Budget & financing plan for project funding
For project funding, the financing plan often co-decides the outcome — not just the total, but whether it is traceable. Here is how to build one that holds up.
Why the financing plan is more than a number
A funding application without a solid financing plan looks unfinished, even when the project itself convinces. Juries check not only whether the total seems appropriate, but whether the individual items match the described project — a financing plan is also proof that the project has been thought through to the end.
Structure: expenses
- Material and production — what is actually consumed or produced, with realistic individual items rather than one lump sum.
- Fee/living costs — your own working time is a cost item, not a given. A project that budgets only material but no fee for the person doing the work strikes many juries as unrealistic, not frugal.
- Travel and accommodation — for location-bound projects or residencies, list separately, don't hide under "miscellaneous".
- Space/production costs — rent, equipment, exhibition space where relevant.
- Documentation and outreach — photo documentation, catalogue, website; often forgotten although it is part of many funding guidelines.
Structure: income
- The funding applied for — the amount you are requesting from this specific funder.
- Own funds — your own financial contribution, however small. Many funders expect a visible own share as a sign of shared responsibility.
- Other funding sources — funding already granted or applied for elsewhere, with its status (granted/applied/planned) clearly marked.
- Project income — e.g. sales, entrance fees, participation fees, where applicable.
Expenses and income should balance in the end — funding rarely covers 100 % of a project, and a plan that assumes it does strikes many juries as unrealistic.
Minimum fees: what to base them on?
For exhibition fees, commissioned works and comparable artistic services, professional associations (in Germany e.g. the BBK) regularly publish fee recommendations. Concrete amounts change over time — this guide deliberately names no fixed euro figures that would quickly go stale. Before drawing up the financing plan, check the current recommendations of the relevant professional association in your discipline.
The own contribution: how much is customary?
There is no fixed rule — some programmes prescribe a minimum own contribution explicitly, others expect it implicitly as a quality signal. A realistic, even small own share (your own working time beyond the fee, your own material, unpaid help from others) is usually judged more positively than a plan that relies 100 % on external funding.
The most common mistakes
- Round fantasy figures. An item "material: €2,000" without a breakdown looks guessed rather than calculated — a short breakdown into individual items convinces more.
- No connection to the project. Every expense item should visibly belong to the described project — items with no obvious link invite questions.
- No fee for your own work. A plan that prices only material costs but no working time usually underestimates the real effort — and normalises unpaid artistic work.
- Expenses and income don't match. The totals should balance, or the difference should be clearly explained (e.g. "remainder covered from own funds").
Frequently asked questions
Does the financing plan have to be fully closed at the time of application?
Not always, but it must be realistic — open items (e.g. "further funding applied for, decision pending") should be clearly marked as such instead of pretending the financing is already secured.
What if I can hardly estimate the actual costs in advance?
A reasoned estimate with a realistic range beats an invented precise figure — when unsure, look at comparable projects that have already been realised.
Does unpaid help from colleagues count as own contribution?
Often yes, listed as a contribution in kind — it should be labelled transparently, not folded into a regular cost item.
What happens if less money is needed than applied for?
That is usually handled by the proof of use at the end of the project — unspent funds normally have to be returned or specifically justified. Details are in the funding decision.
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