Grant News

Small and medium-sized museums can apply for the Collections Care and Conservation Grants scheme to improve the care of their collections.

The scheme is run by the Association of Independent Museums and supported by the Pilgrim Trust. 

The following grants are available:

• The Collections Care Audits grants are provided to help smaller museums conduct professional collections care audits. The grants offer up to £1,200 to cover the cost of a three-day audit. The grants are paid retrospectively and serve as a good starting point for museums that have not received professional conservation advice before applying to the Collections Care or Remedial Conservation schemes.
• The Collections Care Scheme grants are intended for small to medium AIM member museums that seek to improve the sustainability of their collections' conservation and management through better collections care. The grants offer up to £10,000 to enable museums to receive tailored, specialist advice, purchase equipment, implement advice and train staff and volunteers. The projects must enable a significant improvement in the quality of collections care provided by a museum.
• The Remedial Conservation Scheme grants are available to museums to finance the conservation of objects in their collections, with grants of up to £10,000 available.

Eligibility criteria:

• AIM membership
• UK registered charity or,
• an organisation with exempt charitable status or,
• a recognised public body i.e. Local Authority Museum
• small or medium sized museum (fewer than 50,000 visitors p.a.)

The closing date for applications is 5pm on the 28th March 2025.

Larger museums can apply for funding to the Pilgrim Trust directly.

Useful Links:

Collection Care Audit Guidance

Collection Care Guidance

Remedial Conservation Guidance