Grant News

£100,000 Grants Open for Museums and Community Partnerships (UK)

The Museums Association has opened the next round of applications for the Esmée Fairbairn Communities and Collections Fund (EFCCF), a £1.185 million annual programme funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. The fund, which will run through 2025 and 2026, is designed to support museums and their partners in using collections to advance inclusion, equity, and social and climate justice.

Two streams of funding are available.

Core Grants are designed for individual museums with a proven track record of participatory practice and a well-defined strategy for diversity and inclusion.

Partnership Project Grants are intended for collaborations between museums and community organisations, with a strong emphasis on equitable working and co-design.

Grants can be worth up to £100,000 and run for a maximum of three years.

Since its launch in 2011, the Collections Fund has distributed more than £14 million across nearly 200 projects.

A 2024 review prompted the fund’s new direction, focusing on deeper community partnerships, staff and participant wellbeing, and long-term legacy. Early rounds of the redesigned scheme suggest that partnership applications are particularly strong, with a higher rate of shortlisting compared to core grant bids.

The next deadline for expressions of interest is 21 January 2026, with shortlisted applicants notified in late February. Final applications are due in May, and successful projects will be announced by the end of June 2026.

 

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27th August 2025