Museum Fundamentals combines the invaluable collections care and conservation support from the Pilgrim Trust with funding from the Julia Rausing Trust. The grant encourages small and medium sized museums to create projects based on their collection’s needs, which improve knowledge, care and access to our nation’s heritage.
Closing date for expressions of interest 5pm Friday 6 February 2026. Full application spring round 5pm Friday 27 March 2026.
Grant award: Up to £20,000
Closing date Autumn: 5pm Friday 7 August 2026 – Expression of Interest Form (EOI) 5pm Friday 25 September 2026 – Full application
Museums use their collections to tell stories and connect with visitors: to discover meaning behind objects and heritage, educate, entertain, inform and inspire. To do this they must know what is in their collection to see what stories they can tell and to have well-looked-after objects they can research, conserve, interpret and display. Museum Fundamentals will support small and medium sized museums with these core activities. Enabling them to care for collection’s more effectively and efficiently and to meet the standards required for Accreditation. Successful applicants will be given the opportunity to work with mentors, who can offer up to 2-3 days of support, to help guide and support them to deliver their project successfully.
Eligibility criteria
Be an AIM member
Be a UK registered charity or,
An organisation with exempt charitable status or,
A recognised public body i.e., Local Authority Museum
Be a small or medium museum
Have fewer than 50,000 visitors per annum
Own the collections that are the focus of the project.
Download and read the guidance notes and complete the relevant application form and submit as a PDF to the AIM Programmes and Grants Officer, Fiona Woolley on [email protected].
Stage 1: Museum Fundamentals Expression of Interest Form
Submit an expression of interest form (EOI) prior to the deadline of Friday 7 August 2026. Feedback following the panel meeting will be shared in 4-6 weeks.
Supporting Documents:
High Resolution Images (minimum 2)
Conservation Treatment Proposals (where relevant to the project).
Stage 2: Museum Fundamentals Full Application
Successful applicants will be invited to submit a full project plan, with the supporting documents, prior to the deadline of Friday 26 September 2026. We run an open grants process and like to talk to applicants. As part of the stage 2 process, applicants will usually be invited to a ten minute meet the panel meeting as part of the application process.
Supporting Documents
Most recent annual report
Most recent accounts
Project budget spreadsheet (Template supplied)
Treatment quotations and proposals
Organisational diagram showing staff and volunteer roles.
Contact the AIM Programmes and Grants Officer Fiona Woolley on [email protected] if you would like to discuss an application or access additional support.
Your project can include elements up to the value of £10,000 from rows A and up to £10,000 from rows B, with a maximum overall total project budget of up to £20,000. Alternatively, your project may request funding from either funder A or B only. Projects will be asked to complete a progress report at eight months and to complete their project withing twelve months of the grant award being made.
Funder
Project Focus
Activity
Tick
Total
A
Collections Care
Professional Expertise:
Obtaining professional advice to compile conservation and implementation strategies.
Conservator led training for staff and/or volunteers
Environmental surveys
Development of Emergency Plans
Development of Collection Management Plans
Collection Care Improvements/ Equipment:
Environmental monitoring and control equipment
Light Management; UV filters, solar film, blinds
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
Storage containers and packaging materials
A
Remedial Conservation
Professional Expertise:
Employing an ICON accredited conservator to undertake remedial object conservation.
A
Pilgrim Trust Total (up to £10,000)
£
B
Collections Care
Collection Care Improvements/ Equipment:
Purchase of equipment
Small scale building work to improve the condition of collections.
Improvements to heating, lighting and other building services that lead to improvements in collections care.
Professional Expertise:
Specialist technical advice, for example conservation treatment proposals.
B
Collections Documentation
Specialist advice and other activities to support collections review.
Documentation materials and equipment
Collections management software
B
Access to Collections
Collections research
Online access to collections
Costs associated with the production of new displays and interpretation. Including, digitisation, photography, mounts and cases.
B
Raising Capacity
Staff costs
Volunteer recruitment and expenses
B
Julia Rausing Trust Total (up to £10,000)
£
A+B
Project Budget (max £20,000)
£
7 August 2026 – Expression of Interest Form (EOI) due for Museum Fundamentals
Early September 2026– Grant panel meeting 1 to assess EOI applications
26 September 2026 – Full stage 2 application for Museum Fundamentals due
October 2026 – Grant panel meeting 2
Date TBC – Grant panel meeting 3/ Applicant interviews 9am-12noon
