National Manuscripts Conservation Trust

The Trust funds conservation, repair, and preservation of historically significant manuscript collections held by non-national institutions across the UK, including county record offices, museums, university archives, and cathedral libraries. Supported activities include binding, structural repairs, stabilization, and digitisation when integrated within broader conservation efforts. The Trust prioritises projects that enhance public access and research use of collections, and it favours work that includes a training element for conservators, such as internships, first jobs, or skill development opportunities for early career or experienced conservators. This focus on training and skills transmission is a distinctive feature of the Trust's approach, ensuring that conservation expertise is passed on and the sector's capacity is strengthened.

The Trust welcomes applications from registered charities and other non-national institutions that steward manuscript collections of local, regional, national, or international significance. Eligible organisations include county record offices, museums, university archives, and cathedral libraries, as well as specialist collecting institutions. The Trust prioritises projects that include a training element for conservators, such as internships, first jobs, or skill development opportunities, and it favours work that enhances public access and research use of collections. There is no religious restriction, and the Trust welcomes unsolicited applications from eligible organisations across the UK.

The Trust does not fund capital works, equipment purchases, or standalone digitisation projects. It also excludes core operational costs and unrestricted funding. Projects that lack a conservation focus, such as digitisation initiatives that are not integrated within broader conservation efforts, are not supported. The Trust's funding is specifically for project-based conservation work, so applications for capital or equipment costs will not be considered.

The Trust provides grants for project-based conservation work, with a strong preference for projects that include a training element for conservators. It does not require match funding, and it welcomes unsolicited applications from eligible organisations. The Trust's funding style is focused on one-off project grants rather than multi-year core funding, and it emphasises the integration of training and skills development within conservation projects. This approach ensures that grants deliver both preservation outcomes and professional development benefits.