Grants Programme
We distribute grants funding through the Museum Development Fund, Small Grants Fund, and occasional special funding
Innovation Fund
Part of the Museum Futures Programme, the Innovation Fund can support museums to develop, trial and implement activity that will improve the museum’s financial position.
Applications will be assessed on a continual basis, with decisions provided within 8 weeks of submission. Applications will be assessed on a continual basis, with decisions provided within 8 weeks of submission. The fund will close to applications on 20th January 2027 at 5pm.
- Closing date: 20 January, 2027
- Value: Up to £250,000
Unlocking Potential Fund
Part of the Museum Futures Programme, the Unlocking Potential Fund can help prepare the way for strategic development of your museum by addressing issues that are currently preventing you from moving forward. Applications will be assessed on a continual basis, with decisions provided within 8 weeks of submission. The fund will close to applications on 20th January 2027 at 5pm.
- Closing date: 20 January, 2027
- Value: Up to £100,000
Creative Minds Fund
The Creative Minds Fund supports museums and partnering organisations to engage people experiencing mental health issues. This fund will open towards the end of 2026.
- Closing date: 20 January, 2027
- Value: Up to £40,000
Repair and Adaptation Fund
This new fund will support capital costs that directly increase the resilience or accessibility of museums through projects that address capital repair issues or adaptations. This fund is currently open to expressions of interest.
- Closing date: 9 September, 2026
- Value: Up to £100,000
Museum Development Fund
The Museum Development Fund supports museums to deliver medium-sized, strategic, sustainable development projects.
This fund is currently closed for the year.
- Closing date: 17 June, 2026
- Value: Up to £60,000
Delivering Change Micro Grants
Delivering Change Micro Grants will provide small amounts of money to support museums to act on learning from their participation in the Delivering Change programme.
This fund is currently closed to applications.
- Closing date: 10 June, 2026
- Value: Up to £3,000
Small Grants Fund
Accredited museums can apply for up to £15,000. This year, non-accredited museums will be able to apply for up to £10,000.
This fund is currently closed to applications and will reopen for expressions of interest in September.
- Value: Up to £15,000
Peer to peer knowledge exchange bursary
Peer to Peer Knowledge Exchange Bursaries (PPKEB) are an opportunity for organisations to access funds to visit organisations they feel successfully deliver an element of programming or operations they would like to improve. PPKEBs are only available to organisations that have completed
Skills Development bursary
The Skills Development Bursary is a new funding opportunity which enables museum teams to invest in their collective learning and professional development. The bursary, of up to £3000, supports teams to build the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to strengthen their organisation and respond to the changing needs of the museum sector.