COVID
Recovery Grant Outcome
Peter Robinson
writes, many of you will be aware that the Government allocated £250m to
support the recovery of cultural organisations (including museums) to return to
full operation through the summer of 2021.
The museum applied
for funding through this scheme via the Arts Council to both replenish lost
reserves and enable us to reopen our doors to visitors as we used to pre-COVID,
however I am sad to report that we have not been successful. Feedback for the
decision is limited, but is likely to be related to the huge volume of
applications compared with the amount of funding available. To put this into
perspective, only 10% of accredited Museums have been awarded grants, with
the majority of recipients being from the arts, music and theatre sectors.
This outcome
means that the Trustees are now considering how our reopening plans through
2021 may have to change, although we are still confident that the future of the
Museum is secure.
Please look for
more updates as the COVID situation develops.
DEVELOPMENT GRANT
APPLICATIONS
Phil Ainsley writes that there are other forms of funding, besides trying for some help with revenue support.
Our museum may consider seeking further development grants in future.
These applications can only really be successful if proposed schemes meet the requirements
of a grant-making body. Of these there are many hundreds, with hundreds of stipulations and requirements of the potential funder.
It's not an easy task, because applications have to contain more than an aspiration and a proposal. Often the first step in an application is a financial audit on two years of museum accounts. Following that there may be a requirement for match funding , professional specialist knowledge sought and referees engaged before a grant application can be made.
In a recent tele-conference Andrew Cullum and David Reeve listened to a presentation suggesting potential winning ways, those bodies that potentially could be applied for are listed below, with an indication of the funding range available.
|
AIM: Biffa Award: History Makers |
Average £65,193 |
|
American Express - Philanthropic Programme |
No Max or Min |
|
Architectural Heritage Fund |
up to £15,000- £350,000 |
|
Arts Council - National Lottery Project |
between £1,000 – £100,000 |
|
BIFFA Award |
£250,000 and £750,000
(Partnership grant) |
|
Clore Duffield |
£500 - £507,000 |
|
Esmee Fairbairn/ Museums Association Collections |
Up to £250,000 over five years |
|
Essex Community Foundation |
up to £15,000 |
|
Essex Heritage Trust |
£100 to £10,000 |
|
Garfield Weston Foundation |
£1000 - £350000 |
|
Lord Barnby’s Foundation |
£1,000 – £5,000 (no maximum
amount is specified) |
|
Museums Essex: Small Grants |
£500 |
|
Pilgrim Trust |
Main - £5000 + Small - £5000 or
less |
|
Sainsbury's Family Trust |
c. £50k + (depending on funder) |
|
V&A (ACE) Purchase Grant Fund |
£250 - £50,000 |
Having listened during this event, the museum is now in a better informed how to approach prospective grant makers.
At this time no grants being sought from funders, it will require a group effort with an agreed project on which we all are agreed and willing to take to completion. After a period of recovery it may be possible to approach Grant making trusts. It would be a great help if any reader has an interest to progress a project as part of a team in future.
It is the museum’s experience
incremental customer improvements drive
customer satisfaction, these have the
most immediate effect on museum finances. To
progress with grants requires as much determination as money making through our own efforts in
the normal way.
