The Islamic Manuscript Association

Grant Scheme

The Islamic Manuscript Association Grant Scheme was established to further the aims of the Association by supporting the projects and research of its members in the field of Islamic manuscripts.

The application form can now be downloaded from our Forms and Downloads page.

The Grant Scheme is among the major ongoing activities of the Association, and is one of the main ways in which the Association is able to actively benefit its members’ work with manuscript collections around the world. The maximum available grant is £5000 per project, and a number of awards are made annually. The Grant Scheme will run annually until further notice. Work that we aim to support includes, but is not limited to:

Projects related to preservation and conservation

Conservation of an individual manuscript or group of manuscripts
Purchase of tools, equipment, and supplies for preservation or conservation projects
Tests and laboratory analysis of pigments, papers, or other materials

Please refer to the Association’s Collection Care and Emergency Response Grant Scheme to find out about grant funding for collections-based activities relating to preservation and conservation training and assessment, disaster planning, pest management, and the development of security and exhibition policies.

Projects related to imaging of manuscripts

Digital photography of individual manuscripts or a group of manuscripts
Purchase of hardware and equipment including cameras and book cradles
Purchase of specialist software for the creation and maintenance of online viewing platforms
Staff training in manuscript handling for digitization projects
Facilities for data archiving, storage and migration

Projects related to cataloguing

Initial collection surveys and full catalogues
Purchase of cataloguing software enabling access for researchers and the public
Staff training in cataloguing

Projects related to research and publishing

Publication costs for critical editions and translations of manuscript texts, including the costs of quality colour reproduction
Maintenance costs during write-up of established research on manuscripts
Purchase of DVDs or microfilms of manuscript images

General

Organisation of, or attendance at, conferences and training events related to the care and management of manuscript collections or scholarship on Islamic manuscripts (excluding the Association’s annual conference and other activities)
Project planning and delivery
Specialist consultancy costs
Pilot schemes and feasibility studies leading to larger projects for which alternative funding will be sought
Other costs in addition to those listed will be considered

Through the Grant Scheme, the Association has been able to provide direct financial and expert assistance to more than 50 different projects in over 20 countries including Yemen, Mali, Nigeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, India, Turkey, the USA, the UK, France, Germany and Spain. We encourage our members to apply for grant funding for well-planned and reasonably costed projects, and in some cases expert assistance can be provided to help members prepare their projects.

In brief, the Grant Scheme is designed to further any activities which support the needs of manuscript collections, particularly in the area of collection care and management and in advancing scholarship related to Islamic manuscripts.