Arts Council England (ACE) has opened Round 6 of the Museum Estate and Development Fund (MEND) with a budget of approximately £25 million.
The funding is intended to help museums become more financially resilient and environmentally responsible. It aims to improve the environmental performance of buildings and equipment, helping to reduce carbon emissions across the museum sector. Funds can also support improvements that increase access for disabled people and accommodate a wider range of user needs. In addition, it seeks to strengthen museums’ contributions to local communities and regeneration by preserving landmark buildings.
Applications are open to non-national Accredited museums based in England, local authorities in England responsible for maintaining non-national Accredited museum buildings and partnerships between a local authority and a non-national Accredited museum. Lead applicants must be registered with Companies House and/or the Charity Commission, or a similar regulatory authority.
Grants of between £50,000 and £5 million are available for capital expenditure, defined as spend on the maintenance, repair or improvement of fixed assets that will be capitalised on the applicant organisation’s balance sheet.
ACE expects grants to support projects such as protecting the fabric and longevity of structures, protecting exhibits and collections, upgrading building services, addressing urgent equality and accessibility issues and improving environmental performance through repairs.
The deadline for Expressions of Interest is 12 June 2026 (12:00).
