Other Funding Sources
Sources of funding and support for museums in the North of England
Details correct September 2024
Funds listed below are currently open to museums and galleries based in the North of England. Please refer to websites for up-to-date information on deadlines, timetabling and grant conditions. Some funders, particularly charitable organisations, proactively seek museums to work with and do not accept unsolicited applications. Those funding streams have not been listed here.
The funds listed below in alphabetical order are open to all museums in the North, depending on their governance. Some sub-regional funders are also included at the end.
Grants to support the development of skills in conservation
- Plowden Scholarships – support for the primary training of conservation students in the UK by offering grants towards course fees. The Anna Plowden Trust seeks to prevent financial reasons from being an obstacle to entering the conservation sector. The Trust is committed to ensuring its support reaches all under-represented groups. The deadline for the 2025-26 academic year is 2nd June 2025.
- Anna Plowden/Clothworkers’ Foundation Continuing Professional Development Grants – now offering increased support for practising conservators in the UK towards the cost of short courses and conferences in the UK and abroad. Regular quarterly deadlines. The Anna Plowden Trust also administers a fund in memory of Robert Shepherd, awarding one annual Scholarship to a student of easel painting conservation and one annual CPD Grant to a practising painting conservator
Exists to help communities find enterprising ways to revitalise the old buildings through advice, grants and loans. Support acts as a catalyst for putting sustainable heritage at the heart of vibrant local economies. Made possible by funding from Historic England and Pilgrim Trust
- Project Viability Grants – up to £15,000, for charities and not-for-profit organisations to support early-stage work (RIBA Plan of Work stages 0–2) on historic building projects to help establish whether a project is viable
- Project Development Grants – up to £20,000, for charities and not-for-profit organisations to support development work (RIBA Plan of Work stages 2–4) on historic building projects and taking them towards the start of work on site
- Also see The Heritage Alliance Heritage Funding Directory
Grants to help museums acquire and share works of art, support the professional development of curators, and inspire and engage new audiences.
- Acquisition Grants – purchase of works of art and other objects of aesthetic interest, dating from antiquity to the present day.
- Main Grants – grants of £7,500 and above and/or where the total cost of the work is more than £15,000
- Small Grants – grants of £7,500 or less where the total cost of the work is £15,000 or less
- Auctions – time critical applications of any size for works coming up for sale at auction
- Art Fund Teacher Fellowships – open to museums with existing Clore Learning Spaces, offers grants to strengthen engagement between secondary schools and museums through fully funded teacher secondments. Supported by Clore Duffield Foundation. Deadline for applications 18th October 2024
- Commission Grants – support the commission and acquisition of important new work with significant international, national or regional significance. Applications for commissions are considered as part of the acquisitions programme with main and small grant levels as outlined above
- Jerwood Art Fund Commissions – a new partnership between Art Fund and Jerwood Foundation, grants to support museums and galleries to develop skills and confidence in commissioning artists to makes work of exceptional innovation and quality. Deadline 1st November 2024
- Jonathan Ruffer Curatorial Grants – funding to support UK curators, museum professionals and researchers to undertake travel and other activities that will extend and develop their curatorial expertise, collections-based knowledge and art historical interests
- Student Opportunities – enables students to explore an interest in the arts alongside future career options, while providing organisations with extra capacity which is skilled and accountable. Funding is to help museums, galleries and visual arts organisations provide paid opportunities for full-time university students to gain meaningful, developmental work experience that enables them to explore their interest in the arts, and related future career options, before they graduate
- Also see Museum Development North’s Continuing Professional Development Bursaries
- Also see “A guide to giving (and selling) art and cultural artefacts to UK museums and galleries” by Art Fund and Arts Council England, under the Arts Council England listing below
Please check the website for up-to-date details of deadlines and when currently closed programmes will reopen.
The national development agency for creativity and culture, working with partners to support inclusive economic growth through investment in libraries, museums and arts venues to ensure that they are fit-for-purpose and able to meet the needs of their communities and the people who work and create within them. All Arts Council England funding and support addresses its 10-year strategy ‘Let’s Create’ .
- National Lottery Project Grants – open access programme for arts, museums and libraries projects, funded by the National Lottery. Open all the time, no deadlines. For projects lasting up to three years, will fund projects that engage people with museums and collections. Funding can also be used to develop skills, research or organisational development.
- £30,000 and under (minimum grant £1,000) – decision in 8 weeks
- £30,001 – £100,000 – decision in 12 weeks
- Over £100,001 – decision in 12 weeks
- Time-limited priorities – occasionally ACE encourages specific types of applications through National Lottery Project Grants to help achieve the Let’s Create Strategy. The opportunity to respond to any of these priorities is part of National Lottery Project Grants and not a separate programme. Any application must meet the criteria for Project Grants, as well as respond to the specific characteristics of any priority. Priorities currently open for applications:
- Unlocking Collections Aimed at enabling museums to develop their collections-based work and increase public engagement with, and use of, their collections.. Applications could involve re-interpretation of collections, working with a wider range of people to better understand and re-interpret collections to be more inclusive, relevant, useful and engaging. This includes projects that enable a deeper understanding of collections’ provenance
- Developing Your Creative Practice – supports the development of independent cultural and creative practitioners. Individuals can apply for £2,000 to £12,000 to focus on their cultural and creative development, and reach the next stage in their practice. DYCP has up to four deadlines per year to apply. The next round opens on 14th November 2024
Please check the website for up-to-date details of deadlines and when currently closed programmes will reopen.
Supporting collections and cultural property – tax incentives for acquisition
Arts Council England also administers several schemes to help public collections acquire important items for public enjoyment:
- Acceptance in Lieu – allows those who have a bill to Inheritance Tax to pay the tax by transferring important cultural, scientific or historic objects and archives to the nation. Material accepted under the scheme is allocated to public museums, archives and libraries
- Private treaty sales – items which have been granted conditional exemption from capital taxation can be purchased by private treaty, including by museums and galleries, without giving rise to a charge under either Inheritance Tax or Capital Gains Tax
- Cultural gifts scheme – enables UK taxpayers to donate important works of art and other heritage objects to be held for the benefit of the public or the nation. In return, donors receive a tax reduction based on a set percentage of the value of the item they donate. Items can either be donated to a specific institution, or museums can apply for them if an organisation is not specified
- “A guide to giving (and selling) art and cultural artefacts to UK museums and galleries”, a guide by Art Fund and Arts Council England (2024) includes advice for those working in museums on how to take advantage of current schemes
- Also see Arts & Culture Finance by Nesta
- Also see Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund
Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund
Supports the purchase of a wide range of material for the permanent collections of non-nationally funded organisations in England and Wales. Museums and galleries should be Accredited or recognised as Working Towards Accreditation. Objects, collections or archives of any date relating to the arts, literature or history are supported. This includes archaeological and ethnographical material, objects illustrating social and popular culture, decorative and fine art, rare books, documents and letters with good historical content, maps, writers’ manuscripts and archival photographs.
The minimum purchase price is £500 and the maximum £500,000. Grants may be up to 50% of the purchase price. Local financial commitment is essential. Up to £10 of grant aid may be given for each £1 of locally raised funding. The balance may be sought from other grant giving bodies which operate nationally.
Also see Headley Trust Headley Museums Archaeological Acquisition Fund
Arts & Culture Finance by Nesta
Arts & Culture Impact Fund – brings together public, private and charitable funding to provide affordable repayable finance to the UK’s arts, culture and heritage organisations able to demonstrate measurable positive social impact. The funding could be used, among other things, to acquire new assets, improve built infrastructure, develop new ventures or scale up existing revenue streams. The fund offers loans between £150,000 and £1 million. Funded by Arts Council England, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Better Society Capital, Bank of America, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Freelands Foundation and Nesta.
Arts Fundraising & Philanthropy
England’s national arts and cultural fundraising programme, dedicated to transforming the sector’s knowledge, skills and success in fundraising.
- Brave Futures – a programme to support arts, culture and heritage organisations to review their business models, build dynamic plans and make difficult decisions. Deadline for applications 25th September 2024
- Fundraising Culture Change – tailored consultancy package designed for arts, culture and heritage organisations experiencing substantial transition or change. The programme supports leaders and inspires teams to work collaboratively to increase fundraising and income generation. Currently open for applications
2024-25 training programme:
- online charged-for courses (£50-£75) covering fundraising and leadership are starting from September 2024
- Concessions are available for freelancers, members of the Arts Marketing Association, members of the National Museum Directors’ Council and charities and arts organisations with an annual turnover of £500,000 or less
- Training bursaries available for all courses through £10 bursary tickets
- Free e-learning courses via FutureLearn covering Leadership in Arts Fundraising and Essentials in Arts Fundraising
Independent charity funding grants to help people in local communities. Grants of up to £2,000, can cover costs to improve/maintain a service, volunteering and community events. Deadline 8th November 2024
- Empowering Local Communities Grant – to support people over the age of 18 in your community, or a mixture of children and adults
- Under 18 Better Start Grant – to support people under the age of 18 in your community
Association for Industrial Archaeology
Restoration Grants:
- Major Projects – maximum grant of £30,000. The grant must be a significant part of the total project cost, not just a small contribution to a very large project, so that the AIA grant has real impact. The AIA would not normally fund projects where the grant represents less than 20% of the total project costs
- Small Projects – up to £10,000, for which the total cost of the project, excluding the value of volunteer labour, must not exceed £12,500
Association of Independent Museums (AIM)
AIM strives to support members to feel confident and effective in running their museums. Grants are available to help AIM members develop and grow their organisations and underpin key areas of activity. AIM membership is a pre-requisite for all grant schemes, membership is open to all types of museum and heritage organisations
- AIM Pilgrim Trust Collections Care and Conservation Grants – funded by the Pilgrim Trust to support small to medium-sized museums (50,000 visitors or less per year) to care for their collections more effectively and efficiently and to meet the standards required for Accreditation. Deadlines 27th September 2024 and 25th March 2025
- Collections Care Audits – run in partnership with ICON to enable small museums to undertake a professional collections care audit. Grants of £1,200 plus travel and VAT (if applicable) are available to cover the cost of a fully accredited conservator undertaking a three-day audit
- Collections Care Scheme – grants help small to medium AIM member museums develop a more sustainable approach to the conservation and management of collections through improvements to collections care. Grants of up to £10,000 to enable museums to receive tailored, specialist advice, purchase equipment, implement advice and train staff and volunteers
- Remedial Conservation Scheme – grants of up to £10,000 to conserve objects that are part of a museum’s permanent collection
- AIM Higher Governance Support Programme (the new name for Prospering Boards) – applications invited on a rolling basis for practical, hands-on support to help your board develop and your museum thrive. Participating boards will receive one-to-one support from a consultant. Applicants will usually be either Accredited or recognised as Working Towards Accreditation. Support is also available to non-Accredited museums where they can demonstrate that the support will enable them to move forward to apply for Accreditation
- AIM Training Grants – grants of up to £350 to support member museums in developing the skills and expertise of their workforce (paid or voluntary). Priority will be given to smaller museums receiving less than 20,000 visitors per year. Rolling deadline, currently open for applications
- Also see Charity Finance Group
Please check the website for up-to-date details of deadlines and when currently closed programmes will reopen.
Administered by trustees appointed by the Museums Association, institutional members can apply for grants of up to £20,000 for the purchase of pictures and works of art (furniture or textiles can be considered) not later than the 18th century in date.
National charity that shares knowledge and experience to help people change the way they think and act on energy. Includes list of potential funders for energy/environmental projects, plus energy advice and resources.
All Association of Independent Museums (AIM) members get free membership to the Charity Finance Group (CFG). CFG helps their members understand what’s happening in the world of charity finance so you can better support your organisation and its experience for your visitors and supporters. Membership of CFG is free but AIM museums must sign up individually for the membership.
Chartered Institute of Fundraising
Professional membership body for UK fundraising, represents and champions the work of individual fundraisers, charities, and their partners. Website includes free to access resources, guidance and templates created specifically for small charities and small fundraising teams. Full membership is free to charities with an annual income of £50,000 or less.
Aims to promote the study and preservation of historic and contemporary dress.
- Daphne Bullard Grant – considers applications from small museums and smaller organisations seeking grants to support work in the conservation of dress and textiles of any period and their display (previously administered by the Museums Association)
- Elizabeth Hammond Grant – promotes the conservation and preparation for display of clothing (including clothing-related textiles) of all periods, styles, and places of origin, held in the permanent collections of Accredited museums which do not have professional textile conservators on their workforce. Can assist with the costs of a wide range of conservation projects, including preliminary assessments, as well as the labour and materials for conservation work
- Museum Work Experience Grant – grant of up to £1500 to a student applying jointly with a museum to support the student to gain work experience with a dress collection and help the museum accomplish a project essential to the care, knowledge and interpretation of collections
- Yarwood Research Grant – grant of up to £500 and one-year membership to help an MA student engaged in high quality research into the history of dress and/or textiles with expenditure relating to the completion of their dissertation
Provides grants to registered charities to support:
- Textile conservation projects, particularly the conservation, display and public access of textiles of national importance
- Projects which develop textile-related skills and innovations
- Projects that support young people’s entrance into and success within the industry
- Memorials, monuments and museum projects related to the armed forces or the textile trade
Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund (administered by the Museums Association) supports a range of projects that bring collections closer to people. Grants of up to £100,000 for projects over two years are available. The Fund supports museums to improve their inclusive collections and participatory practice with, and sometimes led by, community partners. It is looking for museums that have established strategic aims for diversity, equity and inclusion; and that are ready to use their collections and its funding to support social and climate justice, in ways that are relevant to local contexts and relationships. In a change to previous years, it will support core costs for the funding period. Next deadline for applications is 16th September 2024.
Also see Arts & Culture Finance by Nesta
Supports small charities and social enterprises through unrestricted ‘charity-led’ funding – charities can request up to £30,000 over one to three years for whatever they need most to transform their organisation.
Independent grant making trust for UK charities. University museums can also apply for projects that demonstrate a clear public benefit for general use. The Foundation will complete its grant giving programme in 2025 but applications are still open for the final rounds of grants for projects which will complete by the end of 2025. Check the website for details of deadlines for each of the grant schemes.
- Main Grants Scheme – Learning – support projects which facilitate the acquisition of knowledge and learning, and which have a long-term strategic impact. Key areas for support are:
- Libraries, museums and archives
- Special educational needs
- Projects that encourage sustainability by reducing overheads or which help generate additional revenue. This might include environmental improvements to save energy and lower carbon emissions
- Projects and activities which increase access and widen the diversity of attenders/visitors
- Small Grants Scheme – open for applications until 31st January 2025. Available to all registered charities working in any field, especially those working at grassroots and local community level, with an annual turnover of less than £150,000 per annum. One-year grants of £2,000-£10,000 to support a wide range of activities and covering core costs. Priority is to support projects delivering services to the young, vulnerable, elderly, disadvantaged or the general community
Works to broaden access to art education and the visual arts across the UK.
- See Art Fund Freelands Art Fund Acquisition
- See Arts & Culture Finance by Nesta
To help regional, national and specialist libraries, archives and museums acquire books, manuscripts and archives that they could not otherwise afford. Grants typically range from £200-£20,000.
Supports a wide range of charities that make a positive difference, working in different sectors in the UK. These include welfare, youth, community, environment, education, health, arts, heritage and faith.
- Regular Grants – for applications below £100,000
- Major Grants – grants of £100,000 and over for organisations or projects with costs or turnover over £1 million
Types of grants available are:
- Capital – building project, repairs or equipment. Typically, capital grants are no more than 10% of a project’s total cost
- Revenue/core cost grants – contribution towards the general running costs
- Project/specific activity grants – contribution towards the costs of a specific project or area of work. Grants tend to be 10-20% of total project costs
Arts-funding trust to promote, maintain, improve and advance the education of the public in the arts. Grants are usually for up to £3,000, for projects that demonstrate and deliver excellence in the arts, be it in performance, exhibition, artistic craft, or scholarly endeavour. Trustees meet quarterly to consider applications.
Leading funding database in the UK covering local, national, and international sources of funding.
Heritage & The Arts – grants of up to £5,000 for UK charities for:
- Heritage – conservation of historic buildings, conservation of historic objects and paintings
- Arts – engaging with marginalised audiences e.g. disabled, ethnic minorities, people living below the minimum poverty threshold for the appreciation of arts, performances or exhibitions; opportunities, education and skills development of creative talent for artists with financing challenges or disability support requirements
Also has other funding streams available with outcomes based around relief of poverty, elderly, disability and inclusion, health, military, environment and conservation, children & young people.
One of the Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts. Trustees are prepared to consider proposals that closely match one of the following areas of interest:
- Arts & Heritage UK: Funds regional museums and galleries (including local authority museums); curators; acquisitions; display, study, acquisition of British ceramics; industrial, maritime, built heritage conservation; archaeology; arts education digitisation and outreach
- Education: Apprenticeships and bursaries in conservation and heritage skills for UK students
- Headley Museums Archaeological Acquisition Fund http://headley-archaeology.org.uk – runs alongside and in collaboration with the Arts Council England/ V&A Purchase Grant Fund. For artefacts classified as Treasure under the Treasure Act which came into force in July 2023, broadening the previous definition. An application will only be accepted by Headley Trust if Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund has already offered a grant.
Henry Moore Grants support the growth and development of sculpture across historical, modern and contemporary registers, and funds research that expands the appreciation of sculpture. Grants can be used in support of exhibitions, exhibition catalogues, commissions, conferences, research, publications and the development of collections through acquisitions, conservation, cataloguing and display.
- New Projects and Commissions – grants up to £20,000 for exhibitions, exhibition catalogues and sculpture commissions
- Acquisitions and Collections – grants up to £20,000 for museums and galleries to acquire new sculptural works or to conserve sculpture in existing collections
- Research and Development:
- Long Term Research Grants – available to organisations only, these grants support extended research projects requiring funding for more than one year e.g. a permanent collection catalogue. Grants can be awarded up to £20,000
- Research and Travel Grants – available to sculpture historians, academics and conservators who are researching and publishing on sculpture conservation, production, history and/or interpretation. Will support funding towards research costs, including travel, photography and archival access. The maximum grant is £2,500
A membership body representing the independent heritage movement in England.
- Heritage Funding Directory – Managed by The Heritage Alliance and the Architectural Heritage Fund and supported by the Historic Houses Foundation, the Heritage Funding Directory is a free guide to financial support for anyone undertaking UK related heritage projects. This is a useful starting point for navigating funding sources in the sector.
- Repair Grants for Heritage at Risk – grants towards the repair and conservation of listed buildings, scheduled monuments and registered parks and gardens, includes project development actions which enable repair or improved future management. Intended to reduce the risk faced by sites on the Heritage at Risk Register
- Heritage Protection Commissions and Capacity Building – funding for strategic research and projects which develop sector capacity, capability and resilience, and/or help more diverse people engage with heritage and the historic environment
- Regional Capacity Building Programme – for activities and projects which are local or regional in coverage and which promote the understanding, management and conservation of the historic environment
- Everyday Heritage Grants: Celebrating Working Class Histories – funding projects that celebrate working class histories and the historic places that make up everyday life. Grants up to £25,000, particularly looking for smaller projects up to £10,000. Willing to fund proposals with links to established heritage institutions but are especially interested in funding community-led projects. Grants are not designed to fund reinterpretation of museum collections, but rather are to fund projects to uncover people’s stories in relation to buildings or places. Deadline for applications 7th October 2024
- Also see Architectural Heritage Fund Project Viability Grants and Project Development Grants
Grants for the repair and conservation of rural historic buildings and structures in England and Wales, including their gardens, grounds and outbuildings. Also grants for the restoration and conservation of works of art in historic house collections open to the public.
Usually make grants to projects which are ready to begin but which either do not qualify for funding from any of the mainstream sources or have been awarded only partial funding and require significant further funds to complete the resource package. Will also consider funding to kick start a project. Grants can be awarded from £1,000-£250,000 but most are under £50,000.
Also see The Heritage Alliance Heritage Funding Directory.
The ICOM UK Bursary Fund provides grants for ICOM UK members to attend ICOM General Conferences, meetings of ICOM International Committees (subject specialist groups) and other conferences with a demonstrable international remit. As international travel continues to be challenging in many parts of the world, ICOM UK members can now apply for a bursary to attend online as well as in-person international conferences and events.
Tru Vue Conservation and Exhibition Grant – small heritage institutions can apply for grant funding up to £3,000 to support the delivery of conservation projects that enable the safe display of an object in their collection. Projects will either conserve and protect an object or objects already on display or enable an object that is not currently on display to be conserved and made accessible to visitors in a safe way. Deadline 30th September 2024
See Association of Independent Museums Collections Care Audits.
Supports registered charities and national museums that are publicly exempt charities in projects that support the arts and conservation with grants of up to £7,000.
- Conservation – support the conservation of cultural heritage of recognised national and international importance in museums, libraries, galleries, historic buildings, or landscapes accessible to the public. Priority will be given to applications that include a knowledge sharing element as an outcome of the project
Supports excellence and emerging talent in the arts in the UK and welcomes funding applications from organisations with a focus on making art available for public benefit and working with its Collection. Next deadline 4th October 2024.
Also see Art Fund Jerwood Art Fund Commissions
Heritage Conservation Grants – supports the conservation of historically, artistically and culturally significant buildings and objects dating from before 1837 that are in urgent need of remedial treatment. Items must be in public or charitable ownership and accessible to the public.
National network of community-led organisations; work aims to inspire local communities to change and improve by helping people to set up locally owned and led organisations, support organisations to exchange ideas and best practice on community asset ownership, community enterprise and social action, run major national programmes to support and empower local communities.
- Members Support Fund supports MA members facing financial difficulties and to provide financial support for professional development through:
- Financial Support
- Means-tested support – for the relief, in cases of need, hardship or distress; for example, death or serious illness or loss of employment
- One-off grants to support cost of living – 20 grants of £250 to members who have been financially affected by the cost of living crisis. Priority will be given to applicants experiencing severe financial hardship through unemployment or loss of freelance work
- Humanitarian Causes – free annual membership of the Museums Association to international colleagues affected by disaster and conflict
- Support for Professional Development – grants to support the education, training and development of members participating in programmes and events organised by the MA and by other external providers
- Inclusive Event Places – provides places at MA’s one-day conferences for individual MA members who face barriers due to ethnicity, disability, socio-economic background, and gender identity or sexual orientation (LGBTQ)
- Inclusive Memberships – provides 200 fully-funded memberships per year to individuals who face barriers due to ethnicity, disability, socio-economic background, and gender identity or sexual orientation (LGBTQ)
Also see Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund
Also see Beecroft Bequest
Database of grant funding and social investment sources providing charities, voluntary organisations, community groups and social enterprises with an affordable way to search for funding. This service is available to organisations with an annual income below £1m and is free for organisations with an annual income under £30,000.
- Records at Risk Grants – grants of up to £5,000 to protect records of cultural and research value from premature destruction or prolonged neglect. Delivered in collaboration with the British Records Association and the Business Archives Council, to provide support for urgent interventions to save significant physical and digital records facing immediate peril
- Archives Revealed is a partnership programme between The National Archives, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Pilgrim Trust and the Wolfson Foundation. It is the only funding stream in the UK dedicated to cataloguing and unlocking archives. It comprises:
- Cataloguing Grants – grants of up to £50,000 for the cataloguing of archives, to ensure that significant archive collections, representing the lives and perspectives of all people across the UK, are made accessible to the public for research and enjoyment
- Scoping Grants – funds an expert report, to assess significant and unknown collections that may be of public value
- Resilience Grants – to support archive services, organisations with archives, and archives networks to be adaptable, resilient and sustainable, creating lasting solutions that enable them to respond to change, and contribute to communities and the economy. Grants are for up to £20,000
- Consortium Grants – grants of up to £150,000 for several large-scale consortium projects, bringing together multiple organisations to deliver a specific project. These could be thematically or geographically linked (for example, to deliver impact in a priority place), or could bring together organisations interested in developing archival practice for the sector
National Heritage Memorial Fund
Aims to save items of outstanding importance to the national heritage and are at risk or of memorial character. Operates as a fund of last resort. Can help with purchase of works of fine and decorative art, museum collections, archives, manuscripts, items of transport and industrial history, historic buildings and land. Apply at any time but also requires an Expression of Interest to proceed to full application. Assessment process normally takes six months, cases considered urgent normally take three months.
The National Lottery Community Fund
One of 12 distributors of money raised by players of The National Lottery.
- National Lottery Awards For All England – a quick way for voluntary or community organisations to apply for smaller amounts between £300 and £20,000 for project lasting two years
- Reaching Communities England – funding of over £20,000 for voluntary or community organisations for projects lasting up to five years that work with their community – whether that’s a community living in the same area, or people with similar interests or life experiences
- Partnerships – funding of over £20,000 for voluntary or community organisations that work together with a shared set of goals to help their community thrive – whether that’s a community living in the same area, or people with similar interests or life experiences
- Also see Chartered Institute of Fundraising
National Lottery Heritage Fund
Funding ready to support innovative and ambitious projects that share its vision for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. All projects must consider the Fund’s four investment principles – saving heritage; protecting the environment; inclusion, access and participation; organisational sustainability
- National Lottery Heritage Grants £10,000-£250,000 – for projects that last up to five years, an optional Project Enquiry Form will give advice before the application stage. Rolling deadline, decision in eight weeks
- National Lottery Heritage Grants £250,000-£10m – for projects over five years, requires an Expression of Interest. Quarterly deadlines, decision in 12 weeks
- Also see Arts & Culture Finance by Nesta
- Also see The National Archives Archives Revealed
National Manuscripts Conservation Trust
Helps preserve important manuscript and archive collections by awarding grants for their conservation, including where there is a training opportunity within the project. Applications accepted from non-national archives and record offices, as well as specialist libraries, universities and museums.
NESTA
See Arts & Culture Finance by Nesta
Foundation uses its resources to support social change, working towards a just future in which everyone, especially young people, can realise their full potential and enjoy fulfilling and creative lives.
- Arts-based Learning Fund – supports work which enables pupils in formal education settings, particularly those experiencing systemic inequality or disadvantage, to thrive through engagement with high quality, arts-based learning
People’s Postcode Lottery manages lotteries for 20 Postcode Trusts. Most of the Postcode Trusts, including the Postcode Culture Trust, do not accept unsolicited applications.
Open funds are available through the Postcode Neighbourhood Trust which supports smaller charities and good causes in the north of England to make a difference to their community for the benefit of people and planet. Grants are between £500 and £25,000. The funding offered is unrestricted and therefore flexible. It can be used however it is most needed. Applications are considered three times per year. The next deadline is 1st October 2024. Priority will be given to charities and good causes which meet some or all the following criteria:
- Annual income of £250,000 and below
- For communities that rank as being within the top 15% on the English Indices of Deprivation
- Funding for groups that are set up to support people from the following minority/marginalised groups
- Communities experiencing racial inequity
- Disabled people
- LGBT+ people
This year’s themes are:
- Enabling participation in physical activity
- Enabling participation in the arts
- Preventing or reducing the impact of poverty
- Supporting marginalised groups and tackling inequality
- Improving biodiversity and responding to the climate emergency
- Improving green spaces and increasing access to the outdoors
- Providing support to improve mental health
Through grants aims to improve the life chances for the vulnerable and preserve the best of our past. Funds charities, organisations with exempt charitable status and recognised public bodies.
- Historic Buildings and Structures – funds the preservation and repair of historic buildings, structures and architectural features, giving special consideration to those helping find sustainable solutions for the conservation and re-use of historic buildings, especially those at risk and of outstanding importance
- Care of Collections and Objects – the Trust’s main method of supporting the care of collections and objects is through funding of the AIM Pilgrim Trust Collections Care and Conservation Grants and National Manuscripts Conservation Trust. Grant applicants should only apply to the Pilgrim Trust if they are not eligible for AIM’s and NMCT’s grant schemes. Through the Pilgrim Trust scheme grants are generally made between £1,000 and £30,000
- Also see The National Archives Archives Revealed
- Also see Architectural Heritage Fund Project Viability Grants and Project Development Grants
The Schroder Charity Trust makes grants of up to £5,000 towards core and project costs for one year to charities registered in the UK for work under the following categories:
- Arts, Culture and Heritage
- Education, Training and Employment
- Environment and Conservation
- Health and Wellbeing
- Strengthening Communities
Eligible charities are those with an annual income of £50,000-£2million. Applications can be submitted at any time.
Provides grants of up to £5,000 to charities and not for profit organisations to support projects to improve a physical building, including improved energy efficient lighting and heating, improving safety and security of a building. Prioritises applications where they can fund the total (or majority) project amount.
The Swire Charitable Trust makes grants to charities supporting some of the UK’s most vulnerable people to overcome barriers and realise their potential, and to charities protecting environment and heritage.
- Heritage – funds projects that have legitimacy from a heritage perspective as well as the potential to deliver meaningful social and economic benefits to deprived communities or disadvantaged people, favouring grassroots organisations that strongly engage with their local communities. Also funds charities that are working hard to protect and cultivate the skills and knowledge underpinning the UK’s heritage sector
- Environment – connecting people to the environment and supporting biodiversity
- Opportunity – supporting charities that are directly addressing the challenges faced by the most marginalised and disadvantaged
Museum, Archive and Conservation Award – awards of up to £5,000 for a textile related project within a museum, archive or conservation studio which is an institutional member of the Textile Society. Priority will be given to applications from small to medium sized institutions with an annual turnover of less than £750,000 per year.
The Foundation’s fundamental aim is to improve the civic health of society mainly through education and research, specifically by supporting excellence in the fields of education, science and medicine, health and disability, heritage, humanities and the arts. Deadlines are June and December each year for all programmes
- Funding for Museums & Galleries – for museums and galleries undertaking projects to improve the display and interpretation of nationally significant collections for the public. Grants are generally awarded towards refurbishing or creating new galleries and, occasionally, education and learning spaces. Open to Accredited museums holding a permanent collection of national significance. This is generally defined as holding a Designated Outstanding Collection (Arts Council England). Where a collection is not designated, you should make a strong case for the significance of the collection within a national context. If the museum or gallery does not hold a permanent collection, you should make a clear case for the significance of the exhibition programme and the work of the organisation within the sector. Minimum grant is £15,000, usual grant range is £50,000-£500,000
- Historic Buildings & Landscapes – funding for charities or local authorities managing sites of outstanding historic, architectural and cultural significance and that have a clear emphasis on public access and engagement. Grants are awarded towards conservation and restoration work, interpretation, and education spaces. Sites must be listed as Grade I, II* or a Scheduled Monument
- Funding for Libraries & Archives – for libraries and archives caring for nationally significant collections and which have a clear emphasis on public access and engagement. Grants are generally awarded towards collection storage facilities and research, education or interpretation spaces. Must be operated by a registered charity or a local authority, archives must be fully accredited under the Archive Service Accreditation Scheme and hold a permanent collection of national significance
- Funding for Public Engagement with Science Organisations – organisations, including Accredited museums, that are in possession of significant scientific or natural history collections of national significance to improve public engagement with science through projects related to the history of science. Grants are generally awarded towards refurbishing or creating new galleries and, occasionally, education and learning spaces
- Also see The National Archives Archives Revealed
Regional funding
The national membership organisation for accredited community foundations around the UK. Its members bring together people and organisations wanting to make a positive difference to communities through place-based philanthropy. Each regional community foundation website acts as a central point of information for sources of funding in the region. Grant sources currently open for applications are listed on the websites.
Community Foundation for Lancashire
Community Foundation for Merseyside
Community Foundation Tyne Wear & Northumberland
Point North (County Durham Community Foundation)
Two Ridings Community Foundation (North, East Yorks, York & Hull)
Leeds Community Foundation (includes Bradford)
Community Foundation for Calderdale
One Community Foundation (Kirklees)
South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation
Regional funding through railway companies
TransPennine Route Upgrade Community Fund
Grant programme to improve local spaces and services along the 70-mile TransPennine Route between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York. Community projects within 5 miles of the core TRU route and its key diversionary routes (covering parts of Greater Manchester, Lancashire, West, South and North Yorkshire) are eligible to receive funding.
- Small Grants – £1,000-£5,000, deadline for applications 16th September 2024
- Medium Grants – £5,000-£10,000, deadline for applications 30th September 2024
The Community Fund aims to drive the TransPennine Route Upgrade to achieve two main objectives:
- To act as a catalyst for regeneration by enhancing and protecting community ‘spaces and places’ along the route.
- To support the delivery of the TRU team in volunteering in the community to develop job skills and shape public spaces alongside the communities that use them.
Projects can finish no later than January 2027.
Other similar but currently closed funds are:
LNER Customer and Community Investment Fund
Northern Customer and Community Improvement Fund
Avanti West Coast Customer & Communities Improvement Fund
Department for Business and Trade
Finance and support for your business – Government list of business support for organisations, filtered to show those applicable to the North East, North West and Yorkshire.
Burbo Bank Extension Community Fund
Supports community and environmental projects along the North Wales and English coast off the Irish Sea within a defined area, including Sefton and the Wirral. Grants are available for projects located, and for the benefit of communities, within the funding area.
- Small Grants – £500-£5,000, no match funding required
- Main Grants – £5,001-£20,000, minimum 20% match funding
Funds organisations in the North West. Provides grants to encourage the study, practice and appreciation of science and the arts. Looks for imaginative proposals from organisations which will in some way make the North West a richer and more attractive place in which to live and work. Grants from £500-£10,000 but the Foundation will not be the sole funder of a project. The average grant is £2,000. Next deadline 18th October 2024
Merseyside Funding Information Portal
Database of Merseyside-specific funding. Contains funding updates and details of local and regional funders including some that also operate across the wider North West region.
The Ulrike Michal Foundation for the Arts
The Foundation’s purpose is to promote, encourage and extend the love, appreciation, enjoyment, understanding and practice of fine, decorative and applied arts among people of all ages through experiences at museums, art galleries, historic properties and in the community at large, both as individuals and communally, as participants and spectators. Awards grants to applicants whose projects and activities meet the purpose of the Foundation for the benefit of adults and/or children in specific geographical areas including Merseyside and Cheshire. Through the Core Grant Scheme applications are welcomed from art galleries, museums and historic properties for projects which could include, but are not limited to, exhibitions, workshops, community art, conservation, research, artistic skills and development, and art for the public realm.