Grant Directories

The Arts & Culture Impact Fund brings together public, private and charitable funding to provide affordable repayable finance to the UK’s arts, culture and heritage organisations able to demonstrate measurable positive social impact. The funding could be used, among other things, to acquire new assets, improve built infrastructure, develop new ventures or scale up existing revenue streams.

VisitScotland is the national tourism organisation for Scotland with the aim of contributing significantly to the advancement of Scottish tourism.   Through the Winter Festivals programme VisitScotland aims to bring together communities and visitors from all over the world to celebrate Scotland’s heritage, traditions and modern culture through the best of Scottish music, food and drink, arts and entertainment.

The Dulverton Trust is an independent grant-making charity that supports UK charities and Charitable incorporated Organisations tackling a range of social issues, protecting the natural world, and preserving heritage crafts.  Through its Heritage funding strand, the Trust supports the development of craftsmanship in the traditional techniques of repair and restoration and have a strong interest in heritage skills training, particularly where it may benefit a disadvantaged group; Cathedrals (Trustees generally make one award to a cathedral per year).

The Wolfson Foundation awards grants to support and promote excellence in education, science & medicine, the arts & humanities and health & disability. Through its Funding for Historic Buildings and Landscapes funding stream the Foundation aims to support organisations managing sites of outstanding historic, architectural and cultural significance and that have a clear emphasis on public access and engagement. Grants are awarded towards conservation and restoration work, interpretation, and education spaces.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund uses money raised by players of the National Lottery to fund projects that connect people and communities to the national, regional and local heritage of the UK. This could include oral history; cultural traditions; nature; natural and designed landscapes; community archaeology; historic buildings, monuments and environments; collections of objects, books or documents in museums, libraries or archives; etc. Funding is available for repairs and conservation, digital technology, new staff posts, paid training placements and professional fees.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund uses money raised by players of the National Lottery to fund projects that connect people and communities to the national, regional and local heritage of the UK. This could include oral history; cultural traditions; nature; natural and designed landscapes; community archaeology; historic buildings, monuments and environments; collections of objects, books or documents in museums, libraries or archives; etc. Funding is available for repairs and conservation, digital technology, new staff posts, paid training placements and professional fees. Grants range from £3,000 to £5,000,000.

The National Churches Trust is the national charity dedicated to supporting and promoting places of worship of historic, architectural and community value used by Christian denominations throughout the UK through advice, support and funding. The Cornerstone Grant Programme offers grants of between £10,000 and £50,000 towards the cost of urgent structural repair projects costed at more than £80,000 including VAT. The trust will also consider projects that introduce kitchens and accessible toilets (costed at more than £30,000 including VAT) to enable increased community use.

The National Churches Trust is the national charity dedicated to supporting and promoting places of worship of historic, architectural and community value used by Christian denominations throughout the UK through advice, support and funding. The Gateway Grant programme offers grants of between £3,000 and £10,000 towards project development and investigative work up to RIBA planning stage 1, providing support to churches preparing for a major project, and in developing the project to the point at which major grant funders can be approached. Grants will never exceed 50% of the project costs for this phase. Grants are also available to local church trusts to fund projects that support organisational development, increase their capacity to churches in their area or that deliver new ways of supporting churches in their area.

The National Churches Trust is the national charity dedicated to supporting and promoting places of worship of historic, architectural and community value used by Christian denominations throughout the UK through advice, support and funding. The Foundation Grant Programme offers grants of up to £5,000 towards urgent maintenance works and small investigative works costing up to £20,000. Grants will never exceed 50% of the project costs.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund uses money raised by players of the National Lottery to fund projects that connect people and communities to the national, regional and local heritage of the UK. This could include oral history; cultural traditions; nature; natural and designed landscapes; community archaeology; historic buildings, monuments and environments; collections of objects, books or documents in museums, libraries or archives; etc.  Grants range from £3,000 to £5,000,000.

The Architectural Heritage Foundation is a registered charity that is working to promote the conservation and sustainable re-use of historic buildings for the benefit of communities across the UK. The organisation aims to support people, communities and organisations to take ownership, repair and adapt historic buildings and places for new sustainable uses; to attract more investment for the conservation and sustainable re-use of the UK's architectural heritage; and to inspire the start-up and growth of new community enterprises that utilise historic buildings and places for public benefit. The Scottish Community Development Grant provides funding of up to £50,000 for not-for-profit organisations and Community Councils with projects in Scotland that are community led. Priority will be given to projects involving buildings that have statutory protection and to projects that will have a significant positive social impact (particularly in disadvantaged areas).

Theatres Trust's Urgent Repairs Scheme has been set up in partnership with the Wolfson Foundation. Both organisations are aware of the challenges facing theatres today and the difficulties faced for both urgent and preventative maintenance. Theatres in need of immediate repair and maintenance, and which could otherwise face closure, are able to apply for grants of up to £15,000. Theatres that are not statutory listed will need to demonstrate the architectural significance of their building. Priority will be given to projects that deliver urgent building repairs, and which can demonstrate that without such repairs the viability of the theatre and its future as a place presenting live work to audiences is at risk.

Historic England is the government’s expert advisory service for England’s historic environment. They give constructive advice to local authorities, owners and the public and champion historic places helping people to understand, value and care for them. Local authorities can apply for funding under the Partnership Schemes in Conservation Areas (PSICA) scheme; these are designed to target funding for the preservation and enhancement of conservation areas. Partnership schemes make grants available to the owners of individual properties, within a conservation area, who want to carry out repairs or other appropriate work which will enhance the area. The PSICA is based on a partnership between Historic England, the Local Authority and other funding bodies.

ChurchCare supports all those in parishes, dioceses and cathedrals caring for their buildings today and for the enjoyment of future generations. The Fabric Repairs programme helps PCC's with the eligible costs of essential fabric repairs in architecturally or historically significant Anglican churches in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Applications are considered on the grounds of the historic and architectural significance of the building and also on a parish's engagement with the history and interpretation of the site/building. Works eligible for funding tend to be Category A or B recommendations in a quinquennial inspection report and include things such as: Roof repairs; Masonry repairs; Rainwater disposal and drainage.

The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee that promotes the conservation and sustainable re-use of historic buildings at risk for the benefit of the public. The Project Viability Grant (PVG) scheme is intended to be an initial assessment of whether it is viable to bring an at risk building that is listed or in a conservation area and of acknowledged architectural or historic merit back into a sustainable use. In particular it aims to enable not for profit organisations to explore the evidence of need for a suggested use, or uses, for a building and the sustainability of that use, with a view to the likely requirements of grant funders. Grants are available up to £15,000.

The AHF is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee that promotes the conservation and sustainable re-use of historic buildings at risk for the benefit of the public. The Project Development Grant (PDG) scheme is intended to assist not for profit organisations looking to put to beneficial use an at risk building that is listed or in a conservation area and of acknowledged architectural or historic merit. Funding will cover some of the costs of developing and co-ordinating a project and taking it towards the start of work on site and can include a combination of non-recoverable professional fees and project organiser costs. Organisations must have established that the end use of the project is likely to be viable and have decided to take the project forward. Grants are available of up to £20,000.

Grants of £10,000 to £500,000 are available to owners via The Historic Scotland Historic Building Repair Grants Scheme, to meet the cost of high-quality repairs using traditional materials and specialist craftsman to conserve original features in buildings of special architectural or historic interest. In return, owners must insure and maintain the building and allow some access to visitors.  Buildings must be of sufficient outstanding architectural or historic interest; the building must be at serious risk from neglect or repair; and a need for grant for repairs to be undertaken must be demonstrated.

The Jill Franklin Trust is a grant making organisation which supports five areas: Self-Help groups - advice, training, and employment, to support people with a mental illness or learning difficulties , and their carers (parents etc.); Organisations helping and supporting refugees and asylum-seekers coming to or in the UK; The restoration (not "improvement") of churches of architectural importance and occasionally to other buildings of architectural importance, the church should be open to visitors every day; Local schemes to help prisoners to resettle, or to inhibit delinquency; Bereavement counselling. The Trust has about £80,000 a year to spend, however grants are typically between £500 and £1000. Applications may be submitted at any time.

The Skinners' Company Lady Neville Charity aim is to provide grants that will make a clear and significant contribution to grassroots charitable organizations working in designated priority areas. The priority areas are: Local Heritage - projects which help local groups to conserve and restore their landmarks, landscape, traditions and culture; Performing & Visual Arts Groups; Any charitable activity taking place where the Skinners Company has existing works or historical links (The city of London, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Hounslow, West Kent, Romney Marsh). One off capital grants for non-recurring expenditure of up to £1,000 are made to small registered charities and not-for-profit organisations.

The Marc Fitch Fund makes small grants towards the costs of publishing scholarly work in the fields of British and Irish national, regional and local history, archaeology, antiquarian studies, historical geography, the history of art and architecture, heraldry, genealogy and surname studies, archival research, artefact conservation and the broad fields of the heritage, conservation and the historic environment. It provides funding under a number of schemes: Publication grants - to assist with production costs; Research grants - to cover costs such as travel and accommodation within the UK/Ireland to visit archives; Special Projects Grants - projects that do not fit easily into one of the other categories and Journal digitisation - towards the costs of archaeological and historical societies publishing their journal backlists online. 

The Sylvia Waddilove Foundation focuses on providing grants to charities CICs and Registered Societies for projects relating to the following purposes: Education (organic farming, animal husbandry, veterinary science, animal welfare and animal surgery); The visual and performing arts; Medical Research; The relief of disability and severe illness; The preservation of buildings of historical or architectural significance; The accommodation of those in need; The skills based training of young people.

The Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts is the operating office of 18 grant-making trusts established by three generations of the Sainsbury family. Each trust works autonomously as an independent legal entity with a separate board of trustees, actively led by an individual member of the family.
The Headley Trust Grant funds many areas such as Arts, heritage and conservation projects in the UK of outstanding creative or architectural importance. They are also keen to help with repair work to cathedrals, restoration of buildings and development projects in sub-Saharan Anglophone Africa, and Ethiopia (This is not an exhaustive list, please see website). The amount of funding is discretionary and applications can be submitted at any time.

The Association for Industrial Archaeology (AIA) promotes the study, preservation and presentation of Britain's industrial heritage. The AIA Restoration grants are available for the restoration of historically, technically, architecturally, and/or archaeologically important industrial buildings, structures, machinery, vehicles and vessels within the UK. To be eligible for funding the heritage asset must be covered by a Conservation Policy and/or Statement; and must be sustainably managed, displayed and interpreted for the public, therefore the public must have full access to the asset. Funding is available for a maximum of £20,000 and can only cover capital expenditure.

The Charles Hayward Foundation is a grant-making charitable Trust that makes grants to charities and charitable organisations which are registered in the U.K. The Foundation runs two grants programmes: Main grant programme, this focuses on Social & Criminal Justice, Heritage & Conservation and Overseas (UK registered charities undertaking projects in the Commonwealth countries of Africa) and is aimed at charities with an income of more than £350,000; Small Grant Programme, this focuses on Social & Criminal Justice and Older People and is for charities with an income of less than £350,000.

Benefact Trust makes grants to churches and charities to benefit the people in their local communities across the UK. In 2017, the Trust distributed grants totalling £9.7m, the most the Trust have ever given in a year, which went to a wide range of churches, cathedrals, and charities throughout the British Isles. The Trust particularly welcome applications from less well-off parishes and for projects which benefit mission and help local communities.  Grants will be considered for Churches, Church establishments, religious charities, charities preserving UK heritage, theological colleges, schools promoting Christian religion, charities sponsored or recommended by the Church in the United Kingdom. Grants tend to be made for general works, repairs, refurbishment and the renovation of buildings.

A range of grants are available for the repair of buildings of outstanding architectural or historic interest, the preservation of monuments, archaeology projects, the repair and regeneration of buildings in outstanding conservation areas and conservation training. Grants are awarded to assist with the higher costs of using traditional materials and craftsmanship in the repair of the historic fabric. The funding is open to organisations or individuals who have a legal responsibility for the repair of a historic building. Applicants will normally need to own the building, or hold (or intend to hold) a full repairing lease, which has at least 21 years to run.