Other Funding Sources

Sources of funding and support for museums in the North of England

Details correct February 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.

Architectural Heritage Fund

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.

Art Fund

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

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

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 “A guide to giving (and selling) art and cultural artefacts to UK museums and galleries” by Art Fund and Arts Council England.

Please check the website for up-to-date details of deadlines and when currently closed programmes will reopen.

Arts Council England

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

Museum Estate and Development Fund (Round 4) – for capital infrastructure and maintenance for non-national Accredited museums based in England, and/or local authorities based in England who are responsible for maintenance of non-national Accredited museum buildings. Grants are available for between £50,000 and £5m. Deadline for submitting Expressions of Interest is midday Thursday 18th April 2024.

Changes were made to National Lottery Project Grants in November 2023 – please make sure you have the most up-to-date guidance documents from ACE’s website.

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 museums, galleries, record repositories and specialist libraries 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.

Arts & Culture Finance by Nesta

Arts & Culture Impact Fund – a new £20 million social impact investment fund for socially driven arts, culture and heritage organisations registered and operating in the UK. The fund offers loans between £150,000 and £1 million repayable until May 2032. Funded by a mix of public, private and philanthropic investors including Arts Council England, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Big Society Capital, Bank of America, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Freelands Foundation and Nesta. The fund is the world’s biggest impact investment fund for the creative arts.

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 £7,500, 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:

  • 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 are available 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 are available 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 – to support member museums in developing the skills and expertise of their workforce (paid or voluntary). AIM members can apply for funding, up to £350 per organisation per year, to support training and development. Grants can support costs related to fees, accommodation (where distance travel is involved) and environmentally sensitive travel

Also see Charity Finance Group

Beecroft Bequest

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. Trustees are keen to support the development of collections that are relevant to local communities and tell stories that connect with all.

Charity Finance Group

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 have to 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. Supported by the National Lottery Community Fund, website includes free to access resources on fundraising essentials for charities, and charged-for training on fundraising for small charities. From spring 2024, will be offering charities with an annual income of £50,000 or less free organisational membership of the Chartered Institute.

Drapers’ Charitable Fund

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
  • Preservation of the nation’s heritage through support of museums, memorials and monuments and museum projects related to the armed forces or the textile trade

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

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 is interested in supporting social and climate justice using museum collections, in ways that are relevant to local contexts and relationships. All applications to the Fund must focus on existing collections, typically held by an Accredited museum or partnership of museums and other organisations.

Also see Arts & Culture Finance by Nesta

Foyle Foundation

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. Grants are usually £10,000-£50,000 for revenue projects although larger grants are possible. Capital grants for £75,000 or over are subject to an additional enquiry stage. 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 where a cost benefit can be demonstrated
  • Projects and activities which increase access and widen the diversity of attenders/visitors

Small Grants Scheme – available to all registered charities working in any field, especially those working at grass roots 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. Priority is to support projects delivering services to the young, vulnerable, elderly, disadvantaged or the general community

Friends of National Libraries

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.

Garfield Weston Foundation

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 grant available are:

  • Capital – building project, repairs or equipment. Typically capital grants are no more than 10% of a project’s total cost
  • Revenue/Core Costs – contribution towards the general running costs
  • Project Costs – contribution towards the costs of a specific project or activity

GrantFinder

Leading funding database in the UK covering local, national, and international sources of funding.

The Grocers’ Charity

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.

Headley Trust

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:

  • Regional museums and galleries (including local authority museums), with special consideration for curatorial support and acquisitions
  • The display, study and acquisition of British ceramics
  • Conservation of industrial, maritime and built heritage
  • Archaeology
  • Arts education including digitisation and outreach

Education: Bursary support for vocational training in conservation and heritage skills

Headley Museums Archaeological Acquisition Fund  – for artefacts classified as Treasure under the Treasure Act which came into force in July 2023, broadening the previous definition. Runs alongside, and in close collaboration with, Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund. 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 Foundation

Henry Moore Grants support 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 sculpture or to conserve sculpture in existing collections, also consider cataloguing and display costs

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

The Heritage Alliance

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.

Historic England

Repair Grants for Heritage at Risk – grants towards the repair and conservation of listed buildings, scheduled monuments and registered parks and gardens, 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 regional in coverage and which promote the understanding, management and conservation of the historic environment

Everyday Heritage Grants – planned to run summer 2024, previous grant rounds funded projects that celebrated working class histories and the historic places that make up everyday life

Also see Architectural Heritage Fund Project Viability Grants

Historic Houses Foundation

Supports the preservation of buildings of historic or architectural significance together with their gardens and grounds. Also supports the restoration and conservation of works of art in historic houses open to the public, often helping where support cannot otherwise be found. Usually listed or scheduled buildings but may also make grants to projects that involve an unlisted building in a conservation area judged to be of sufficient historic or architectural significance or importance.

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.

ICON

See Association of Independent Museums Collections Care Audits.

Idlewild Trust

Supports registered charities and national museums that are publicly exempt charities in projects that support the arts and conservation with grants of up to £5,000.

  •  Art – improve opportunities for young professionals working creatively in the arts at an early stage in their careers
  • Conservation – support the conservation of important works of art and objects that are being lost through the lack of funds to look after these works

Leche Trust

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

Conservation Bursaries – bursaries for young people undertaking training in specialist conservation and craft skills

Special Reserve Fund – enables the Trust to respond to urgent requests for support towards the acquisition of important items for museum and other historic collections

Learning and Research Fund – for supporting one-off projects that advance knowledge in the field of heritage and conservation

Museums Association

Museums Association Benevolent Fund supports MA members facing financial difficulties and to provide financial support for professional development through:

  • Humanitarian Support Fund
  • 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
  • Financial Support Fund – to address difficulties for members including the relief of poverty and alleviating financial distress
  • 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)

Also see Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund

Also see Beecroft Bequest

My Funding Central

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.

The National Archives

Archives Revealed is a partnership programme between The National Archives, 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 – up to £45,000 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 assessment report incorporating expert advice on a range of areas relating to collections management and the development of your collection

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

Skills Bursaries – bursaries of up to £1000, for archivists seeking to access training, career professional development or mentoring that would not usually be available in their own organisational development programmes

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
  • Awards from the UK Portfolio: Climate Action Fund – new fund, opening March 2024, to involve more people in climate action and to inspire bold and exciting change. Funds projects that reach more people by either linking climate action to the everyday lives and interests of local communities and inspiring them to take action, or influencing communities at a regional or national level. Applicants should be in a partnership with a mix of organisations and sectors and smaller groups that represent the people you’re working with. The minimum ask is £500,000. The Fund expects most projects will be for between £1 million and £1.5 million over 3 to 5 years.

Also see Chartered Institute of Fundraising

National Lottery Heritage Fund

Funding 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 take into account 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

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.

Paul Hamlyn Foundation

Foundation uses its resources to support social change, working towards a just and equitable society in which everyone, especially young people, can realise their full potential and enjoy fulfilling and creative lives.

  • Arts Access and Participation Fund – support change in the way the arts are created, presented, accessed and experienced. Fund reopens with new criteria in April 2024
  • 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
  • Shared Ground Fund – supports organisations to influence migration system reform, improve access to support services, strengthen civic participation and inform public understanding of migration and integration narratives. Will reopen with new criteria in spring 2024

People’s Postcode Lottery

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 https://www.postcodeneighbourhoodtrust.org.uk 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. Priority will be given to charities and good causes which meet some or all of 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:

  • Providing support to Improve mental health
  • Enabling community 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
  • Enabling participation in physical activity

Pilgrim Trust

Through grants aims to improve the life chances of the most vulnerable and preserve the best of our past for the public to enjoy. 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

The Textile Society

Museum, Archive and Conservation Award – awards of up to £5,000 for a textile related project within the museum, archive or conservation sector.

Wolfson Foundation

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.

  • 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