ACE have made some updates and clarifications on COVID guidance around their expectations for planning the CRF2 bids:
A new paragraph now says this:
The assumptions published alongside the guidance on the 14th December should be used by organisations making applications and remain unchanged. This guidance has been issued to ensure applicants can make consistent assumptions. Applicants should apply on the basis of a gradual increased capacity over April – June (accounting for social distancing measures still being in place) culminating in full reopening without constraints by July
They have updated FAQs to incorporate new guidance:
What should we assume about tiers or local lockdowns?
For Round 2 applications, organisations are being asked to focus on costs between April-June 2021. Organisations should continue to assume that, by the end of this period, they will be able to operate without capacity constraints such as social distancing, although there may be ongoing measures such as a requirement for masks or managing visitor flow. We recognise that you may not be able to attract pre-COVID levels of attendance, visitor numbers or income by this point, but you do need to demonstrate how you would be able to run a viable and sustainable operating model thereafter.
As is clear in the guidance, these assumptions may well vary in practice, depending on the evolving public health context, including progress in the vaccine rollout and infection rates. As with Round 1, we will work with organisations to support flexibility in plans should the context change following awards being made, but organisations should use the assumptions in this guidance which remain unchanged.
Have the social distancing assumptions for April to June costs changed since the national lockdown? How do I account for this in my application?
The assumptions published alongside the guidance on the 14 December should be used by organisations making applications and remain unchanged. This guidance has been issued to ensure applicants can make consistent assumptions. The guidance remains clear that these assumptions may well vary in practice, depending on the evolving public health context, including progress in the vaccine rollout and infection rates.
Applicants should apply on the basis of a gradual increased capacity over April – June (accounting for social distancing measures still being in place) culminating in full reopening without capacity constraints by July. Organisations should continue to assume that, by the end of June, they will be able to operate without capacity constraints such as social distancing, although there may be ongoing measures such as a requirement for masks or managing visitor flow. We recognise that you may not be able to attract pre-COVID levels of attendance, visitor numbers or income by this point, but you do need to demonstrate how you would be able to run a viable and sustainable operating model thereafter.
Please bear in mind that reflation of reserves up to 8 weeks remains a valid cost where you can evidence how you have had to spend reserves to address further loss of income due to national lockdown or tiers up to end March 2021, including where those reserves were part of a round 1 grant. We recognise that different organisations will have different lead in times for full reopening and therefore reinflation of reserves will be considered an April – June expense even if the money is used by the organisation at a later date. DCMS continues to monitor the public health situation and its impact on the Culture Recovery Fund, working closely with grantmaking ALBs, and will consider any implications for flexible use of funding by organisations in receipt of funding in due course.
