information:

If at any time you wish for your personal information to be removed from the contacts database then please let us know by emailing Event Wales at eventwales@gov.wales.

Your information will be kept on the database until you choose to opt out of receiving the updates.

Event Wales may share your personal information with third parties but only when they are delivering services under contract for the purposes outlined in this privacy notice or if we are obliged to do so by law.

Your rights

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation you have the following rights:

• To access a copy of your own data;
• For us to rectify inaccuracies in that data;
• To object to or restrict processing (in certain circumstances);
• For your data to be ‘erased’ (in certain circumstances); and
• To lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) who is our independent regulator for data protection.

Contact information

The contact details for the Information Commissioner’s Office are:

Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

Phone: 01625 545 745 or 0303 123 1113. Website: www.ico.gov.uk.

If you have any questions relating to this privacy notice or about how Welsh Government handle your personal information, please contact our Data Protection Officer:

Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ,

Email: DataProtectionOfficer@gov.wales.