Museum Fundamentals: Grants up to £20,000 for Collections-Based Projects

AIM • Museum Fundamentals

AIM’s Museum Fundamentals combines Pilgrim Trust collections-care support with funding from the Julia Rausing Trust to help small and medium museums improve knowledge, care and access to collections. Up to £20,000 available.

Grant size Up to £20,000
Spring 2026 EOI: 6 Feb (5pm) • Full: 27 Mar (5pm)
Autumn 2026 EOI: 7 Aug (5pm) • Full: 25/26 Sep (5pm)

What will be funded?

Projects can blend up to £10k from Pilgrim Trust activities and up to £10k from Julia Rausing Trust activities (max £20k total).

• Collections care: environmental monitoring, IPM, storage & packaging, light management, small building works improving conditions, equipment purchases.
• Professional expertise & training: conservator advice, strategies, staff/volunteer training, emergency & collection management plans.
• Remedial conservation: ICON-accredited treatments.
• Documentation & access: software, review support, research, digitisation/photography, mounts/cases, new displays & interpretation, online access.
• Capacity: staff costs, volunteer recruitment and expenses.

Projects usually complete within 12 months; progress report at 8 months. Mentoring support (2–3 days) is available.

Who can apply?

• AIM members that are UK charities, exempt charities, or recognised public bodies (e.g., local authority museums).
• Small or medium museums with <50,000 visitors/year.
• You must own the collections in scope.

How to apply

1. Read the guidance and submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) by the relevant deadline.
2. If invited, submit a full application (usually includes recent report & accounts, budget template, quotations, org chart).
3. Stage 2 typically includes a short “meet the panel” discussion.

View full details & forms Email AIM Programmes & Grants Officer

Source: Association of Independent Museums (AIM). Check the official page for the latest guidance and deadlines.