Thomas Brown
- Role
- Researcher
Grant Development Manager
About
Thomas is responsible for cultivating proposals and sourcing opportunities for funding to support our staff and organisational mission. Additionally, he manage the Strategic Research Fund, an internal funding scheme which supports our Research Vision enabling disruptive research, inclusive practice, and entrepreneurial projects.
Prior to taking up his position at The National Archives in December 2024, I worked for The National Lottery Heritage Fund as an Investment Manager for 8 years. Here he worked with a huge array of diverse heritage projects including community engagement initiatives, museum and gallery works, community grant programmes, and archival/ digital resilience building (to name a few). He was also a Senior Investment Manager for the Species Survival Fund, awarding funds to impactful natural heritage and conservation projects.
Research activity
I’m interested in exploring the impact, and potential of, community engagement with heritage assets and how it can be harnessed to build organisational resilience. Additionally, I’m curious about the barriers which sit between researchers and funders, and what tools we can use to overcome these challenges.
I have a BA in Ancient, Classical and Medieval Studies, and an MA in Cultural Heritage and Resource Management. These manifested in a comparative study of Roman Mystery Cults vs the existing evidence bases, and an in-depth analysis of how impactful experiential heritage engagement can benefit historic sites. I still have an intense interest in the Classical World, perception of ritual, and historic governance.