Small Venues Fund - Fund Administrator

North East Combined Authority

Published: Sep 2, 2026

Updated: Sep 2, 2026

Source: uk_fts

About This Opportunity

This is a grants contract in the Monitoring Evaluation, information and communication technology, finance and banking and audit and accounting sectors, with a focus on Due Diligence and Asset Valuation. Located in United Kingdom, Europe, this opportunity is open to firms and consortiums, with an estimated budget of GBP 250,000. Proposals must be submitted before October 7, 2026.

Published through UK FTS - Find a Tender Service, a national government procurement portal. Public procurement tenders follow the country's national bidding regulations and may have specific eligibility and documentation requirements for grants in the Monitoring Evaluation sector. Grant applications generally require a detailed project proposal, a clear results framework, and evidence of the applicant's capacity to deliver the proposed activities. This is an advance notice — the formal tender is expected to be published shortly. Interested parties can use this time to prepare documentation and identify potential partners.

Description

Following the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority (North East MSA) Cabinet meeting in March 2026, North East Mayor Kim McGuiness announced a package of £104million to turbocharge the region's creative industries driving new jobs and opportunities for local people. As part of that package, a commitment was made to back small venues across North East England. Working alongside the sector, the North East MSA's Small Venues Fund (SVF) has been developed to support creative grassroots venues, providing them with the resources and capacity to host events and provide space and a platform for creatives to thrive. It has been shaped to ensure that this fund is fit for purpose and supports an array of artists from across the creative industries. The fund will support an increase in opportunities for both artists and venue operators supporting the exposure of such facilities both within the region and further afield. The fund will open more opportunities to touring artists, providing an increase in the visitor economy and a wider economic impact. The North East MSA is looking to appoint an external Fund Administrator with experience of public sector grant administration and knowledge of the creative and cultural sector to manage the programme from initial enquiry through to project closure. The fund will be delivered on a phased basis. The successful bidder will provide a fully managed grant administration service for the Small Venues Fund. Services will include: o Programme mobilisation. o Applicant support and enquiry management. o Expression of Interest management. o Full application management. o Application appraisal and due diligence. o Independent assessment panel administration. o Grant contracting and subsidy control compliance. o Grant monitoring and compliance activity. o Financial management and payment administration. o Reporting and management information. o Support for programme evaluation. The overall project value is £2.45m million, of which £2.2 million is set aside for grant awards. The value of the contract for the Fund Administrator is up to £250,000 excluding VAT, for the duration of the contract.

Data provenance

This notice is sourced from UK FTS - Find a Tender Service and was originally published on September 2, 2026. Last refreshed today. Reference: 083003-2026. BidsFactory mirrors official procurement notices and links back to the source for full legal text.

About North East Combined Authority

North East Combined Authority has issued 48 procurement notices on BidsFactory, including 4 currently open and 25 awarded contracts. Activity concentrates in Youth & Employment, Social Protection & Welfare, and Education & Training. All notices are published for United Kingdom. Notices are distributed via UK FTS - Find a Tender Service. Most recent publication: September 2, 2026.

Frequently asked questions about this tender

When does this tender close?

The submission deadline is October 7, 2026. You have 36 days left to prepare and submit your proposal to the contracting authority.

Who is the contracting authority?

This notice was issued by North East Combined Authority in United Kingdom. The authority is responsible for evaluating bids, awarding the contract, and managing performance.

What type of contract is this?

This is a Grants contract in the Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning sector. The classification helps bidders match the opportunity to their qualifications and registered scope of supply.

What is the estimated budget?

The estimated contract value is £250,000 - £250,000. Bidders should ensure their proposals are consistent with this range and account for any local taxes and contract execution costs.

Where will the contract be performed?

The contract is for delivery in United Kingdom. Foreign bidders should review local registration, taxation, and any in-country presence requirements before submitting.

How can I submit a bid?

Visit UK FTS - Find a Tender Service to access the full notice, required documents, and submission instructions. Quote reference 083003-2026 when communicating with the contracting authority.