Grants of between £15,000 and £100,000 are available for UK libraries and archives with nationally significant collections for new builds, refurbishment and equipment that will improve access to collections.
The Wolfson Foundation‘s Libraries and Archives programme supports libraries and archives caring for nationally significant collections and which have a clear emphasis on public access and engagement. The programme usually award grants to collection storage facilities and research, education or interpretation spaces.
Applying libraries and archives should:
- Be operated by a registered charity or a local authority.
- Be fully accredited under the Archive Service Accreditation Scheme.
- Be open and accessible to the public for most of the year, with a reasonable number of visitors. The Foundation recognises that COVID-19 continues to affect visitor numbers and understands that the environment for many public sites has changed.
- Hold a permanent collection of national significance
For organisations based in England, a permanent collection of national significance is generally defined as holding a Designated Outstanding Collection (Arts Council England). Where a collection is not recognised under this scheme, or a national designation scheme is not in place, applicants should make a strong case for the significance of the collection within a national context.
Projects should have at least one of the following aims:
- Enhanced care of collections of national significance.
- Better public engagement with and understanding of collections.
- Increased numbers of visitors to libraries and archives.
- Improved future sustainability of the organisation, and/or
- Conservation of architectural heritage.
For projects at secondary schools or sixth form colleges, please visit the Foundation's page about its funding for secondary education.
Grants of between £15,000 and £100,000 are available. If the project cost is between £50,000 and £100,000, some match funding will be required.
The Foundation has a 2-stage application process with the following key dates:
- Stage 1 application deadline: Sunday 5 January 2025 at 23:59. Applicants are required to register for an account before starting the online application form.
- Stage 2 application deadline: Saturday 1t March 2025 at 23:59.
Funding decisions are scheduled to be announced in June 2025.
Further information, guidance and details about how to apply is available on the Wolfson Foundation website.