Prototype Fund: FAQs

Our funding is provided as part of a UK Government business growth strategy. Studios might grow through new PAYE employees or co development with freelancers or other companies as contractors. Consider how your plans fit with that type of growth scenario and tell us why that will be a positive improvement for the UK game development ecosystem. If you are a lone operator presently you will need to have a plan for using our grant to employ staff or fund external development using a shared risk / reward approach that allows expansion and value growth. If you can’t demonstrate such approaches you shouldn’t apply.

We’re using a grant application system to help us manage applications to the fund. All applicants are required to register but can be assured their registration details will only be used within the context of the funding applied for.

The UK Games Fund was established with the remit to support the UK’s early-stage game development and digital interactive business and creative ecosystem. Since launching in 2015, we have supported a funded portfolio of over 230+ interactive digital projects from independent game development studios based across the UK.
When assessing applications for funding, we are looking for those that come from talented UK-based teams with demonstrable ambition to grow to be a sustainable commercial business. The project will be creative and have commercial potential, with a clearly identified route to market backed up by research to prove any claims made about revenue projections.

If you’ve been funded by us before, the impact of the previous grant awarded will be taken into account. You should be able to explain how another grant is going to make a real difference. Our goal is support self-sustaining businesses so it’s good to think about the journey that you’re on, and where we fit into that. If it didn’t work out last time, then we want to know what you plan to do differently – a “more of the same” type of pitch may not be enough.
We don’t fund continuation projects, so a straightforward submission for more money for the same project will be rejected.

Should your project be suitable and your team meets the criteria for eligibility, we would encourage you to consider submitting a revised application. It may well be for the same project, but do bear in mind that this is a new round of applications and so revision and updating of any information shared with us would be advisable.

Expressions of Interest have been paused and only eligible candidates will be invited to apply. EOIs will reopen soon.

If selected for grant support, funded project work can begin from June 2025 upon contractual agreement. Development can, of course, be ongoing before then, but any grant funds to be claimed can only be covered by the timescales as set out in our contract with you.

As part of the UK Games Fund portfolio of funded companies, you will join the more than 400 indie studios based around the UK that form the UKGF community of indie developers.

Funded companies will be fully informed as to how the claims process works in due course.

As stated here, the only costs that can be claimed from the UK Games Fund grant will be staff costs for UK-based employees or contractors. You must cover any costs for non UK-based staff.

As the UK Games Fund is supported by UK Government, our remit is support innovation within the UK’s independent game development sector as well as provide assistance in the growth of sustainable businesses based in the UK. Please refer to the How to Apply page for further information.

All required information is clearly labelled in the written application and we advise applicants to carefully read through any support guidance as provided.

Please refer to the How to Apply page for more information.

If you have a specific question that is not covered by the information as provided either here or on the How to Apply page, please email us help@ukgamesfund.com. This inbox will be monitored during office hours and we ask for your patience as we work through any queries.