Description

Grants are available to public sector bodies, registered charities and other not-for-profit organisations in the UK to help analyse collections, supporting development of future plans for cataloguing priorities and projects.

Current Status
Open for Applications
Maximum value:
£ 3,000

Objectives of Fund

Archives Revealed is designed to transform access to archives for a wide range of users, enabling more people to engage with the UK’s rich documentary heritage.

There are two funding strands:

  • Scoping grants, which is reported here, aims to help archives analyse collections, supporting development of future plans for cataloguing priorities and projects.
  • Cataloguing grants, which is reported separately, are to create catalogues of important archival collections.

The objectives of Archives Revealed are to:

  • Increase access to previously unavailable archive material.
  • Increase engagement with archive collections by a wider audience.
  • Enable deeper use of archive material to further understanding of collections.
  • Increase confidence and skills of archivists to enable them to successfully secure income to fund archive development.

Through these aims and objectives, Archives Revealed aims to achieve the following outcomes:

  • More collections of significance will be catalogued.
  • Members of the public will be aware of the newly catalogued material and will know how to access it.
  • The newly catalogued archive material will be being used for a range of purposes.
  • Archivists and sector professionals will be confidently able to advocate for their service and secure new funding for further projects.

Value Notes

The maximum grant available is £3,000.

Who Can Apply

Applications will be considered from:

  • Public sector bodies in the UK, including Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
  • Registered charities in the UK, including Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
  • Other not-for-profit organisations in the UK, including Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
  • Organisations that make their collections accessible to people outside their organisation.
  • Organisations that have access to professional archive expertise.
  • Organisations with owned or deposited collections – providing they can provide a commitment from the depositor that the collection will not be withdrawn from public access or sold within ten years of the project end date.

Restrictions

The following are not eligible for funding:

  • Profit-making organisations.
  • Private individuals.
  • Organisations based in the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
  • Organisations who are contributing to the funding of the scheme.
  • Organisations that do not plan to make their collections accessible to people outside them.
  • Organisations that have not made provision to access professional archive expertise.
  • Archives that have submitted more than one application to Archives Revealed in the same round.

Eligible Expenditure

A Scoping Grant will fund an external consultant to conduct a collection assessment report that will enable successful applicants to use to strategically plan next steps and to advocate internally and externally to gain support for a project.

Activities will be supported for one or more of the following:

  • A collection that has the potential to be of public benefit.
  • The ability to ensure free public access to the collection in the future; either directly or via collaboration with another organisation.
  • If applicants are unsure of the most effective way to target resources to realise the potential impact of the collection.
  • To develop a plan to move towards a cataloguing project or would like to scope the potential of the collection for a cataloguing project.

Projects should enable grantees to:

  • Develop a better understanding of the content of their collection.
  • Strategically prioritise the development of their collection.
  • Advocate for the development of their service.
  • Prepare an effective case for support when applying for funding.

How To Apply

The next deadlines are as follows:

  • Round 14: 28 February 2022 (for decisions during the week commencing 28 March 2022).
  • Round 15: 24 May 2022 (for decisions during the week commencing 13 June 2022).

This is a rolling programme with decisions made on a quarterly basis. Organisations can apply at any time. Applications are assessed four times a year to allow for quick decision making.

Guidelines and the online application form can be found on the National Archives website.

Contact the National Archives for further information.

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