festivals only- projectlab guide v3
DESCRIPTION
The guide to round 3 of the Edinburgh Festivals ProjectLab funding. Please note: for member Festivals only.TRANSCRIPT
ProjectLab guidance document
version 3.0 for Round 3
In 2012 the Innovation Lab brings you an exciting new way to directly help your practice and understanding of innovation and new opportunities. It is called ProjectLab - a festivals-only funding competition for innovation projects worth up to £5k per individual Festival project proposal, or up to £15k for a cross-Festival funding proposal. This guidance document explains how to get the most of these opportunities for you and your festival. If you ever have any questions or require any additional support please just email us at [email protected]
New opportunities in 2012
What is projectlab?
ProjectLab is an innovation funding competition for the Edinburgh Festivals managed through the Innovation Lab. It will comprise of multiple rounds with successful proposals receiving grants up to £5k per project for an individual Festival project, or up to £15k for a group Festivals project. Any festival or festival employee can submit a project proposal which uses new thinking or new tools to make the festivals better - either for them, their audiences, their talent or their partners. Successful proposals will be selected against published criteria by the Innovation Working Group. As well as the benefits of delivering stand-alone projects, ProjectLab also provides a route for festivals to test project ideas ahead of larger general funding rounds in 2012/13.
What is eligible and in scope?
Any project which brings new thinking and new tools to your festival and results in a tangible deliverable is eligible for ProjectLab. This definition is deliberately broad and includes: • Digital projects (web & mobile) • Projects which have no digital component • Internal organisational or business process improvement • Projects which benefit any stakeholder type • Collaborations with other festivals or organisations • Trials and pilots as well as full scale projects • Research
What is out of scope?
The following are out of scope for ProjectLab proposals: • Core programming • Core people costs • Core organisational costs • Professional development (see PD section below) • A proposal with no clear deliverable • A proposal with no champion within a festival organisation
What are the selection criteria?
Ten criteria will be the basis of selecting the winning proposals per ProjectLab round: • Clarity of proposal • Articulation of the Need • Likely Impact if delivered • What makes it Innovative • The project’s Deliverability • Longer-term project Legacy • Additionality to existing or core activity • Benefits to Other Festivals • Ownership within the host festival • Learning benefits to you and your festival NB Project proposals will not be expected to fulfil every criterion.
Can you give me some “for instance” examples?
ProjectLab will welcome project proposals as diverse as:
software which saves significant core time through automation
subscription of effective volunteer management
software
commissioning research into a specific
innovation opportunity
design of new signage which improves flow at
key site
small scale trial of a paperless ticketing
solution
engaging a designer to improve your service for certain audience types
creative new app or online tool to improve
event discovery
digital distribution experiment
online visualisation of festival programme or
other data
subsidising incentives to encourage less
environmental waste
test of new revenue stream for festival
trial of new technology
integration of content into existing app e.g.
Showgizmo
mobile site based on Book festival open
source code
trial of personal festival concierge service
creative digital experience which
augments a live event
Is there any help to work up a proposal?
There are a couple of ways in which help is available to develop your project proposal which cover both coming up with the basic idea itself and developing that idea to submission. 1. Ideation tools - available online at festivalslab.com/projectlab 2. Talk to people- sense check ideas with colleagues in your own organisation or other festivals. 3.Email [email protected] or [email protected] to discuss your proposal.
What is the overall process?
What are the timelines? Two successful rounds of ProjectLab have been completed for 2012, and the third round of funding dates are as follows: 18th September 2012: Funding submissions open 18th October 2012: Funding submissions close w/c 5 November : Announcements of final funding awards are made
How are submissions assessed?
A ProjectLab assessment and selection meeting will be held following the submission deadline. Proposals will be assessed according to the selection criteria and up to three successful proposals selected per round. The selection meeting will be comprised of the Innovation Working Group. Festivals not represented by the core IWG members will be able to send a representative if they wish. Feedback will be available for unsuccessful candidates asap after the selection meeting.
How does the submission work?
Proposals are submitted online via www.festivalslab.com/projectlab The submission form is designed to be as simple as possible while also capturing the key information required for assessment and selection. Copies of the questions asked are also available on the site.
Professional development delegations
As a further investment in the innovators amongst the festival community, each successful proposal may receive an invitation to join a cross-festival delegation to a UK innovation conference. Details of the conferences in 2012 will be available upon application. If the original proposal was the result of a team effort, the candidate for the delegation is to be agreed by that team.
What else should I know about the proposals?
• Usage of the proposal support mechanisms is optional • Projects can be managed and/or delivered in-house or externally • Projects managed/delivered externally require a festival champion • Submissions can be made by individuals or by festivals as a whole • Unsuccessful projects can re-apply in later rounds if they act on feedback • There is no limit on the number of submissions each festival can make • Individual festivals are limited to two grants after which they become ineligible • All grantees must report progress & results via a simple template • Any code created is to be made open source unless a strong case for the contrary • Projects must be completed and invoiced for by end of FY12/13
What are the details of the grant?
• Successful proposals will receive 50% on award and 50% on
completion • Successful proposals to invoice Festivals Edinburgh for draw-down • No match-funding is required • Projects will be reviewed at their midpoint and if no progress has been made the award will be returned to Festivals Edinburgh
please email [email protected]
for questions & support
full details at festivalslab.com/projectlab
thank you.