As a charitable organisation, the National Space Centre operates on a non-profit-making basis and depends entirely on grants, sponsorship and donations to undertake new projects and to enhance its exhibition galleries. It has an active programme of seeking funds from grant-making bodies, of securing sponsorship agreements with companies, and of fund-raising from charitable trusts and individuals.

The founding partners who funded the capital phase of the National Space Centre are the Millennium Commission, the University of Leicester, BT, Leicester City Council, and the East Midlands Development Agency. Ongoing sponsors include BT, Walkers, Nestlé, Astrium, Dominoes Toys and Infoterra.