Marc Fitch Fund

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £368,102 (2023)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Spring and Autumn meetings (twice annually)
• Grant Range: Typically under £5,000, with occasional larger grants
• Geographic Focus: British and Irish topics only

Contact Details

Website: www.marcfitchfund.org.uk

Email: admin@marcfitchfund.org.uk (also contact@marcfitchfund.org.uk)

Phone: 07805 650625

Charity Number: 313303

Overview

Established in 1956 by Marcus Felix Brudenell Fitch CBE FBA FSA (1908-1994), the Marc Fitch Fund is an educational charity supporting research and publication in British and Irish history and related fields. With annual grant-giving of £368,102 (2023), representing a significant increase from £110,898 (2022) and £52,803 (2021), the Fund operates as a “funder of last resort,” providing critical support to worthwhile projects at risk of failing without financial assistance. The Fund focuses on scholarly work in national, regional and local history, archaeology, antiquarian studies, historical geography, history of art and architecture, heraldry, genealogy and surname studies, archival research, artifact conservation, and heritage conservation.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Pre-publication Grants (typically under £5,000)

• Cover illustrative material or reproduction licences
• Support travel within UK/Ireland to access archives
• Exclude researcher time costs
• Require provisional publication acceptance

Publication Grants (typically under £5,000, with occasional larger grants)

• Subsidize publication expenses when publishers need financial support
• Support color printing or expanded illustrations
• Help reduce retail price of scholarly books

Special Project Grants (variable amounts)

• Support unique initiatives like artifact conservation or collection cataloguing
• Must include original research and publication components

Journal Digitisation Grants (variable amounts)

• Assist archaeological and historical societies publishing journal backlists online
• Require applicants to secure 50% of costs independently
• Results must be deposited in trusted digital repository
• Must be made available to all, without charge and in perpetuity

Priority Areas

The Fund supports scholarly work in the following fields related to British and Irish history:

• National, regional, and local history
• Archaeology and antiquarian studies
• Historical geography
• History of art and architecture
• Heraldry, genealogy, and surname studies
• Archival research
• Artifact conservation and study
• Heritage conservation and the historic environment

What They Don't Fund

Temporal exclusions:

• Works covering periods after 1979

Publication exclusions:

• New editions or translations of previously published works

Activity exclusions:

• Vocational or educational courses
• Postgraduate research projects (as distinct from publication of research results)
• Fieldwork itself (only publication of fieldwork results)
• International travel or overseas research
• Building works, conferences, or exhibitions

Geographic exclusions:

• Topics outside the British Isles (Britain and Ireland only)

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Governance and Leadership

The Marc Fitch Fund is governed by a Council of Management, with trustees serving without remuneration.

Chair: Lindsay Allason-Jones (appointed 2006) - Retired, also serves as trustee of The Clayton Collection Of Roman Antiquities and The Society Of Antiquaries Of Newcastle Upon Tyne

Other Trustees include:

• Roey Sweet (appointed 2016) - Professor of Urban History
• David Vines White (appointed 2008) - Officer of Arms
• Dr Henry Rosewell Thomas Summerson (appointed 2023)

Director: Christopher Catling FSA

The Council meets twice annually in Spring and Autumn to review applications.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Stage 1: Initial Outline

• Submit a brief outline of your project by email to admin@marcfitchfund.org.uk
• If the proposal meets the Fund's criteria, application forms will be provided

Stage 2: Full Application

• Complete the application forms provided by the Fund
• Include referee reports (heavily weighted in decisions)
• Demonstrate that the work will make a new and significant contribution to knowledge

Critical Requirement: Fund of Last Resort

Applicants must explain why a grant is necessary and demonstrate efforts to secure funding from other sources. The Fund explicitly states it steps in only when other funding sources have been exhausted.

Decision Timeline

Application Deadlines: 1 March and 1 August (for completed applications and references)

Council Meetings: Spring and Autumn

Specific notification timelines after council meetings are not publicly disclosed. Applicants should expect decisions following the Spring (March deadline) and Autumn (August deadline) council meetings.

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly disclosed. However, the Fund's total grant-giving increased significantly from £52,803 (2021) to £110,898 (2022) to £368,102 (2023), suggesting expanded grant-making activity.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is publicly documented. Contact the Fund directly for guidance on resubmitting unsuccessful applications.

Application Success Factors

Demonstrate “Last Resort” Status

The single most important factor for success is demonstrating that you have exhausted other funding sources and that your project is at risk of failing without support from the Marc Fitch Fund. Applications must explicitly explain why a grant is necessary and provide evidence of attempts to secure funding elsewhere.

Strong Referee Reports Are Critical

The Fund explicitly states that it “places great emphasis on the reports of referees.” Ensure you select referees who can provide detailed, authoritative assessments of your work's scholarly value.

Prove Significant Contribution to Knowledge

The Fund needs to be convinced that the work being funded will make “a new and significant contribution to knowledge.” Applications should clearly articulate the original research contribution and scholarly impact.

Align with Subject Areas

Ensure your project falls within the Fund's specified fields (archaeology, history, historical geography, art and architecture history, heraldry, genealogy, heritage conservation) and covers British or Irish topics only.

Publication Must Be Central

All grants ultimately support publication. Even special project grants must include “original research and the publication of the results” as part of the project.

Respect Temporal Boundaries

Projects covering periods after 1979 are excluded, so ensure your research focus predates this cut-off.

For Pre-publication Grants: Secure Provisional Acceptance

Pre-publication grants require provisional publication acceptance, so engage with publishers early in your project.

For Journal Digitisation: Show Co-funding

Journal digitisation applicants must secure 50% of costs independently before applying to the Marc Fitch Fund for the remainder.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Position as truly last resort: The Fund explicitly operates as a “funder of last resort” - your application must demonstrate exhausted alternatives and genuine risk of project failure without their support
• Invest in referee selection: With the Fund placing “great emphasis” on referee reports, choose referees strategically who can authoritatively speak to your work's scholarly significance
• Articulate original contribution: Clearly demonstrate how your work makes a “new and significant contribution to knowledge” in your field
• Timing matters: Plan submissions around the 1 March or 1 August deadlines, allowing sufficient time for referee reports to be submitted
• Small grants are the norm: Most grants are under £5,000, though occasional larger grants are awarded - budget realistically and consider the Fund for targeted support rather than full project costs
• Publication is paramount: All funding ultimately supports publication of scholarly work - ensure your application clearly articulates the publication plan and timeline
• Geographic and temporal boundaries are strict: British and Irish topics only, and pre-1979 focus - projects outside these parameters will not be considered

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

• Wellcome Trust
• The Leverhulme Trust
• Garfield Weston Foundation
• The Royal Academy of Engineering
• Alzheimer's Research UK
• The Wolfson Foundation
• The Nuffield Foundation
• Academy of Medical Sciences
• Council for At-Risk Academics
• THE MAURICE WOHL CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
• P F Charitable Trust
• The Sino-British Fellowship Trust
• THE FOYLE FOUNDATION
• FRONTIERS
• HELP FUND
• Hawthornden Foundation
• Cambridge University Press
• University of East Anglia
• Dr William Zachs

References

• Marc Fitch Fund Official Website -
• Charity Commission Register - Marc Fitch Fund (313303) -
• Marc Fitch Fund - Funding Scotland -
• Companies House - Marc Fitch Fund -
• Marc Fitch - Wikipedia - For background on founder -