Historic England’s Neighbourhood Heritage Grant supports communities to use local heritage as a way of understanding, influencing and shaping the future of their neighbourhoods. The programme is not intended to fund heritage activity simply for its own sake; projects should use heritage to strengthen community voice, participation and local influence.
Around 21 grants of up to £15,000 are available. Projects must be co-created with local communities, take place in an area within IMD Deciles 1–3, and involve communities that are underrepresented in heritage or local decision-making. Projects can explore buildings, streets, parks, landscapes, memories, stories, traditions and local identities, including heritage that is not formally listed or designated
Requirements:
- Applicants must be organisations based in England.
- Eligible applicants include constituted community groups, charities, Community Interest Companies and local authorities.
- Individuals and sole traders cannot apply.
- The organisation must be able to provide evidence of its governance arrangements.
- The community being worked with must be located in an IMD Decile 1, 2 or 3 area in England.
- The applicant itself does not have to be based in an IMD 1–3 area.
- Projects should be genuinely co-created, with local people influencing the priorities, activities and decisions.
- Projects must work with underrepresented communities. This can include people experiencing socio-economic disadvantage, people less likely to participate in heritage activity, minority ethnic communities, disabled or neurodivergent people, LGBTQ+ communities and people facing barriers to participating in planning, regeneration or civic processes.
- Organisations do not need to be heritage specialists. Where appropriate, they should explain how they will access suitable heritage expertise through partners, advisers or specialists.
- Collaborative projects are welcome, but one organisation must act as the lead applicant and take responsibility for the grant.
- Previous Historic England funding does not prevent an organisation from applying, provided the proposal is a new project and meets the programme criteria.
- Applicants must have an appropriate Health and Safety Policy Statement and up-to-date safeguarding arrangements, including DBS checks where required.
Funding Priorities:
The fund prioritises projects that give communities a meaningful role in understanding and shaping their neighbourhoods. Projects should use local heritage to build confidence, skills, relationships and community leadership, while creating opportunities for people whose voices are less often heard to participate and influence local decisions. Historic England is particularly interested in projects where heritage contributes to placemaking, regeneration, planning or other local priorities, and where the benefits continue beyond the funded project.
What They Will Fund:
Projects could include:
- Community mapping and heritage mapping.
- Local research developed with residents.
- Oral history and storytelling.
- Workshops and creative activities.
- Heritage audits.
- Exploring historic buildings, streets, parks, landscapes or other locally valued places.
- Collecting memories, photographs and stories.
- Intergenerational activities.
- Activities exploring how a neighbourhood has changed and what residents want for its future.
- Heritage-informed ideas for regeneration or the future use of buildings and spaces.
- Community recommendations for planning or other local decisions.
- Activities that strengthen relationships between residents, community organisations, businesses and decision-makers.
- Appropriate payments to community members for their time, where proportionate and good value for money.
- Staff or freelance time and other reasonable project delivery costs.
- Evaluation and learning activity.
The heritage does not need to be listed or nationally designated. Recent history, memories, identities and experiences can also be explored where there is a meaningful connection to heritage and place. Projects do not need to produce a permanent physical output.
What They Won’t Fund:
Historic England will not fund:
- Capital works.
- Projects where communities have little or no meaningful role in decisions.
- Heritage research without meaningful community involvement.
- Activities with limited public or community benefit.
- Projects without a clear connection between heritage and place.
- Projects whose main purpose is commercial gain.
- General contingency costs.
- Activities that have already been fully designed without meaningful local community involvement.
The fund is intended to support community-led activity rather than simply documenting or preserving heritage.
How To Apply:
You can apply using the button below through their online application form.
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