Association of Independent Museums (AIM) supports UK independent museums, galleries, and heritage organisations with practical, capacity-building grants rather than large institutional awards. Its funding is especially geared toward small and medium-sized museums that need help improving collections care, strengthening fundraising and visitor infrastructure, building staff/volunteer skills, or attending sector conferences. AIM often works through targeted schemes, many funded in partnership with trusts such as Pilgrim Trust and the Julia Rausing Trust, and some opportunities are restricted to AIM members or specific geographies like Wales.
Small, targeted grants and bursaries through structured application rounds; many programs have set deadlines, eligibility rules, and are not open to unsolicited proposals. Awards are generally modest (for example, training grants up to £350 or all-inclusive conference tickets), with some project grants supporting specific capital or collections-care needs.
Grants parsed from this funder's most recently published annual report.
| Recipient | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Julia Rausing Trust | £600,000 | 2024 | three-year programme |
| Arts Council England | £305,520 | 2024 | core funding |
| Safe Access | £250,000 | 2024 | phase three of the project to extend findings to culture change in organisations |
| National Lottery Heritage Fund | — | 2024 | support for New Stories, New Audiences |
| Department for Culture, Media and Sport | — |
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| 2024 |
| Connected Communities programme via Arts Council England |
| Welsh Government | — | 2024 | Re:Collections and other activity in Wales |
| Pilgrim Trust | — | 2024 | funding for Museum Fundamentals and other grant programmes |
| Arts Scholars | — | 2024 | Brighter Day grant scheme |
| National Museum Directors’ Council | — | 2024 | co-funding for research projects |
| DCMS | — | 2024 | co-funding for a project on operating models and trusts |
| Arts Council England IPSO | — | 2024 | funding for a research project on land management and ownership |
Julia Rausing Trust
£600,000three-year programme
Arts Council England
£305,520core funding
Safe Access
£250,000phase three of the project to extend findings to culture change in organisations
National Lottery Heritage Fund
support for New Stories, New Audiences
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Connected Communities programme via Arts Council England
Welsh Government
Re:Collections and other activity in Wales
Pilgrim Trust
funding for Museum Fundamentals and other grant programmes
Arts Scholars
Brighter Day grant scheme
National Museum Directors’ Council
co-funding for research projects
DCMS
co-funding for a project on operating models and trusts
Arts Council England IPSO
funding for a research project on land management and ownership
Check whether your organization is an AIM member and whether the scheme is open to your geography or museum size before applying. Most opportunities run on fixed cycles with deadlines and require a specific project plan, so tailor the application tightly to the program theme (collections care, training, or visitor/fundraising infrastructure) and apply early for round-based schemes.
Current and upcoming funding from Association Of Independent Museums that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: For small and medium sized museum members; applicants should have projects based on their collection’s needs that improve knowledge, care and access to heritage.
Deadline: Expressions of interest due by 5pm Friday 7 August 2026; full applications due by 5pm Friday 25 September 2026.
Who can apply: AIM members; projects related to collections care and conservation. The scheme is funded by the Pilgrim Trust.
Deadline: Closing date: Autumn round 5pm Friday 25 September 2026.
Who can apply: Available to AIM member museums; priority given to smaller museums receiving less than 20,000 visitors a year.
Deadline: Applications now open.
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Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.