The National Archives

The National Archives, the UK's official archive and publisher for the government of England and Wales, operates as a non-ministerial department formed in 2003 from historic mergers including the Public Record Office. It safeguards over 1,000 years of national records, with a mission to protect, preserve, and enable public access to these documents, fostering transparency, research, governance, and societal understanding. Guided by the 'Archives Unlocked' vision, its values—stewardship, integrity, innovation, access, and inclusivity—drive sector leadership in digital transformation, resilience, and community engagement, distinguishing it as the authoritative steward of UK archival heritage.

It funds targeted archive sector projects enhancing preservation, accessibility, and impact, prioritising cataloguing, digitisation, community engagement, innovation, environmental sustainability, and capacity building. Key programmes include Archives Revealed (cataloguing hidden collections), Engagement Grants (up to £3,000 for diverse audiences), Research & Innovation Grants (up to £10,000 for digital/inclusion pilots), Seed Corn Grants (£500-£5,000 for early ideas), Scoping Grants (£3,000), and Resilience Grants (up to £20,000). Beneficiaries are archives, record offices, heritage professionals, public bodies, charities, community groups, academics, and even for-profits with UK-held collections of public value.

Eligible applicants are UK-based organisations (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland) with no income limits, favouring those advancing archival missions; Welsh projects require Welsh-language inclusion. Typical grants range £500-£20,000 via online forms in programme-specific rounds (e.g., Research Grants close 12 September 2025; Seed Corn opens September 2025), with decisions in 1-2 months.

Exclusions cover routine costs, general charity work, or non-archival activities; its unique specialist focus on evidence-based, sector-wide advancement sets it apart from broad funders, prioritising public-value projects that unlock heritage for all.