On 7 December 2007, at the Hermitage Theatre the third awards ceremony was held by Vladimir Potanin Charitable Foundation for researchers at the State Hermitage Museum.

The purpose of the long running joint programme with the Vladimir Potanin Charitable Foundation and the State Hermitage Museum is to promote the development of staff potential at the museum and create the conditions for beneficial scientific and productive activities of promising researchers. The size of a single grant consists of 40,000 roubles.

The grants encompass an extremely broad range of museum work. It does not simply cover those tradition activities as processing reports and storage documentation, establishment of electronic databases, restoration, organization of temporary exhibitions, creation of collection catalogues and monographs, preparation and defense of dissertations, establishment of bibliographical information and scientific-educational projects. The grants have been extended to encourage specialists in developing research in technology, for planning and financing projects and for improving the conditions for visitors.

The Vladimir Potanin Charitable Foundation grants are awarded annually based on the results of a competitive process. The department directors suggest applicants from the State Hermitage Museum, taking into account the contribution of employees in participating in the museum's projects, which are either currently being carried out or have been run over the past year. Information is provided to a Grants Commission of the State Hermitage Museum with the participation of representatives from the charitable foundation. The decision about the awarding of grants is taken by the museum's Scientific Council. Since 2005, 300 museum employees have received grants from the Vladimir Potanin Charitable Foundation.

At the awards ceremony a documentary film will be shown in the Hermitage Theatre, talking about several projects going on in the museum for which employees have received grants for their work in 2007.

Mikhail Piotrovsky, Director of the State Hermitage Museum

Larissa Zelkova, Director General of the Vladimir Potanin Charity Fund