The Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund, run by the Museums Association, supports a range of projects that bring collections closer to people.

Museums, galleries and heritage organisations in the UK can apply for grants of up to £100,000, over around two years. The fund expects to award around 12 grants in total per year.

They are looking for museums that have established strategic aims for diversity, equity and inclusion and that are ready to use their collections and the funding to support social and climate justice, in ways that are relevant to local contexts and relationships.

All applications to the fund must focus on existing collections, typically held by an Accredited museum or partnership of museums and other organisations, and the funded work must engage and involve audiences to achieve public benefit.

The new phase of the Fund:

• supports work that furthers the established strategic aims of the applicants in relation to diversity, equity and inclusion, and/or is community-led
• offers core funding to museums, to offer greater flexibility and support embedded change in organisations. Grants will be of a similar size and duration to in previous years.
• enhances learning from grantees and shares this with the wider museum sector, eg. foregrounding leading practice in funded museums and undertaking research with action learning sets.

Pre-application advice on eligibility and for help to develop applications is available from the Museums Association, which make the awards on behalf of the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation.

The deadline to express interest is 16 September 2024.

Shortlisted applicants will be advised in October 2024 and invited to submit a second stage application in November 2024.

Grants will be awarded in December 2024.

For more details, including contact details for advice, visit the Museums Association Esmee Fairbairn Collection Fund webpage.