Exhibition Support

Core exhibitions (museums only) – funding will support new museums to develop their core exhibition or for existing museums to revamp their core exhibition. This may involve preliminary research and planning in conjunction with outside experts or consultants, curatorial costs, purchase of professional equipment, exhibition design and build etc. We do not fund building renovations, new buildings, operational costs or acquisition of objects.

Temporary exhibitions – support is available for a range of institutions that wish to create an exhibition of Jewish interest that showcases their collections. This may involve preliminary research and planning, purchase of professional equipment, exhibition design and build and costs of loaning particular items from other institutions. We prefer to receive applications for temporary exhibitions that are not strictly panel-based and have the potential to travel.

Renting travelling exhibitions – funding is available to European institutions to rent a temporary exhibition of Jewish interest from another European institution. The exhibition can be one which is currently on display or can be a previous exhibition. There is support to cover loan costs, insurance, transportation, translation, staff visits and design adaptations. We prefer exhibitions that are not strictly panel-based and that fit the specific context of the institution making the application. This grant excludes exhibitions from institutions located in Israel and North America.

Innovative exhibition ideas – we recognise some projects don’t fit into defined categories and we are interested in hearing about creative approaches to exhibitions that engage audiences with Jewish heritage. The project must have a focused concept and goal, a rigorous methodology, be supported by a clear strategy and include a realistic budget. If you have an idea for an innovative exhibition project, please be in touch with us before submitting an application.

• Preliminary research and planning – this will help you create an exhibition concept and narrative, establish a list of potential objects and other materials to include, conduct preliminary curatorial and design research, and draft a budget and workplan.

• Curatorial costs – research around the exhibition, with the help of assistants.

• Ensuring the stability of materials – some items may need to be treated or repaired before they are able to be included in an exhibition.

• Staff salaries – these projects must be undertaken by professionals with relevant skills and experience. If your organisation doesn’t have this capacity, you will need to hire professional staff to carry out the work.

• Purchase of specialist equipment – specialist equipment may include vitrines, monitors, lighting, and other hardware.

• Exhibition design and build – costs for designing and building the exhibition which may involve an outside contractor. 

• Loan costs – the grant can cover the cost of borrowing items from other institutions (shipping and insurance) and/or the rental fee from the institution that originally curated the exhibition.

• Translation – translation (labels, catalogue) and other costs to adapt an existing exhibition into a new location.

• Public engagement – support for public programmes that promote the exhibition and engage diverse audiences. We are especially interested in activities aimed at young people and local communities. Support may include speakers’ fees, guest performance fees and travel expenses. This must be proportionate to the total project budget and does not cover catering costs.

• Digital projects – curated exhibitions that complement an exhibition or exist only online, apps and other digital projects.

• Printed publication about the collection or exhibition

• Core exhibitions (museums only) – The maximum level of funding that will be considered is for requests up to £75,000 per year for up to 3 years (maximum total of £225,000 over 3 years). 

• Temporary / hire of travelling exhibitions – The maximum level of funding that will be considered is £75,000.

• Innovative digital projects – The average level of funding in this category is £30,000 – £60,000 per year for up to 3 years.

We will fund up to 70% of the project budget and at least 30% of the cost of the project will need to come from other funding sources. We favour proposals that include co-funding from other organisations as well as clear evidence of financial commitments from your own institution (e.g. institutional reserves, money raised from ticket sales etc.) Of this 30%, a maximum of 15% can be attributed to in-kind contributions or allocated costs (see below).

Applications requesting more than 70% of the total project budget will be rejected.

In-kind contributions and allocated costs can make up a maximum of 15% of the total cost of your project. Please ensure you identify these on your Project Budget Form under Project Income and use the Budget Explanation section to provide further details e.g. breakdown of salaries, volunteer time etc.

In-kind contributions include any materials, goods, services or facilities that you would otherwise have to pay for but that are being provided free of charge or at a reduced rate. This may include:

• volunteer time (i.e. how much would the time donated to the organisation cost if it had to be paid at an hourly rate in your country)
• new equipment that is donated to be used by the project
• dedicated space for the project that would otherwise have to be rented

Allocated costs include expenditure which must be paid for at some point by your organisation and do not qualify as in-kind contributions. This may include:

• services of an employee currently employed by your organisation for time spent on the project (e.g. staff costs, project management or supervision)
• additional time spent on the project by existing employees, beyond their current contracted hours, e.g. a part-time staff member who takes on additional responsibilities for the duration of the project
• supplies and material bought by your institutions which will be used on the project
• additional dedicated space for the project that will need to be rented

We support applications for project-related costs so please ensure your project budget fits our criteria.

We support a wide variety of projects at different stages of development, including stand-alone initiatives and new aspects of an existing project. However, we do not fund retroactively. This means we will not consider a request for funding for an activity that has already happened or is scheduled to happen while the application for funding is being considered.

We do not fund the following:

• operating costs for schools, synagogues, museums or other communal buildings
• building and construction work for museums or other communal institutions
• acquisition of objects
• launch events or exhibition openings
• restoration work of Jewish built heritage
• artistic projects in the fine arts, performing arts, film production and creative writing – including artwork commissioned by museums
• publication and translation of academic books

Please read our statement regarding funding for Jewish community libraries and Holocaust museums and memorials.

We welcome applications from any organisation based in Europe, EU and non-EU states alike, except for Ukraine, Russia and Belarus. 

The organisation’s activities must be deemed charitable under UK charity law, and we will require proof of its charitable status. This includes organisations which are either not-for-profit or publicly funded e.g., state or private libraries, archives, museums, research institutes, universities, cultural centres or non-profit organisations. For more information, please consult the UK’s Charity Commission website and its list of Charitable Purposes. 

If you are in the process of obtaining charitable status, please be aware that no payments will be made to your organisation until you have achieved this status. Additionally, if your organisation is awarded a grant but fails to secure charitable status within 3 months of having been notified of the award, the grant will be cancelled.

• Does the project add to the understanding, documentation, preservation, and/or dissemination of Jewish heritage?
• Is your organisation and its staff able to deliver the project?
• Is the planning of your project thorough, including sound objectives and evaluation measures?
• Does your proposed methodology adhere to internationally recognised standards?
• Does the project budget reflect the scope of your project and the local context?
• Is the impact of the project measurable and achievable?

First stage: Not all supporting documentation is required at the first stage so please check below and on the application form. Don’t upload any additional documentation at this stage as it will not be considered.

Second stage: If you are invited to submit a second-stage application you will be required to submit additional documentation with your application. If the required documentation is not included, your application cannot be considered.

If your application is approved, you will need to submit further supporting documentation once you receive your Grant Letter and Agreement. 

1. Budget table and budget explanation for the proposed project (First stage and second stage): An example of a completed budget form can be downloaded from the application form.

2. Proof of Charitable Status (First stage): This will vary from country to country and according to the type of organisation making the application. This may be a UK charity number where applicable. If your organisation is a not-for-profit or a publicly funded body, such as a university, research centre or museum, we will accept a copy of the relevant portion of the organisation’s statutes as proof of its charitable status. 

• • Certification from the tax authorities: If you have a certificate from the tax authorities that demonstrates charitable status in your country this can also be submitted as proof. 

3. CVs of key staff members working on the project (Second stage) (maximum 2 pages for each staff member): This should reflect their experience in undertaking projects such as the one outlined in this application. Qualifications include professional certificates, university diplomas, and relevant experience. Please combine all the CVs into one document before uploading it.  

4. The most recently available audited accounts or financial statement (Second stage): This is a formal record of your organisation’s financial activities for either a one- or three-year period. The statement must include a summary of the income and expenditure over a given period. It should have been prepared by your financial department or a chartered accountant and, if your country requires it, approved by the relevant authority. 

1. • Income and Expenditure: If the submitted audited accounts or financial statement are not in English, you are required to submit an English summary of the income and expenditure account and balance sheet. 

5. Strategic Plan (Second stage): If you are applying for a multi-year grant, please submit the latest organisational strategic plan which includes the larger vision of the organisation and how your project fits within that. 

1. • If your organisation doesn’t have a strategic plan, please create one describing your institution’s vision, its goals for the next 2 to 3 years and how your project fits within that.

6. Photographs: If appropriate and relevant, please include up to 10 photographs (saved together into one word document or PDF). This could be some examples of the materials to be conserved, floor plans, rare books to be repaired etc. Please ensure that each photo is no larger than 1MB. Please note that you have a combined application file size allowance of 20MB. 

7. Project Update/Final Report: If you currently receive funding from the Foundation, please submit a one-page project update of your existing grant. If you have recently finished a grant funded by the Foundation, please ensure the final report has been submitted before the closing date for the current grant round as this will be assessed alongside your new application. 

8. Other supporting documents: If there are any additional supporting documents which are relevant to your application, such as a letter of support from a partner organisation or a letter confirming copyright ownership, please submit them as well.

Translations: For documents not originally written in English please include an English translation. This does not need to be an official or full translation, but it must be clear and accurate. Documents in a language other than English that are not accompanied by an English translation will not be processed.

Financial summaries: If financial documents are very long, please provide a translation summarising the main income and expenditure included in your financial statements and organisational budget. This document should be no longer than 10 pages.

Please upload your translated/summarised document against the same upload title you use for the original document. This means you may have two documents saved under each upload title.

This is a two-stage application process. The first-stage application is open until Monday, 24 June 2024 GMT 17:00.

If you are successful, you should expect notification via email within 3 weeks inviting you to submit a second-stage application due by the deadline above. If you are unsuccessful, you will also be notified via email around the same time. An invitation to submit a second stage application form does not guarantee funding.

For Spring grant rounds, you will receive confirmation in late July. For Autumn grant rounds you will receive confirmation in early January.

If your application is approved, you will receive an official Grant Offer Letter together with an Award Agreement which you will need to e-sign and return with the necessary supporting documentation.

For guidance on starting and completing an application as well as our requirements for ensuring safeguarding and open access, please visit our website.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require any further information or advice as you prepare your application.

For queries relating to this grant category please contact:

Rebecca Singer (r.singer@rothschildfoundation.eu) or Dr Brigitte Sion – b.sion@rothschildfoundation.eu

For any other information including technical support please contact info@rothschildfoundation.eu

Please add the following emails to your contacts/safe senders list to ensure you receive all our communications regarding your application and grant notification: mailuk@grantapplication.com; mail@grantapplication.com; adobesign@adobesign.com 

Please make sure you submit your application by the appropriate deadline date which you can find here.