PRISM Grant Fund

photograph of G Marconi on the mountain railway

Mr Marconi en route for the station.
Guglielmo Marconi on the mountain railway serving the wireless station at Cefndu, Wales, c. 1924. From the C S Franklin Papers, acquired by the Bodleian Library in 2007 with support from the PRISM Grant Fund. © Bodleian Library

PRISM Grant Fund

About the PRISM Fund

The Fund for the PReservation of Industrial and Scientific Material (PRISM Fund) supports the acquisition and/or conservation of any object or group of objects illustrating the history of any branch of science, industry or technology.

Until 31 March 2003, the Fund was administered on behalf of MLA by the Science Museum, but is now administerd directly by MLA. The Fund is allocated £250,000 per annum.

The PRISM Fund covers England and Wales. A parallel fund for the purchase of objects relating to the arts, literature and history is administered by the Victoria and Albert Museum on behalf of MLA. Corresponding schemes are administered in Scotland and Northern Ireland by the National Museums of Scotland and the Northern Ireland Museums Council respectively.

The PRISM Fund is currently open for applications. In the first six months of the financial year 2008/2009 the Fund will endeavour to respond to applications within two months from the date the application assessment is completed except for acquisitions from auction houses. If you would like to discuss the eligibility of your organisation for PRISM funding or want advice on the application and awarding process, please contact Denislava Ivanova, Grants and Procurement Manager on 020 7549 1714. If you would like to discuss a potential project or want advice on preparing an application please contact Katherine Doyle, PRISM Fund Manager. Tel: 020 7273 1446; Email: prism@mla.gov.uk .

Annual Reports

PRISM Grant Fund Annual Report 2006/07

In 2006/07 the PRISM Fund has awarded grants totalling £237,000 to help museums and other organisations to acquire and conserve objects of industrial and scientific importance. The annual report gives details of the 32 awards made last year. The objects which have received funding include a 19th century diving suit, a vintage car, scientific instruments, a helicopter, natural history and geology specimens, a World War II glider, boats, a steam locomotive, a paper making machine, archives and a combine harvester.

PRISM Grant Fund Annual Report 2006/07 (PDF 365 KB)

Previous PRISM Grant Fund Annual Reports

Guidance Notes and Application Form

Our logo

A logo is available for PRISM Fund Grant recipients to use on their websites and in their promotional literature.