Updated 25/11/20
Information and advice for museums
Latest advice from Arts Council England
Latest advice from AIM: Association of Independent Museums
Latest advice from NLHF: National Lottery Heritage Fund
Latest advice from Local Government Association
Latest advice from Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
Covid-19 Recovery Funding
Do you need help writing a grant application?
The South East Museum Development Programme offers free bid-writing surgeries with Sonia Rasbery to hone your grant application including those offered by Art Fund, Historic England, National Lottery Heritage Fund, and Arts Council England.
Contact your Museum Development Officer to book a time.
Arts Council England (ACE) Project Grants
Up to £100,000
Until April 2021, the fund will focus on the needs of smaller independent organisations and individual practitioners. Supplementary guidance has been published that outlines the changes. The fund will also focus more on activity that gives organisations the time to think, plan and test new ideas.
For the first time with this fund, ACE will be able to invest in activity where the route to public engagement may take longer and may take place beyond the boundaries of the activity you apply for. The usual requirement to provide 10% match funding has been removed.
- £59.8 million available until April 2021.
- 10% match funding requirement is waived until April 2021
- Can be used for ‘reopening’ projects
- Proposals up to £15,000 (6-week turn around on assessment)
- Proposals over £15,000 (12-week turn around on assessment)
Deadline: This is a rolling grants programme which can be applied for at any time.
Tools to help you with your ACE Project Grant application.
- Video explaining ACE Project Grant application process by Isabel Churcher, Senior Manager (Museums), Arts Council (20 minutes)
- Downloadable examples of the ACE Project Grant application questions for grants under £15,000 and over £15,000
- Top tips on submitting a Project Grant application, and step-by-step guide to setting up your Grantium profile.
Small Grants Funds
There are range of funding opportunities still available to museums for 2020, some currently open, with other programmes reopening in 2021.
Arts Council England
• Project Grants: up to £15K; over £15K
• Thriving Communities Fund; deadline 8 Jan
National Lottery Heritage Fund
• Grants for Heritage: Phase 1 (£3K-£10K; £10K to £100K).
• Grants for Heritage: Phase 2 £100K-£250K; £250K-£5million)
Art Fund Small Grants Scheme
• Professional Network Grants
• Small Project Grants
• Weston Loan Programme
• Acquisition Grants
• Curatorial Grants
Paul Hamlyn Foundation
• Access & Participation Fund £30K – £400K, 1-4 years
• Teacher Development Fund up to £150K, 2 academic years
• Arts-based Learning Fund £30K-£400K, 2-3 years
• Shared Ground Fund (migration/integration) £30K-£400K
• Youth Fund (14-25yrs) up to £90K, up to 3 years
• Ideas & Pioneers Fund up to £15K
Click here for links to other museum grant schemes and funders.
Support Organisations
South East Museum Development
Latest Advice from SEMDP – South East Museum Development Programme
Leading source of free support for the region’s museums. Offers professional advice on governance, audience development, workforce development, collections care, and development opportunities.
- Training
- Grants
- Reopening Guidance
- Grant-writing surgeries
- Marketing (reopening) surgeries
- Museums at Risk of Closure surgeries
- Annual Museum Survey Results (2019)
- Projects
- Resource Hub
AIM: Association of Independent Museums
Latest advice from AIM: Association of Independent Museums
Independent museums are advised to contact AIM to make them aware of any specific issues.– info@aim-museums.co.uk
Museum Reopening Guidance and Checklist
AIM: Coronavirus Support Resources
AIM’s HR consultants, TheHRDept, have provided advice and resources to help museum managers navigate the Coronavirus crisis.
AIM’s Business Resilience Checklist helps independent museums consider their current situation and plan for challenging times.
Charity Finance Group
Latest advice about Covid-19 from the Charity Finance Group (CFG)
The CFG have put together a practical guide for charity finance professionals covering business continuity planning, cashflow management and insurance.
GEM – Group for Education in Museums
Latest advice and training opportunities from Group for Education in Museums (GEM)