SCF FAQ

The Sound Connects Fund is a multifaceted initiative aimed at developing the creative sector in Southern Africa – focusing on the broad creative sector including, but not limited to, performing arts (music, dance, theatre and other stage-based industries), visual arts, gaming, animation, film, photography and videography.

The Sound Connects Fund offered financial support in the form of grants of various sizes between 2021 and 2023, it ran its last call for applications in January 2023 which was open to eligible creative and cultural industry organisations operating in selected countries in Southern Africa. The fund also offers a comprehensive capacity-building programme to its awardees.

The Sound Connects Fund is no longer accepting applications. It ran its third and last call in January 2023.

The premise of the call was that the action must take place in the eligible country(s) and it must be clear in the proposal and implementation that the beneficiaries of the action are based in an eligible country. Projects that included participation of beneficiaries in activities outside the eligible country (e.g. conferences, markets, festivals etc.) would remain eligible on the condition that there is a clear demonstration of how such an action benefits the eligible country(s).

Programmes or projects that align with the ‘Sound Connects’ theme and work towards accelerating development and increasing the capacity of the cultural and creative sectors in Southern Africa, including:

• Improving the capacity of creative professionals, leaders and organisations to enhance their contribution to the social and economic development of the cultural and creative sectors in Southern Africa.
• Improving access to financing to support the creation and sustainability of businesses and organisations in the cultural and creative sectors.
• Increasing visibility and market access for cultural and creative practitioners and artists from Southern Africa.

Programmes or projects must focus on one or more of the following areas:

Professional development for culture and creative sector practitioners in Southern Africa.

       Capacity building programmes that offer learning in 1 or more of the following areas:

• Business and management skills to support the identification of new markets, responding to market needs, and identifying income streams for cultural and creative products and services.
• Better understanding of intellectual property creation, protection, and exploitation.
• Technical skills to support the sector such as digital skills, sound engineering, sound and video editing etc.
• Cultural journalism skills development.
• Self-promotion for cultural and creative sector practitioners.
• Activities could include training and capacity building programmes, secondments, mentoring, bursaries, support to hubs to extend their existing training offers and other short courses

Programmes that deliver incubation of talent and services in the performing arts.

• Programmes might include residencies, artist exchange, new talent programmes and competitions. Organisations or individuals delivering incubation programmes will be expected to outline how initiatives offer sustainable impact for the creative professionals engaged and/or the sector in Southern Africa more broadly.

Programmes offering more affordable and greater access to professional services and facilities.

• Provision of existing facilities and professional services such as low cost or free use of venues, recording or editing facilities. In particular services or facilities that influence quality and quantity of products, especially within underrepresented groups. Services and facilities might include access to professional studios, rehearsal facilities, access to high quality venues, access to key services including legal assistance, videography, photography, publicity and other services, and access to formal education or training.

Platforms that offer sustainable opportunities for showcasing quality products to wider audiences while facilitating the rapid mobility of practitioners and exchange among practitioners.

• Showcasing platforms might include festivals, venues (that provide regular showcasing opportunities e.g. residences, concerts, theatre performances etc.), trade fairs, festival circuits (that actively develop sustainable mobility ecosystems for creatives), conferences, and other network building platforms.

Creation of platforms (digital and non-digital) that offer long-term awareness, discovery and distribution of local products and services.

• Platforms might include streaming platforms (audio-visual), development of apps that offer professional services to practitioners, development of online distribution channels, including websites and digital interventions, radio platforms, podcasts, TV platforms, chat platforms and other innovative platforms.

Export-focused initiatives to support distribution of cultural and creative sector goods and services from Southern Africa to regional, continental and international markets.

• Initiatives might include strategic partnership programmes, trade missions, market development programmes and trade events

Supporting business startups and organisations that are able to develop sustainable services.

• Including initiatives that offer services (e.g. app development, effective distribution and publishing models, intellectual property management etc)

Development of cultural and creative education programmes aimed at engaging young people in the sector.

• Activities might include new audience development for cultural education, especially among young people, educational projects that focus on educating young people, women and other underrepresented groups, especially at a young age, encouraging and supporting the introduction of visual literacy in state educational and civil society programmes

Research that creates awareness and understanding of creative economy opportunities, impact and context.

• This might also include research relating policy and legal frameworks effecting the cultural and creative sector and advocacy initiatives to engage government in dialogue around it.

Creation of best-practice-based digital platforms that enable practitioners to learn about financing mechanisms and innovative technological approaches in the digital age.

• The platform should act as a ‘one stop shop’ consolidating information about all funding opportunities from all sources

Support for creators/artists by providing advice, tools, resources and funding to help them start their own businesses.

• The platform should act as a ‘one stop shop’ consolidating information about funding opportunities from different sources, also on a regional, continental and international level.

Yes, applicants could have additional partners for the delivery of their proposed projects. However, there had to be one clear lead partner who would sign the grant contract with the Music In Africa Foundation and ultimately be responsible for the implementation of the project.

Applicants could also secure additional sponsors for the project. However, this must be done in line with the Music In Africa Foundation’s publicity guidelines.

Grant Evaluation Committee

Applications will be adjudicated and awarded by the SCF Evaluation Committee appointed by the MIAF board. The evaluation committee will be comprised of representatives from the Sound Connects Fund project management team and external experts as follows;

• Music In Africa Foundation representative (1)
• Goethe-Institut South Africa representative (1)
• External Panelist (5)

Preliminary & eligibility review

1. This is a preliminary review where all eligible projects are prepared for evaluation at project team level.
2. All ineligible applications are also identified and automatically disqualified. It is important that you read the guidelines carefully and supply all the required documents in your application.

Evaluation Criteria and Guidelines

• Eligible applications are submitted to the evaluation committee and scored against the criteria outlined in the guidelines. The committee also receives all copies of ineligible applications for verification.
• A scoring mechanism shall be used to inform the selection process. Broadly, this process will consider the following;

• Quality and relevance of the solution with reference to the objectives outlined in the call for proposals, as well as the challenges identified in your proposal.
• Sustainability of the proposed action.
• Potential reach and impact.
• Presentation, logic and clarity of the proposal.
• Cost, value and financial model
• Consideration will also include aspects of innovation, originality and inclusiveness e.g. with regards to underrepresented groups.

Disqualification

The following will lead to automatic disqualification:

• Applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria as stated in these guidelines.
• Projects that will be implemented outside the eligible counties as specified in these guidelines.
• Provision of dishonest and inaccurate information.
• Incomplete submission of Application Form, Proposal and/or Compliance documentation.
• Submission of applications that do not adhere to the format and length guidelines established.
• Late submission of any and all documentation.

• Applicants should note that the grant will be paid in tranches as follows:
  • Tranche 1: 50% on signing of contract and fulfilment of admin requirements.
  • Tranche 2: 30% on completion of specified project milestones and submission of mid-project report.
  • Tranche 3: 20% on completion of project and submission of final project report.

• Final tranche payments (up to 20% of the action) will only be made once the financial report has been audited and approved.
• This means that to avoid cash flow challenges, the grantee should be able to advance up to 20% of the requested grant amount.

No, South Africa is not an eligible country for the SCF grant. South Africa is not considered a developing country by the ACP- EU who is the main funder of this programme. 

South African organisations can look for other opportunities that the Music in Africa Foundation have by visiting www.musicinafrica.net.  

1. Applications must be filled out in English only using the provided templates and annexures.
2. Submissions must be made in English only on the official SCF Application Submission Form.
3. All project reports and supporting documentation must be in English only.
4. All communications from the SCF team to applicants will be in English only including email, telephonic or otherwise.
5. Applicants from Angola and Mozambique (only) may apply in Portuguese if they so wish. To download the Portuguese application form and Portuguese annexures, go to www.musicinafrica.net/scf and click on the “Portuguese Application Pack” tab.

The proposed budget submitted for your application should be in Euro (€) only.

No, only one application per organisations were accepted per grant call. However, organisations were not restricted from applying in each of the three (3) grant calls, unless they had been awarded a grant already in a previous call.