Pilgrim Trust

Could Pilgrim Trust fund your project? Check fit free. Draft if yes — or shortlist better matches.

Typical grants: £1,000 – £30,000
Applications: Accepted
How to apply: Two-stage application
Decisions: Quarterly

Works for Registered charities, CIOs, CICs and community groups.

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thepilgrimtrust.org.uk

About Pilgrim Trust

The Pilgrim Trust is an independent grant-making charity established in 1930 by American philanthropist Edward S. Harkness. Its mission is to address pressing social needs and preserve cultural heritage for public benefit, guided by values of stewardship, adaptability, collaboration, and accessibility. The Trust favours funding that blends practical social innovation with heritage guardianship, supporting evidence-informed, flexible projects. It prioritises two main themes: mental health support for young women aged 16-25, and the preservation and conservation of at-risk buildings, objects, collections, art, and archives across the UK. The Trust is known for pioneering partnerships with lived-experience experts and for its nationwide heritage impact.

What Pilgrim Trust funds

The Trust's work centres on two themes. For mental health, it supports holistic, trauma-informed services for young women aged 16-25, along with research, advocacy, and sector development. For preservation and conservation, it funds repairs, access improvements, and public engagement for at-risk heritage. Within this, collection care grants prioritise projects guided by professional advice that deliver lasting improvements to collections care; funded uses include project delivery, equipment, and training. These grants are available to organisations across the UK.

Who can apply

Eligible applicants include UK-registered charities, community interest companies limited by guarantee, exempt charities, public bodies, and Community Benefit Societies. The Trust welcomes organisations working across the UK and values projects that are evidence-informed and flexible. It particularly supports work developed in partnership with lived-experience experts, especially within its mental health programme.

What Pilgrim Trust doesn't fund

The Trust does not fund salaries, capital works, digitisation equipment, object treatment proposals, collections management software, or unrestricted core costs. It also does not provide retrospective funding. For collection care grants specifically, staff costs and building works are not covered. No match funding is required.

How they like to fund

The Trust provides grants for project delivery, equipment, and training within its priority areas. Its collection care grants do not require match funding. It favours flexible, evidence-informed projects and works in partnership with lived-experience experts to shape its mental health programme.

How much does Pilgrim Trust give?

Pilgrim Trust runs one grant programme. Every figure below is sourced from their published guidance.

Last verified 8 August 2026 · 12 sourced facts

AIM Pilgrim Trust Collection Care GrantCurrently closed

Up to £10,000

Online application form
2 rounds a year

Those are the published figures. What your charity could realistically get — and whether you'd clear their rules on income, location and legal structure — is what the free fit check answers.

What Pilgrim Trust funds — and what they won't

Their stated priorities

Our priority is to fund projects supported by professional advice that deliver lasting improvements to collections care.

Costs they'll cover

Project deliveryEquipmentTraining

They don't fund

SalariesCapital works & buildings

The full exclusions list (1)

Cannot cover staff costs, building works, digitisation equipment, object treatment proposals, collections management software.

Good to know

FaithNo restriction

Focus areas

Mental healthChildren & youthWomen & girlsArts & culture

How to apply to Pilgrim Trust

Pilgrim Trust takes applications via two-stage application.

Published programme route: online application form.
Decisions are typically quarterly.
Check whether your charity is in scope before you spend time on a full bid.

What Pilgrim Trust's application asks

We hold the 5 questions from Pilgrim Trust's application form, word for word — so you know exactly what you're signing up to answer.

Question 1

“Collection Significance. Tell us why the collections are important to your museum and your area.”

Question 2

“Urgency. What is the problem you are seeking to address? Why is it a priority to undertake the collections care project now?”

3 more questions from their form, plus answers drafted from your charity's real data if you decide to apply.

How it works

1
Describe your project. Once — used for this funder and others.
2
See if this could be a fit. Honest check on cause, place, size, and rules.
3
Draft if yes. From your real data — or move on if not.

See if Pilgrim Trust could be a fit. Draft if yes.

Frequently asked questions

How much funding does Pilgrim Trust provide?

Pilgrim Trust runs one grant programme — AIM Pilgrim Trust Collection Care Grant: Up to £10,000.

Where does Pilgrim Trust fund charities?

Pilgrim Trust funds charities operating in the UK.

Does Pilgrim Trust accept unsolicited applications?

Pilgrim Trust accepts unsolicited applications from eligible organisations. Current programme status is on this page — do not assume a round is open.

What does Pilgrim Trust not fund?

Their published exclusions include: Cannot cover staff costs, building works, digitisation equipment, object treatment proposals, collections management software.. The full exclusions list is further up this page.

How do I apply for funding from Pilgrim Trust?

Pilgrim Trust takes applications via two-stage application. Published programme route: online application form.