Deadline: 28-May-2026
The Mondriaan Fund is inviting applications from Dutch and Caribbean heritage institutions to support international collaborative research projects in shared collection areas. The grant promotes art historical research, provenance research, international museum partnerships, and public presentation of findings, with funding covering up to 40% of variable project costs and up to 70% for development-phase research (maximum €15,000).
Overview
The Mondriaan Fund supports publicly accessible museums and heritage institutions that want to work with international partner institutions on research in areas where their collections overlap.
The main aim is to encourage:
- New insights in shared collection areas
- International cultural heritage collaboration
- Art historical and provenance research
- Public presentation of research outcomes
- Stronger global relevance of heritage collections
This scheme is especially useful for institutions planning joint research projects with foreign museums or heritage bodies.
Key Funding Details
- Funder: Mondriaan Fund
- Focus: International collaboration on shared collection research
- Funding Type: Case-by-case grant support
- Standard Support: Up to 40% of variable project costs
- Development-Phase Support: Up to 70% of variable costs
- Development-Phase Maximum Grant: €15,000
What the Grant Supports
This funding is intended for collaborative research projects between Dutch heritage institutions and international partners in areas where their collections connect.
Main supported areas
- Shared collection research
- Art historical research
- Provenance research
- International museum and heritage collaboration
- Public presentation of research findings
Eligible activities may include
- Joint research with foreign partner institutions
- Comparative collection analysis
- Research into collection histories and provenance
- Travel for project development
- Accommodation for preparatory work
- Early-stage research planning
- Meetings with international partners
- Preparatory research activities
- Presentation of results in the Netherlands
The fund places strong value on research that leads to a public outcome, not just internal study.
Why This Grant Matters
This grant helps museums and heritage institutions move beyond isolated research and build meaningful international partnerships.
It matters because it supports:
- Better understanding of shared cultural heritage
- Stronger international research networks
- More visibility for collection-based research
- Deeper insight into provenance and historical context
- Public access to research outcomes through exhibitions or presentations
For institutions working on museum research, restitution-related context, provenance studies, or transnational collection histories, this is a strategically important opportunity.
Who is Eligible?
Eligible applicants
Applicants must be:
- Publicly accessible museums, or
- Heritage institutions
Institutional requirements
They must:
- Manage cultural heritage of national importance
- Be located in:
- The Netherlands, or
- The Caribbean part of the Kingdom
Partnership requirement
Applicants must have:
- A formal collaboration with one or more comparable foreign heritage institutions
Presentation requirement
The project must be:
- Presented by both the Dutch institution and the international partner(s)
However:
- Only the Dutch institution’s presentation costs are eligible for funding
How the Funding Works
The Mondriaan Fund does not use a fixed one-size-fits-all grant amount for full projects.
Standard project funding
- The Fund can cover up to 40% of the variable project costs
- The exact amount is decided case by case
Development-phase funding
For early-stage or preparatory research, applicants can request:
- Up to 70% of variable project costs
- Maximum €15,000
This can be useful for:
- Travel
- Accommodation
- Exploratory meetings
- Initial research planning
- Preparatory investigation before the full project
How to Apply
A practical approach is:
- Confirm institutional eligibility
- Make sure your museum or heritage institution is publicly accessible and manages nationally important heritage.
- Secure an international partner
- Establish a formal collaboration with a comparable foreign institution.
- Define the shared collection area
- Clearly explain how the collections overlap and why joint research is valuable.
- Develop the research concept
- Focus on art historical, provenance, or related collection-based research.
- Plan the public outcome
- Show how the results will be presented to the public.
- Prepare the budget
- Separate variable costs clearly.
- Show what part you want the Mondriaan Fund to support.
- Apply for development support first if needed
- If the project is still in early planning, consider requesting preparatory funding.
Tips for a Strong Application
- Clearly explain the shared collection connection
- Show why the international collaboration is essential
- Emphasise research quality and originality
- Include a strong public presentation plan
- Highlight the importance of provenance or art historical value
- Make the budget realistic and transparent
- Demonstrate the added value of working with the foreign partner
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Describing a partnership too vaguely
- Failing to show how the collections actually overlap
- Submitting research without a public presentation outcome
- Ignoring the distinction between full project funding and development funding
- Including non-eligible presentation costs for foreign partners
- Providing an unclear budget for variable costs
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Mondriaan Fund grant for?
It supports international collaborative research projects between Dutch heritage institutions and foreign partners in shared collection areas, especially in art historical and provenance research.
Who can apply?
Eligible applicants are:
- Publicly accessible museums
- Heritage institutions managing nationally important cultural heritage in:
- The Netherlands
- The Caribbean part of the Kingdom
What types of research are supported?
The grant supports research such as:
- Shared collection research
- Art historical research
- Provenance research
- Comparative heritage research with international partners
How much funding is available?
- Full projects: up to 40% of variable project costs (case by case)
- Development phase: up to 70% of variable project costs
- Development-phase maximum: €15,000
Can the grant support early-stage planning?
Yes. Development-phase support can cover:
- Travel
- Accommodation
- Preparatory research
- Partnership development
- Early-stage project preparation
Do results need to be publicly presented?
Yes. The fund gives strong importance to projects where the research leads to a public presentation.
Are international partner presentation costs covered?
No. The project must be presented by both sides, but only the Dutch institution’s presentation costs are eligible for funding.
Conclusion
The Mondriaan Fund offers an important opportunity for museums and heritage institutions to build international research partnerships around shared collections.
For organisations in the Netherlands and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom, this grant can support provenance research, art historical collaboration, early-stage project development, and public presentation of findings. The strongest applications will clearly show a real collection overlap, a formal international partnership, and a strong public-facing research outcome.
For more information, visit Mondriaan Fund.
