Arts Council England has today opened the application process for the first round of funding from a £20m fund for small capital grants.

Organisations will be able to apply for grants of between £100,000 and £499,999 for projects that will make them more sustainable and resilient, such as the refurbishment of existing buildings to become more efficient.

Alan Davey, chief executive of Arts Council England said: “Our capital investment programme is a very practical way of helping to develop arts infrastructure in this country so that organisations can flourish and continue to produce the excellent work that audiences want to see.”

The fund originates from the £234.6m that Arts Council England has been allocated by the National Lottery for capital grants over the next four years.

£12m is available for the first round and the deadline for applications is 30 October 2012, with Arts Council England expected to tell applicants if they have been successful by mid January 2013. A second round worth £8m will open in 2013.

For more information and to apply online click here.