Friends Of The Nations' Libraries

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £675,150 (2024)
• Success Rate: 77% (60 grants offered, 46 confirmed in 2023)
• Decision Time: 1-3 months depending on urgency
• Grant Range: £200 - £20,000
• Geographic Focus: UK-wide (England, Scotland, Wales)

Contact Details

Website: www.fnl.org.uk

Email: admin@fnlmail.org.uk

Phone: 01491 598083

Registered Charity Number: 313020

Overview

Founded in 1931, Friends of the Nations' Libraries (FNL) is a distinguished UK charity with a proud history of preserving the nation's written and printed heritage. In September 2024, the charity changed its name from “Friends of the National Libraries” to clarify that grants are available to public and university libraries as well as national libraries. With annual charitable expenditure of £675,150 (2024), FNL has awarded approximately 2,000 grants to nearly 400 institutions across the UK since its inception. Since 2000 alone, it has awarded over 600 grants totalling more than £3 million, supporting acquisitions valued at over £90 million. FNL's Royal Patron is His Majesty The King. The organization operates entirely through volunteers with no paid staff, demonstrating remarkable efficiency in its grant-making operations. In 2021, FNL led a major campaign that successfully raised £15.3 million to save the Blavatnik Honresfield Library, subsequently donating every manuscript and printed book to nearly 70 libraries and writers' houses across the UK.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Standard Acquisition Grants: £200 - £20,000 (typically)

• Online application form or email submission
• Rolling deadlines with three annual decision meetings (March, June, November)
• Fast-track process available for urgent auction deadlines

FNL typically contributes part of the cost of an acquisition but may cover the full cost if institutions have no other funds available. In 2023, the charity offered 60 grants with 46 confirmed acquisitions totalling £261,661.

Priority Areas

FNL provides grants for the acquisition of:

• Rare printed books
• Manuscripts and archives of historical, literary, artistic, architectural, or musical interest
• Fine bindings
• Materials that institutions could not otherwise afford
• Items with national or regional significance to UK collections

What They Don't Fund

• Conservation and cataloguing costs (applicants should consider the National Manuscripts Conservation Trust for conservation or Archives Revealed for cataloguing support)
• Items already purchased
• Operational expenses
• Digitization projects
• Building or infrastructure costs

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Governance and Leadership

Royal Patron: His Majesty The King

Officers:

• Geordie Greig (Chairman): Took over chairmanship in 2018. Former editor of major newspapers with a strong commitment to preserving literary heritage. On the Sarum Bible project: “We have been overwhelmed by the magnificent generosity of many donors and nearly 150 members of the public.”
• Charles Sebag-Montefiore CBE FSA FCA (Honorary Treasurer)
• Nell Hoare MBE FSA FIIC (Secretary)
• Paul Celerier FCA (Membership Accountant)

Ex Officio Trustees:

• Rhodri Llwyd Morgan (Chief Executive and Librarian, National Library of Wales)
• Dr Jessica Gardner (Librarian, University of Cambridge)
• The Chief Executive of the British Library
• Tina Morton (Secretary, Historical Manuscripts Commission)
• Dr Richard Ovenden OBE (Bodley's Librarian, Bodleian Libraries)
• Dr Amina Shah FRSE (National Librarian and Chief Executive, National Library of Scotland)

Elected Trustees: Include antiquarian booksellers, solicitors, archivists, scholars, collectors, historians, biographers, and philanthropists including Dame Lisbet Rausing, Artemis Cooper, Professor Kathryn Sutherland, and Joan Winterkorn MBE FSA.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applications can be submitted via:

• Online application form available at www.fnl.org.uk
• Email to admin@fnlmail.org.uk (recommended if word limits are restrictive; submit as Word document with supporting materials)

Application Requirements:

• Full details of the item to be acquired including name and date
• Significance of the item to your collection
• Item description and condition
• Provenance information
• Price and independent valuation
• Sale or dealer catalog entry
• Other funding sources secured or applied for
• Requested grant amount from FNL
• Seller or auction details

Deadlines: Applications should be received by 1st March, 1st June, or 1st November for consideration at the respective trustees' meetings.

Urgent Applications: If facing an auction deadline, contact FNL immediately. They can fast-track applications and make decisions quickly when time is of the essence.

Eligibility

• National libraries
• Libraries of national museums
• Record offices and archive services
• University and specialist libraries
• Museums, galleries, or collecting institutions with public access
• Must be UK-based
• Must provide public access to collections

Decision Timeline

• Standard applications: 1-3 months (reviewed at March, June, or November trustees' meetings)
• Urgent applications with auction deadlines: Can be expedited for immediate consideration

Successful applicants are typically notified by email following trustees' meetings.

Success Rates

Based on 2023 data: approximately 77% success rate for offered grants

• 60 grants offered
• 46 grants confirmed (some recipients unsuccessful at auction)
• Total value: £261,661

This represents a strong success rate for well-prepared applications aligned with FNL's priorities.

Reapplication Policy

Excellent news for applicants: Eligible institutions can apply as often as they wish. There are no restrictions on reapplying after an unsuccessful application. If your first application is not funded, you are welcome to submit again for the same or different acquisitions.

Application Success Factors

Based on FNL's guidance and grant patterns, successful applications typically demonstrate:

1. Clear Significance: Articulate why the item is of national or regional importance and how it fills a gap in your collection. FNL has funded diverse materials from 12th-century manuscripts to 20th-century archives.

2. Institutional Commitment: Show what other funding sources you have secured or applied for. FNL usually contributes part of the acquisition cost, demonstrating your institution's commitment strengthens applications.

3. Public Benefit: Emphasize how public access will be provided. FNL's mission centers on making heritage accessible to everyone.

4. Comprehensive Documentation: Provide thorough details including independent valuations, provenance, condition reports, and seller information. Complete applications move through the process more smoothly.

5. Appropriate Timing: For non-urgent applications, align with the March, June, or November meeting schedule. For auction deadlines, contact FNL immediately to arrange fast-track consideration.

6. Recognition Value: Note that receiving an FNL grant can help unlock additional funding from other sources, as it demonstrates expert validation of the acquisition's importance.

7. Range of Materials: FNL supports a remarkably diverse range from medieval manuscripts to modern archives, from printed books to fine bindings. Recent grants include the Jackie Kay literary archive (National Library of Scotland), the 13th-century Sarum Master Bible (Salisbury Cathedral), and Thomas Hardy manuscripts (Dorset institutions).

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Apply freely: No restrictions on how often institutions can apply—if unsuccessful, reapply for the same or different items
• Leverage the FNL brand: An FNL grant carries significant prestige and can help unlock additional funding sources
• Don't delay for auctions: Fast-track process available for urgent acquisition deadlines—contact them immediately
• Partial funding is typical: FNL usually contributes part of the cost, so demonstrate other funding sources
• Broad scope: Recent name change reflects expanded focus beyond just national libraries to include public, university, and specialist institutions
• Excellent success rate: 77% of offered grants in 2023 suggests well-prepared applications aligned with mission have strong approval chances
• Public access is paramount: Demonstrate how the acquisition will be made accessible to researchers and the public
• No staff overhead: All-volunteer operation means maximum funds go to grants—this is an efficient, mission-focused funder

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• National Art Collections Fund (Art Fund)
• The Idlewild Trust
• The Golsoncott Foundation
• Garfield Weston Foundation
• The Trusthouse Charitable Foundation (Forte Charitable Foundation)
• THE JEAN SAINSBURY ANIMAL WELFARE TRUST
• The Gordon Fraser Charitable Trust
• Frognal Trust
• The Pilgrim Trust
• The Clothworkers' Foundation

References

• Friends of the Nations' Libraries official website: www.fnl.org.uk
• “Applying for grants” page: https://www.fnl.org.uk/pages/22-applying-for-grants
• “FAQs” page: https://www.fnl.org.uk/pages/24-faqs
• “FNL Trustees” page: https://www.fnl.org.uk/pages/20-fnl-trustees
• Charity Commission Register: Charity number 313020, https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/313020
• FNL Annual Report 2023: https://www.fnl.org.uk/resources/fnl-annual-report-2023--
• “About” page: https://www.fnl.org.uk/pages/about
• Friends of the Nations' Libraries Wikipedia entry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friends_of_the_Nations'_Libraries
• Bath and North East Somerset Council funding information: https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/funding-finder/friends-nations-libraries
• Inside Salisbury: “13th Century Bible arrives at Salisbury Cathedral” (2024)