BFI advances filmmaking with transparency while supported by essential grantmaking software

Founded in 1933, the British Film Institute (BFI) today administers grants worth tens of millions of pounds for film production, distribution, education, audience development, and marketing intelligence and research. As an “arm’s length body,” or ALB, the charity channels funding from the government—
operating at an arm’s length from UK ministers—while complying with regulations for grantmaking, finance, fraud prevention, and cyber security that are especially detailed because a large portion of BFI’s funding for grants comes from national lottery proceeds.

To fuel the country’s film community and stay transparent, BFI relies on the comprehensive grant management functionality of Blackbaud Grantmaking software, which staff and other collaborators can access on any device, in
any browser, anywhere around the world.

Blackbaud Grantmaking’s flexibility proved valuable through the COVID-19 crisis and beyond as most BFI staff members embraced remote work for the long term, and as public funding for filmmaking in the UK surged as part of the government’s economic recovery efforts.

In 2022-23, BFI distributed £93 million in grants “to support creativity and seek out the next generation of UK storytellers”—a nearly 45% increase over pre-pandemic grant funding. “We couldn’t deliver our grants program without Blackbaud Grantmaking working as well as it does,” said Paul Richardson, head of counter fraud, scrutiny and risk for BFI. “It is absolutely a key, essential part of our grantmaking.”

Delivering Efficiency and Effectiveness

The number of BFI grant programs reached 28, compared to 18 before the pandemic. That’s because BFI’s grant programs have become more targeted and specific, a welcome complexity that their Blackbaud Customer Success manager and Blackbaud partner Buzzacott helped make possible.

All the programs operate under the shared umbrella of BFI’s Blackbaud Grantmaking architecture, which expanded recently to include a second database to support BFI’s large-scale operation and historic data. The setup is user friendly while meeting the large needs of the system. “Our strategic partnership with Blackbaud and Buzzacott has enabled successful growth and streamlining of our system,” Richardson reported.

The software and support also facilitate BFI’s compliance with evolving government standards—not just for grantmaking but also issues related to finance, fraud prevention, and cyber security. “We’re always working with Blackbaud to make sure we are one step ahead of those compliance needs.” BFI also worked with Blackbaud and Buzzacott to fine-tune the application process, with 89% of applicants reporting that they were either “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with “the ease of use of the electronic application process” when surveyed. “We have high satisfaction with our Blackbaud Grantmaking system,” Richardson said. “The system delivers in terms of efficiency and effectiveness.”

Saving Time for the Creative Process

That satisfaction extends to internal and external grant reviewers, whether or not they are regular users of the software. For industry experts outside of BFI who pitch in, including those who help evaluate scripts, the online system is flexible and easy to access from other locations, Richardson said.

Grant administrators save time thanks to Blackbaud Grantmaking’s reminders and other automations, and the software makes aspects of the reporting process and behind-the-scenes storytelling of BFI-backed projects easier. “A lot of the people who work on the funds are creative types. They are working for BFI because of their interest in film, and they might not necessarily be as interested in grant management—that’s secondary,” he explained. “Having a system that minimizes the administrative burden allows them to focus more on the creative elements of the projects.”

Grateful for the continued improvements that they’ve seen through their collaborative efforts with Blackbaud, Richardson is quick to share the story of BFI’s grantmaking success with professional peers: “We see it as a partnership, not just a purchase of a product,” he said. “We are very happy.”