How Small Museums Can Apply for Lottery Funding to Purchase a Display Cabinet

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For many small and volunteer-run museums, purchasing a professional display cabinet can feel out of reach. Yet secure, conservation-friendly displays are essential for protecting collections and helping visitors connect with local heritage.

The good news is that lottery funding is available, and grants can often cover the cost of display cabinets when the purchase supports public access to heritage. At Access Displays, we regularly work with museums that secure funding for new cabinets as part of wider display improvement projects. This guide explains how to get started.

Why Lottery Funding Can Support Display Cabinets

In the UK, the most common source of lottery funding for heritage projects is the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF). Its small grants programme, offering awards from £3,000 to £10,000, is well suited to compact projects such as:

  • Updating or refreshing a gallery
  • Improving how collections are displayed
  • Ensuring artefacts are safely and securely housed
  • Enhancing visitor engagement with heritage

A display cabinet on its own may not be enough to secure funding. However, a cabinet that forms part of a clearly defined heritage project can absolutely be eligible.

Step 1: Check Your Eligibility

Before applying, confirm that your museum meets the basic eligibility criteria:

  • You are a not-for-profit organisation, such as a charity, CIO, CIC, trust, or local authority museum.
  • Your work involves preserving or presenting heritage, including objects, archives, local history, or cultural collections.

You will also need to demonstrate that:

  • The purchase benefits the public.
  • It helps you share or care for heritage more effectively.

Example: A new secure display case will allow the museum to safely exhibit previously unseen artefacts from the Victorian bottle-making industry.

Step 2: Choose the Right Grant Programme

Most small museums apply under the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s grants of £3,000 to £10,000. This programme is designed for straightforward, low-cost heritage projects and is the most accessible route for funding equipment such as display cabinets.

If your cabinet costs less than £3,000, consider incorporating it into a slightly broader project, such as redisplaying a small collection or improving interpretation.

Step 3: Shape Your Purchase Into a Mini-Project

The NLHF focuses on how projects benefit people and heritage, not just on what is being purchased. This means framing your cabinet as part of a wider activity.

Consider:

  • What objects will be displayed in the cabinet?
  • Who will benefit from seeing them?
  • Will you run talks, events, or workshops linked to the display?
  • What story will visitors learn?

Example project framing:
“To display our newly conserved medieval pottery, we will purchase a conservation-grade display cabinet, produce new interpretation panels, and deliver two community workshops exploring the town’s medieval trading history.”

Step 4: Prepare Your Application

Applications are completed online and typically require the following:

Project description
Explain what you want to do and why it matters.

Simple budget
Include:

  • The display cabinet cost (supported by at least one supplier quote)
  • Delivery and installation
  • Interpretation panels or signage
  • Workshops or outreach activities
  • A small contingency allowance of 5–10%

Access Displays can provide free quotes to support this section.

Timeline
Most projects run for between 3 and 12 months.

Policies and documents
These may include your constitution, safeguarding policy, and other governance documents.

Evidence of need
Visitor feedback, conservation requirements, or strategic plans can all help strengthen your application.

Step 5: Show the Difference Your Project Will Make

Funding decisions are based on outcomes. You do not need to meet every outcome, but you should clearly demonstrate one or two meaningful benefits, such as:

  • More people engaging with heritage
  • Collections being displayed more safely
  • Improved visitor access
  • Better interpretation and understanding

Explain clearly how the display cabinet contributes to achieving these outcomes.

Step 6: Submit and Wait for a Decision

Decisions for small grants are typically made within 8 to 12 weeks. Match funding is not usually required, although it can strengthen your application if available.

Step 7: After You Receive Funding

Once approved, museums are usually required to:

  • Keep receipts and financial records
  • Photograph the completed display
  • Provide a short evaluation at the end of the project

After completion, you can begin using your new display cabinet to share more of your collection with the public.

Need a Quote or Advice for Your Funding Application?

Access Displays has supported many small museums in selecting appropriate cabinets and preparing evidence for funding applications. We can provide:

  • Free, no-obligation quotes
  • Guidance on conservation-grade materials
  • Advice on security, lighting, and custom options
  • Bespoke solutions for unusual artefacts or limited spaces

If you are planning a funding application, get in touch. We are always happy to help you put your heritage on display.