Archive Engagement Grants

We run an annual programme of Engagement Grants to connect archives with their communities and the wider public, often aligning with key moments of national importance. For the current round, we would like applications to the Engagement Grant scheme to address the theme of ‘Community’ by proposing projects that either reach out to new audiences or connect with old audiences in new ways. You might be inspired by the national commemorations for VE and VJ Day in 2025 – or by something completely different. We simply want to support engagement with archives that is meaningful for you, your place and your communities. Grants of up to £3,000 will be available, with applications being accepted until 5.00pm on 17th January 2025.

  • Opening date: (Midnight)
  • Closing date: (Midnight)

Get updates about this grant

Sign up for updates

Contents

Summary

Programme Overview 

The Engagement Grants Programme offers grants of up to £3,000 for organisations to conduct outreach and engagement projects that will connect archives with their communities in places across England and Wales.  

Our engagement grants are often responsive to cultural events and days of national importance. Each opportunity is advertised on our website, Twitter and Jisc mailing list

This year, grant applications should be based on the concept of “Community”. You can find out more about the current round below. 

Programme context 

As part of our leadership role for the archives sector in England and Wales, and to deliver Archives Unlocked, the Government’s vision for archives, we provide grants for skills, innovation and engagement in the archives sector.  

Our approach to our leadership role is a collaborative one: supporting partnerships and working to encourage a sustainable and innovative sector. We want to prepare the archives sector for the future in an uncertain world. We will invest in: 

  • the skills of the archives sector workforce 

  • research to lead innovation in technology and archival practice 

  • engagement to connect archives with changing societies in places across England and Wales 

Each year we look for applications that are accessible, inspiring and inclusive for audiences. Projects can be based at your archive service or involve outreach work with your collections.   

Current round 

The theme for the current application round is ‘Community’. We are asking applicants to consider their collections, and how they could use them to engage with new and existing audiences and in new and creative ways, to explore ideas relating to ‘Community’. 

Whether that be communities formed around place, practice, interest or circumstance, we want to see applications that reflect the way in which communities connect and unite us, and do so in a way that is inclusive of all. 

Archives have an important and unique role in bringing people closer together to explore stories of people, places and events that have defined our shared history. 

Your Engagement Grant application might be inspired by the national commemorations for VE and VJ Day in 2025 – or by something completely different. We simply want to support engagement with archives that is meaningful for you, your place and your communities.

Eligibility

Engagement Grants are open to archivists and heritage professionals working with archival collections in England or Wales. In this grant, we cannot fund organisations based in Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or whose collections are held outside of the United Kingdom. The programme is open to all public sector bodies, not-for-profit organisations including registered charities, and for-profit organisations including business archives. Funding is not available to private individuals. We use the definition of an archive collection as given within the Archive Service Accreditation Scheme: “Materials created or received by a person, family or organisation, public or private, in the conduct of their affairs and preserved because of the enduring value contained in them or as evidence of the functions and responsibilities of their creator, especially those materials maintained using the principles of provenance, original order and collective control; permanent records.” – Society of American Archivists Where appropriate, archives are encouraged to propose partnership projects and consortium applications are particularly welcome in this programme. Repeat applications are not possible for this programme. However, the panel will endeavour to provide constructive feedback that enables positive solutions and clear next steps, for both successful and unsuccessful applications. There are no restrictions on institutions submitting an application for a different project than was previously assessed.

Objectives

The Engagement Grants Programme offers grants of up to £3,000 for organisations to conduct outreach and engagement projects, that will connect archives with their communities in places across England and Wales.

Dates

How to apply

Engagement Grants have a single-stage application process, completed online. To apply for funding please use the online application form available: Engagement Grant Application Form   Applications will be assessed against the following criteria: 

  • Impact: on archive  and  users 

  • Delivery and management 

  • Knowledge sharing 

In question 8, the project description, please do explain how the grant reflects the theme. This year’s theme is “Community”  For further guidance on our assessment criteria, please see: Engagement Grants – Assessment Guidance Each application will be scored numerically against the criteria above, according to the following scale:1 - Poor2 - Low3 - Good4 - Excellent5 - Outstanding Applications are assessed by a panel of archive and engagement experts, from The National Archives.We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to making our application process accessible to everyone. This includes providing support, in the form of reasonable adjustments, for people who have a disability or a long-term condition and face barriers applying to us. You must contact us as early as possible in the application process. We recommend contacting us at least 15 working days before the competition closing date, to ensure that we can provide you with the most suitable support possible. You can contact us by emailing archivegrants@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Supporting information