Community Hub Bursaries
Skills Bursaries provide grants of up to £1,000 for people seeking to grow their expertise in community heritage work. Open to applicants at any stage of their personal or professional journey, these bursaries can be used for training, mentoring, attending workshops, or other professional development activities related to heritage and community engagement to be determined by you. Offered on a rolling basis, Skills Bursaries are designed to be accessible and responsive, helping to build confidence and capacity across the sector—particularly among those who may not have had access to such opportunities before.
- Opening date: (Midnight)
- Closing date: (Midnight)
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Summary
The Spaces, Places and Belonging Community Hub is led by The National Archives in partnership with Leeds Museums & Galleries, the National Library of Wales, and the Community Archives & Heritage Group.The programme aims to respond to the long-standing challenge of how “to make innovation and learning from community-facing projects more sustainable, transferable, and accessible” in the UK’s GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums) and heritage sectors. Through a supportive funding structure and wider development programme, it aims to help communities and organisations share their work more widely and contribute to a growing body of knowledge that others can learn from and build upon.Our Bursaries scheme will offer grants of up to £1,000 for individuals seeking to grow their expertise in community heritage work. It is open to practitioners at any stage of their journey and is designed to support a wide range of professional development activities. Bursaries are designed to be accessible and responsive, helping to build confidence and capability across the UK, particularly among those who may not have had access to such opportunities before.Eligible costs could include:
Course or workshop fees (in-person or online)
Travel and accommodation costs related to training
Mentoring or coaching sessions
Attendance at conferences or sector events
Materials or resources needed for learning (e.g. books, toolkits)
Costs associated with shadowing/placements in GLAM orgs.
Our aim is to support practical, meaningful development opportunities that build confidence and capability in community heritage work.The scheme will be offered on a rolling basis and will be assessed quarterly. You can find more information on how to apply, eligibility criteria and assessment of applications on our How to Apply pages.
Eligibility
Bursaries of up to £1,000 are open to individuals engaged in community heritage work, regardless of their career stage or background. Applicants do not need to be affiliated with an organisation, and you are welcome to apply as an independent practitioner. Our aim is to support those who may not have previously had access to professional development opportunities, helping to build confidence and capability across the sector.
Any individual or organisation applying to the Bursaries scheme needs to:
Be involved in some way to the Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAM) or Heritage sector.
Be based/live in the UK (England, Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales) and have the right to access public funds.
Have a UK bank account in the exact name you’re applying in. This can either be an individual’s bank account, or the organisation’s bank account that you are applying through.
Be at least 18 years old
Not have received a Community Hub Bursary before. Previously unsuccessful applicants can apply again with the agreement of the Community Hub team.
Objectives
The programme aims to respond to the long-standing challenge of how “to make innovation and learning from community-facing projects more sustainable, transferable, and accessible” in the UK’s GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums) and heritage sectors. Through a supportive funding structure and wider development programme, it aims to help communities and organisations share their work more widely and contribute to a growing body of knowledge that others can learn from and build upon.
Dates
How to apply
Bursaries will be offered on a rolling basis from September 2025 to March 2027 and will be assessed quarterly by a panel. You can apply to the bursaries scheme through an online form, accessed via our website.