DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund 2025-27
Source: gov.uk (2025-09-04)

Application guidance for the DCMS/Wolfson Fund, which is launching a new round of funding worth £4 million, with funds needing to be spent by March 2027.

Introduction

For over 20 years, DCMS and the Wolfson Foundation have worked together to jointly fund grants to support museums as they improve displays, enhance collections care and make exhibitions more accessible to visitors.

The DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund 2025-27 is now accepting applications for capital projects at eligible organisations. The deadline for applications is 14 November 2025.

Criteria

Grants are available up to £400,000 towards eligible capital projects. Bids submitted for consideration must meet at least one of the following criteria:
- material improvements to the display and interpretation of collections, in permanent galleries, exhibition spaces and public spaces, to enhance visitor experience
- improvements to access and/or interpretation for visitors with disabilities, children and young people, and/or underrepresented audiences
- improvements to environmental controls, collections storage and conservation facilities to enhance the care of collections
Eligibility

The Fund is open to bids from accredited museums, museum services and galleries in England falling into one of the following categories:

Museums/museums services and universities with at least one Designated collection

Current Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisations (NPOs)

Please note that only one capital project bid per museum, gallery, museums service or university will be considered.

Read the Guidance note for applicants (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/dcmswolfson-museums-and-galleries-improvement-fund-2025-27-guidance-note-for-applicants) (including a list of institutions eligible to apply to the fund). The pro forma is available below.

Documents

(https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68b06735f31f3b16cee0e932/Bid_Pro_forma.odt)

DCMS/Wolfson Fund: pro forma (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68b06735f31f3b16cee0e932/Bid_Pro_forma.odt)

ODT, 165 KB

This file is in an OpenDocument (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/using-open-document-formats-odf-in-your-organisation) format

Details

Applications for the new round are now open and will close on 14 November 2025. Communication of funding decisions is expected in March 2026.

All applications must be submitted to xxx@xxx.xx by 5pm on 14 November 2025.

Please note that any funding awarded will only be made available to claim from April 2026 to March 2027.

For informal enquiries, please contact xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

Privacy notice

Who is collecting my data?

The Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) helps to drive growth, enrich lives and promote Britain abroad.

We protect and promote our cultural and artistic heritage and help businesses and communities to grow by investing in innovation and highlighting Britain as a fantastic place to visit. We help to give the UK a unique advantage on the global stage, striving for economic success.

This website (“Website“) is run by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (“we” and “us“, “DCMS“). DCMS is the controller for the personal information we process, unless otherwise stated.

Purpose of this privacy notice

This notice is provided within the context of the notice provided to meet the obligations as set out in Article 13 (this sets out the info we have to provide where the data is received directly from the data subject). Article 13 of UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA). This notice sets out how we will use your personal data as part of our legal obligations with regard to Data Protection.

The Department for Culture, Media & Sport’s personal information charter (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-culture-media-and-sport/about/personal-information-charter) (opens in a new tab) explains how we deal with your information. It also explains how you can ask to view, change or remove your information from our records.

What is personal data?

Personal data is any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural living person, otherwise known as a ‘data subject’. A data subject is someone who can be recognised, directly or indirectly, by information such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier, or data relating to their physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural, or social identity. These types of identifying information are known as ‘personal data’. Data protection law applies to the processing of personal data, including its collection, use and storage.

Why are we collecting your personal data?

At the application stage of the DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund (“the Fund”), DCMS will process the names, addresses and email addresses provided by respondents, and information about which organisations respondents belong to, where this is provided. This is processed by DCMS to conduct organisational checks for the purposes of grant making and in order to maintain contact during the programme.

DCMS may use publicly available information about you to carry out background checks for the purposes of assessing any risks to public funding in making a grant to your organisation. Publicly available data identified by DCMS will be shared with the Wolfson Foundation.

What is the legal basis for processing my data?

To process this personal data, our legal reason for collecting or processing this data is: Article 6(1)e: it is necessary to perform a public task (to carry out a public function or exercise powers set out in law, or to perform a specific task in the public interest that is set out in law).

Who will your data be shared with?

All data collected at the application stage is shared by DCMS with the Wolfson Foundation as well as members of an assessment panel (consisting of expert external assessors) for the purposes of running this programme. Data will be held by DCMS for oversight, audit and assurance purposes to prevent fraud and ensure that money is being spent in accordance with regulations and the purposes of the programme.

DCMS may also share data with an external evaluator for the purpose of evaluating this programme. We will only share personal data which they need to carry out their work and subject to appropriate security measures.

The personal data DCMS collects from you may be shared with fraud prevention agencies who will use it to prevent fraud and money laundering and to verify your identity. If fraud is detected, you could be refused certain services, finance or employment.

How long will my data be held for?

Your personal data will be retained for seven (7) years if you are successful at receiving a grant from this programme, being erased by March 2033. If your application is unsuccessful, your data will be kept by DCMS for two (2) years.

Will my data be used for automated decision making or profiling?

We will not use your data for any automated decision making.

Will my data be transferred outside the UK and if it is how will it be protected?

We will not send your data overseas.

What are your data protection rights?

You have rights over your personal data under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018). The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is the supervisory authority for data protection legislation, and maintains a full explanation of these rights on their website DCMS will ensure that we uphold your rights when processing your personal data.

How do I complain?

Data Controllers: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

The contact details for the data controller’s Data Protection Officer (DPO) are:

Data Protection OfficerThe Department for Culture, Media & Sport100 Parliament StreetLondonSW1A 2BQEmail: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

If you’re unhappy with the way we have handled your personal data and want to make a complaint, please write to the department’s Data Protection Officer or the Data Protection Manager at the relevant agency. You can contact the department’s Data Protection Officer using the details above.

How to contact the Information Commissioner’s Office

If you believe that your personal data has been misused or mishandled, you may make a complaint to the Information Commissioner, who is an independent regulator. You may also contact them to seek independent advice about data protection, privacy and data sharing.

Information Commissioner’s OfficeWycliffe HouseWater LaneWilmslowCheshireSK9 5AFWebsite: www.ico.org.ukTelephone: 0303 123 1113Email: xxx@xxx.xx

Any complaint to the Information Commissioner is without prejudice to your right to seek redress through the courts.

For wider queries about the Fund, please contact us at xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

Changes to our privacy notice

We may make changes to this privacy policy. In that case, the ‘last updated’ date at the bottom of this page will also change. Any changes to this privacy policy will apply to you and your data immediately.

If these changes affect how your personal data is processed, DCMS will take reasonable steps to let you know.

This notice was last updated on 13/8/2025.