Consideration Framework Subsidy Scheme Restoration of Culture Zoetermeer

1. Framework

The Subsidy Scheme for the Recovery of Culture in Zoetermeer provides for the subsidizing of the development and/or implementation of activities that promote the recovery of the cultural sector in Zoetermeer post-corona and are not feasible within the regular operations.

The budget available for the scheme is set by the City Council. Grant applications are processed in order of receipt until the grant ceiling is reached. Consideration takes place on the basis of this assessment framework. The grant applicants will provide the necessary information for this, in accordance with Article 12 of the Subsidy Scheme for the Restoration of Culture Zoetermeer.

2. Consideration Framework

2.1 System of applications

Grant applications can be submitted during between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2024. When the grant ceiling is reached, the college will publish and make it known through the Municipal Gazette.

The grant applicant is expected to provide the following documents:

  • A recovery plan with a substantive explanation that outlines why the applicant is eligible for the grant, how the applicant intends to use it, and what recovery effects are intended;
  • A balanced and realistic project budget of the actions and activities needed to achieve recovery, with an explanation of why the plans cannot be financed from regular operations;
  • a recent financial statement showing the extent to which financial continuity is plausible.

2.2 Assessment

The municipality uses three considerations when evaluating applications:

  1. threshold conditions;
  2. a substantive consideration;
  3. a business consideration.

Threshold conditions

The threshold conditions determine whether the application is eligible for further review. The college determines whether the plan meets the conditions set by the grant regulations. The following questions must all be answered "yes" for the application to be eligible for further consideration.

  • Is the applicant a cultural organization or cultural creator based in Zoetermeer and offering activities to Zoetermeer residents?
  • Does the applicant have sufficient financial continuity?
  • Is the application focused on recovery after corona?
  • Can the applicant not develop the activities within regular operations?

Content consideration

Content consideration determines whether the application meets the purpose of the grant program. The substantive consideration of applications is provided by an official committee. This committee examines the plausibility that the submitted restoration plan will indeed contribute to the restoration of the applicant. In this, the following aspects are considered:

  • Who is intended to be reached by the proposed activities and in what quantity?
  • What activities has the applicant already undertaken to achieve recovery?
  • What effects are envisioned by the proposed activities?
  • Do the proposed activities result in incidental or lasting effects?
  • How do these effects contribute to the applicant's recovery?

If the official committee believes that the submitted recovery plan can effectively contribute to the recovery of the applicant and/or the cultural sector, business consideration follows.

Business consideration

The business consideration concerns the likelihood of success and effectiveness of the plans. The business consideration of applications is provided by an official committee. In this, the following aspects are considered.

  • How and with whom are we collaborating, in what networks?
  • What does the financial rationale (budget, coverage plan, own earnings) look like?
  • Is financial continuity of the organization plausible?
  • Do the activities take place at least eight weeks after the application is submitted?

3. Procedure

3.1 Assessment

  1. The application is first "tested" against the threshold requirements. If the application does not immediately meet the threshold, the applicant is notified and given the opportunity to still meet the threshold. The date the application is received is the date the application is fully completed and meets the threshold requirements.
  2. Applications that meet the threshold are reviewed in terms of content and business in an official committee consisting of at least two people. If the official committee is positive about the restoration plan of the applicant, a positive advice will be given to the Board. It follows that a (partial) subsidy can be granted.

3.2 Selection and weighting

Applications will be processed in order of receipt until the grant ceiling is reached.

3.3 Decision

The college, taking note of the official committee's advice, makes the final decision on the grant award. The applicant will receive notification of this (within 13 weeks) in the form of a (provisional) grant decision. The applicant can then object to that decision. How this works is stated in the decision.