Details

The Unlocking Potential Fund can help prepare the way for strategic development of your museum by addressing issues that are currently preventing you from moving forward.

As part of the Museum Futures Programme, the Unlocking Potential Fund will support museums to address issues that are preventing them from building their financial sustainability. Examples of such issues could be: outdated or inefficient systems; a website that does not allow you to effectively attract visitors or fundraise; or a lack of expertise or a skills deficit preventing the development of appropriate strategies for specific areas of work.

The most important thing is what you will be able to do as a direct result of having addressed the issue – what potential will it unlock, and how will being able to do those things put the museum in a stronger financial position?

Premium information is available exclusively to SCVO members and supporters

Geographical areas funded: Scotland

Fund type

Type of funding:

Grant

Type of cost:

Capital, Revenue

Fund award sizes

Minimum:

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Maximum:

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Notes on award amounts:

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Who can apply

Organisations that run Accredited museums in Scotland; organisations that run non-Accredited museums in Scotland, including museums with Working Towards Accreditation status; or formally constituted groups of museums (eg, geographical forums).

Applicants are required to complete the Organisational Health Checker in advance of applying for this fund.

See fund website for detailed eligibility criteria.

When to apply

The Fund operates as a rolling fund, meaning you can apply at any time once you are ready. Applications will be assessed on a continual basis, with decisions provided within 8 weeks of submission.

The fund will close 20th January 2027 at 5pm, or earlier if all available funding has been allocated.

Next deadline: 20 Jan 2027

How to apply

Before applying to this fund, you must complete:

• an Organisational Health Checker and return it to the Museum Futures Team.
• an expression of interest form and return it to the Museum Futures Team.
• the Fair Work First Employer Declaration and return it to the Grants Team.

Once the above steps have been completed, you can apply online via the Museums Galleries Scotland website.

Contact information

Exclusions

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Activites funded: Arts and culture Heritage and building preservation Organisational development and capacity building

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Last reviewed 3 months ago