Esmee Fairbairn Foundation - Museam and Heritage Collections Strand
Financial assistance is available to preserve and provide public access to collections of historical significance throughout the UK.
Approximately £1m per annum will be allocated through the Strand up until 2010, subject to the Foundation's annual reviews.
Proposals must be for time-limited projects of up to three years. It is anticipated that grants will primarily be up to £50,000, however, a small number of grants up to £100,000 could be made in special circumstances.
The Esmee Fairbairn Foundation is one of the largest independent grant-making foundations in the UK. It aims to improve the quality of life for people living throughout the UK, with a particular focus on projects involving:
- Culture.
- Education.
- The natural environment.
- Enabling people who are disadvantaged to participate more fully in society.
The Foundation has a long-standing interest in preserving and providing public access to collections of historic significance, and via its Museum and Heritage Collections strand, will focus on time-limited collections work, including research, documentation and conservation that is outside the scope of an organisation's core resources.
The Strand will specifically build on the Foundation's previous collections work, which has supported museums and other heritage organisations with grants towards curatorial work, conservation and collections management.
Key Criteria:
Priority will be given to proposals that have one or more of the following characteristics:
- Collections work that is difficult to fund from core or other sources, or is in need of partnership funding.
- Work at an early stage of development, where wider programmes such as education and exhibitions cannot yet be fully developed.
- Proposals where it may be difficult to guarantee tangible outcomes.
- Projects that have the potential to share knowledge with other organisations through partnership working or dissemination.
Eligible Expenditure:
Grants under this Strand are for project costs only.
Restrictions:
The Museum and Heritage Collections Strand cannot be used for:
- Ongoing core costs.
- Archives, unless they form part of a museum's collection.
- Individual places of worship.
In general, the Foundation will not support:
- Individuals, including student grants and bursaries.
- General appeals.
- Work that does not have a direct benefit to the UK, including expeditions and travel overseas.
- Promotion of religion.
- Capital costs.
- Routine work that will have a low impact.
- Healthcare or related work such as medical research, counselling and therapy, education and treatment for substance misuse.
- Work that is primarily the responsibility of statutory funders.
- Projects that primarily benefit the independent sector.
- Environmental projects related to zoos, captive breeding, and animal rescue centres.
- Retrospective projects.
Application Procedure:
Applications can be made at any time, as the Foundation assesses bids throughout the year. Applications should be clearly marked Museum and Heritage Collections Strand.
Preliminary decisions are usually made within a month of applying, with final decisions generally taking up to four months.
Applicants are advised to answer a self-assessment checklist to see if they are eligible to apply. First-stage applications should consist of:
- A completed application form.
- A short summarising statement (maximum two sides of A4).
- Copy of the organisation's most recent accounts, or budget for the year if the organisation is new.
- A copy of the group's constitution, if they are not a registered charity.
Applications can be posted or emailed to: applications@esmeefairbairn.org.uk
Contact Esmee Fairbairn Foundation for further information.
Enquiries
Esmee Fairbairn Foundation
Kings Place
90 York Way
London
N1 9AG
Tel: 020 7297 3700
Fax: 020 7297 3701
E-Mail: info@esmeefairbairn.org.uk
last updated on 9th July 2010