Funding opportunities

Applications Invited for Grants to Safeguard Endangered UK Crafts

Craft practitioners, voluntary groups and community organisations across the United Kingdom can apply for support to help preserve traditional craft skills that are at risk of being lost. The funding is administered by the Heritage Crafts Association and aims to sustain practices listed as endangered or critically endangered on the Red List of Endangered Crafts.

Individual grants of up to £2,500 are available. The money can be used to support activities that improve the long-term viability of heritage crafts, such as developing new approaches, investing in efficient machinery, exploring alternative sustainable materials or establishing new routes to market. It can also fund skills transfer, including taking on trainees, creating teaching materials, producing online resources or purchasing specialist tools. Professional development costs, such as advanced craft training or small business skills, are also eligible.

Applications are accepted from individuals and organisations working with endangered craft skills. A number of grants are specifically ringfenced for applicants in East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton and Hove, although those outside these areas may also apply.

The deadline for applications is 16 October 2026 (17:00).

• Find out more and apply

UK Music Creators Growth Fund Invites Applications

Arts Council England is accepting applications to the Music Creators Growth Fund, an investment programme established through the UK Government's Music Growth Package, launched in 2026.

The grants are intended to strengthen creators' skills, resources and professional development while supporting sustainable careers in a changing music industry. They can also support artistic development, innovation, wider access and opportunities for underrepresented creators.

Applications are open to UK-based creators working in new music, including artists, bands, collectives, composers, DJs, producers, songwriters and small ensembles. 'New music' is defined as original work recently created or performed by living, UK-based creators for commercial exploitation.

The funding can be used to support activities such as creating, recording, releasing and promoting music, along with touring, showcasing, networking, market development and early-stage international activity. Support may also cover mentoring, team building, strategic planning, catalogue marketing, self-publishing, sync licensing and environmental improvements.

Awards range from £10,000 to £20,000 and can cover up to 75% of eligible project costs. Activities may last for up to 18 months.

The deadline for Round One applications is 29 October 2026.

• Find out more and apply

Friends of the Nations' Libraries Offers Grants for Rare Acquisitions

Friends of the Nations' Libraries (FNL), a registered charity founded in 1931, offers grants to help eligible UK institutions acquire rare printed books, manuscripts, records and archives. It is particularly keen on supporting purchases of material that might otherwise leave the UK.

Grants can contribute towards acquisitions of historical, literary, artistic, architectural or musical interest, as well as fine bindings. Grants typically range from £200 to £20,000 and will rarely exceed £20,000.

Applications will be accepted from:

• The national libraries and the libraries of national museums
• Record offices and archives services
• University and specialist libraries
• Any museum, gallery or collecting institution to which the public has reasonable access and which, in the opinion of the Trustees, constitutes a proper repository for the proposed acquisition.

FNL can fast track applicants facing a potential purchase going to auction at short notice.

The next deadline for applications is 1 November 2026.

• Find out more and apply

RBC Small Grants Fund and Micro Grants 2026/27

Small Grants Fund and Micro Grants 2026/27 bids are now live and open for application from today.

The deadline for both bids is 13th November.

Small Grants Fund 

The Council has again allocated £150,000 for small grants to Reading’s voluntary and community sector. This year it is encouraging bids which can demonstrate they will help tackle inequality or discrimination.  

Grants of up to £7,500 are available for grassroots local organisations with an annual income of less than £100,000, and who have received less than £20,000 in support from the Council during 2025/6. A proportion of the funding will be used to support bids under £2,500 to provide direct support to smaller scale local activities. Bidders will need to provide evidence on how activities are not already provided in their local area. 

The programme is aimed at voluntary and community groups based in Reading. This includes charitable, voluntary and community organisations, as well as faith groups, sports groups, arts groups, cultural organisations and schools. Uniformed groups such as scouts or guides can also bid, as can other not-for-profit social enterprises. Grants can be awarded for a variety of purposes including one-off local events, minor start-up costs, purchasing equipment for example.  

Micro Grants 

This year the Council has introduced a separate Micro Grants programme under the Small Grants Fund umbrella.  

Micro grants are aimed at smaller grassroots groups in Reading’s communities to help them get started, test new ideas, or grow existing projects. Bids of £250 or £500 are available, depending on the size of the project.  

Grants can be used for a range of costs, including materials and equipment, venue hire, promotion, fees and charges and transport or refreshments. The Council is open to creative ideas and bidders can ask if they are unsure whether costs are eligible. 

Bids which are community-led or have strong local support, encourage inclusion, respond to local needs and can be delivered with modest funding and within a short timeframe, are particularly encouraged. 

Whether groups are applying for the Small Grants Fund or for Micro Grants, the Council is emphasising these are two separate bidding process, and separate application forms must be filled in. The bidding deadline for both schemes is November 13th and the Council will notify bidders if they were successful before Christmas. 

Please find the guidelines and application process for the both grants below- 

• Small Grants Fund- www.reading.gov.uk/SmallGrantsFund
• Micro Grants Fund- www.reading.gov.uk/MicroGrantsFund 

Paul Hamlyn Foundation’s Teacher Development Fund to Open End of August

This annual funding programme supports the Foundation's vision of a 'more equitable school system where high-quality arts-based learning is a core part of all children's education'. 

The purpose of this fund is to support teachers to develop arts-based approaches which create equitable classrooms where all children learn and thrive. It aims to do this through supporting teachers and school leaders to develop the necessary skills, knowledge, confidence and experience.

The Fund is focused on:

• Pupils who experience systemic inequity and enabling them to access and make progress in their learning.
• Supporting arts organisations and schools working in equal partnerships to exchange and enrich their expertise.
• Recognising teachers are critical to pupils' outcomes.
• Creating high-quality inspiring professional learning for teachers.
• Enabling teachers and artist practitioners to learn and work together in the classroom.
• Building a body of evidence and practice and understanding how the work improves equity for pupils.
• Generating sustainable changes in teaching and learning in schools for the long-term.

Grants of up to £165,000 per application are available for projects that last for two academic years.

To be eligible, lead applicants must be one of the following:

• Primary schools operating in the state sector. They can be mainstream, SEND or Alternative Provision settings, working with primary-age children.
• Arts organisations can be charities, community organisations, social enterprises and not-for-profit companies active in the arts and culture sector

There is a two-stage application process.

First stage applications are to open at the end of August 2026 and close on 11 November 2026.

• Find out more and apply

National Archives Accepting UK Applications for Project Grants - mid November Deadline

Grants of up to £30,000 are available to support collaborative partnerships between GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums), heritage organisations and community organisations to deliver co-designed and community-led projects and activities that create meaningful changes and strengthen the relationship between GLAM or heritage organisations and the communities they serve.

The funding will support in-depth research, skills development, and the creation of long-lasting resources that reflect diverse voices and experiences.

Eligible costs could include:

• Staff time or freelance fees for project delivery.
• Community engagement and co-design activities.
• Training and skills development for participants.
• Travel and subsistence for project participants.
• Materials, equipment, or venue hire.
• Digital tools, platforms, or content creation.
• Evaluation and dissemination of project outcomes.
• Translation or accessibility services.
• General organisational overheads or core running costs.

Projects should be inclusive, sustainable, and impactful, with a strong emphasis on shared ownership and mutual benefit for all participants. 

Priority will be given to co-designed, community-led initiatives that prioritise inclusion, sustainability, and long-term impact.

Projects should be for no more than a year. All projects must be completed, with all money spent, by December 2027.

There are two applications rounds in 2026.

The deadline for Round 2 applications is 16 November 2026 with a panel meeting in January 2027.

• Find out more and apply

National Archives Offers Funding to Prepare the Archives Sector for the Future

The National Archives'  Research and Innovation Grants Programme offer a small number of grants of up to £10,000 to archivists and heritage professionals working with archival collections in England or Wales to confront the challenges of today: preserving and sharing the digital record, reducing  environmental impact and adapting to climate change, and helping the archives sector become more diverse, equitable and inclusive.

The funding is intended to address digital transformation, environmental sustainability and inclusive practice in the archives sector.

Applications will be accepted from all public sector bodies, not-for-profit organisations including registered charities, and for-profit organisations including business archives, but not from private individuals.

The deadline for applications is 17 October 2026 (17:00).

• Find out more and apply

Historic England Invites Applications for Neighbourhood Heritage Grants

Historic England is offering 21 grants of up to £15,000 for community groups, charities, community interest companies, and local authorities across England to deliver projects and activities that help local communities to use local heritage to build community confidence, strengthen local identity, develop relationships and influence decisions about neighbourhoods.

The Neighbourhood Heritage Grants Programme will support projects that help communities identify stories connected to local places, buildings and sites, then inform planning, regeneration or other neighbourhood priorities.

Proposed projects must be co-created with underrepresented communities, including:

• Communities experiencing socio-economic disadvantage.
• Communities who are less likely to participate in heritage activity.
• Minority ethnic communities.
• Disabled people.
• Neurodivergent people.
• LGBTQ+ communities.
• Communities experiencing barriers to participation in local planning, regeneration, or civic processes.

The proposed project must also be in an IMD 1–3 area in England. This means they must be in one of the following deciles:

• Decile 1: Among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England.
• Decile 2: Among the 10–20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England.
• Decile 3: Among the 20–30% most deprived neighbourhoods in England.

Funding projects should use local heritage as a starting point for community discussion, learning and action about an area's future. Projects may include community mapping, local research, creative activity, oral histories, workshops or heritage audits.

Heritage assets do not need to be listed by Historic England, but buildings, places and sites must have local significance. Projects should be completed by 11 August 2028.

The deadline for applications is 27 November 2026 (23:59).

• Find out more and apply

Music Growth Fund for New UK Music Set to Open for Applications

Arts Council England will soon invite applications to the Music Growth Fund (MGF), an investment programme within the UK Government's wider Music Growth Package announced in July 2026.

The MGF supports growth in new music, defined as original work recently created or performed by living, UK-based artists and music creators. It is intended to strengthen the UK music sector through sustainable and inclusive growth, including developing emerging talent, enhancing grassroots music infrastructure, creating new opportunities for artists, creators and businesses, and expanding audiences and markets in the UK and internationally.

Grants are available through two strands: £1,000 to £40,000 and £40,001 to £100,000. Applicants must apply to the strand matching their request. Support can cover activities lasting up to three years.

The fund is open to UK-based music industry organisations and businesses, including micro, small and medium-sized companies, sole traders, charities, CICs, not-for-profit organisations and eligible consortia. National Portfolio Organisations and Investment Principles Support Organisations may apply only for activity outside their existing Arts Council England agreements.

Eligible applicants may include festivals, promoters, managers, record labels, recording studios, rehearsal spaces, music publishers, grassroots music venues, sector bodies and approved sector support organisations, provided they develop, promote, platform and distribute new music for commercial exploitation.

Supported costs can include organisational development, skills and capacity building, operating and programming expenses linked to growth aims, equipment and software, touring, small-scale capital infrastructure and research and development to improve capacity, efficiency, innovation, sustainability, audience reach or market growth.

The two strands of the Music Growth Fund have a different number of decision rounds each year. In each full year of delivery there will be ten decision rounds for the £1,000 to £40,000 strand and four decision rounds for the £40,001 to £100,000 strand.

The two strands of the Music Growth Fund (£1,000 to £40,000 and £40,001 to £100,000) have a different number of decision rounds each year. In each full year of delivery there will be ten decision rounds for the £1,000 to £40,000 strand and four decision rounds for the £40,001 to £100,000 strand.

Upcoming application periods are as follows:

Music Growth Fund: £1,000 to £40,000 strand

• Round One: 6 August 2026 to 3 September 2026
• Round Two: 4 September 2026 to 15 October 2026 
• Round Three: 16 October 2026 to 26 November 2026
• Round Four: 27 November 2026 to 7 January 2027

Music Growth Fund: £40,001 to £100,000 strand

• Round One: 7 September 2026 to 1 October 2026
• Round Two: 23 November 2026 to 15 January 2027

• Find out more and apply

Arts Council England Publishes National Portfolio Investment 2028-33 Guidance

Arts Council England has announced details of its National Portfolio Investment Programme for 2028-33, which will provide multi-year support to arts organisations, museums and libraries.

The initiative is intended to help organisations plan ahead, improve resilience and deliver lasting cultural and community benefits. Supporting both operating costs and cultural activity, the investment will run from 1 April 2028 to 31 March 2033, with successful applicants becoming National Portfolio Organisations and receiving regular revenue payments.

Applicants may request at least £50,000 per year, with no maximum amount specified. The same sum must be requested for each year of the five-year period.

Applications are open to arts organisations, museums and statutory public libraries, as well as consortiums and partnerships. The lead organisation must have an eligible legal structure, such as a limited company, Community Interest Company, charitable organisation, cooperative society, Royal Charter body, university or other statutory body.

Eligible funding uses include public activity across combined arts, dance, digital arts, libraries, literature, museums, music, theatre and visual arts. Support may also cover sector development, networking, leadership, workforce development and specialist services.

Applications will be accepted from 20 October 2026 to 15 December 2026.

• Find out more and apply

Henry Moore Foundation

Grants are available for not-for-profit organisations for projects and activities that promote the growth and development of sculpture across historical, modern, and contemporary registers, and research that expands the appreciation of sculpture.

The Henry Moore Foundation offers funding in the following categories:

• New projects and commissions: Grants of up to £20,000 to encourage new thinking about sculpture or sculpture history or contribute to public awareness and appreciation of sculpture.
• Acquisitions and collections: Grants of up to £20,000 for museums and galleries to acquire or conserve sculpture for their collections, cataloguing, and display costs.
• Research and development:
  • Long-term grants of up to £20,000 for projects that require funding for more than one year, such as a permanent collection catalogue.
  • Small research grants of up to £2,500 for academics, curators, and independent scholars for research costs on the history and interpretation of sculpture.
• Conferences, lectures, and publications: Grants of up to £5000 to publish a new book or journal, or to stage a conference or other event related to sculpture.

There are typically four deadlines per year. This funding round is for projects starting, or opening to the public, no sooner than 1 January 2026.

There are typically four deadlines per year:

• 1 February to 1 March (23:00).
• 1 May to 1 June (23:00).
• 1 August to 1 September (23:00).
• 1 November to 1 December (23:00). 

• Find out more and apply

British Council Opens NXT:now Applications for UK-Germany Arts Partnerships

The British Council is inviting applications for the NXT:now UK-Germany programme, which supports artistic projects exploring challenges affecting young people aged 18 to 30.

The initiative is intended to encourage varied artistic perspectives on cultures shaped by and influencing this generation. It will support new collaborations between organisations in the UK and Germany, as well as the meaningful development of existing projects, including their first international iterations.

Grants of up to £20,000 are available for each partnership. The partnership must involve organisations from both countries. Eligible applicants include arts and cultural organisations, festivals, biennials, creative hubs, collectives and networks operating in the arts, culture and creative industries.

Funding may cover the development and delivery of physical, digital or hybrid arts activity. Supported work must take place between 1 April 2027 and 31 March 2028. Examples of eligible activity include performances, exhibitions, immersive experiences, digital environments and games-based work.

The deadline for applications is 10 January 2027 (23:59 CET).

• Find out more and apply

Esmée Fairbairn Communities and Collections Fund Reopens for UK Applications

The Museums Association, which runs the Esmée Fairbairn Communities and Collections Fund, has announced the fund is now open for applications from across the UK.

Twice a year, the fund offers:

• Partnership project grants to museums and community organisations that work equitably together and share aims for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Proposals should have ambitious and compelling ideas for inclusive project work with collections, with a focus on how the work contributes to local community agendas and needs.
• Core grants to museums that have established strategic aims for DEI, and that are ready to use their collections and the funding to support social and climate justice in ways that are relevant to local contexts and relationships. The work needs to address organisational or systemic change with potential for strong legacy and future community partnership. Applicants should move away from a project output approach and focus more on the organisational or systemic change that they wish to influence through their work.

Grants of £50,000 to £110,000 are available over a period of up to three years. It is expected that around 12 grants will be awarded per year. The grant can make up any proportion of the overall budget for the work, including the full cost of a project without match or partnership funding.

Applications are open to all Museums Association institutional member museums and galleries in the UK. Applicants should initially contact a member of Communities and Collections Fund staff before submitting an EOI to ensure that the fund is a good fit and to help draw out the strengths in their application.

The 2027 deadlines for Expressions of Interest are 20 January 2027 and 14 July 2027.

• Find out more and apply

Second Round of Heritage Revival Fund Opens Across England

The Heritage Revival Fund has reopened for a second round, supported by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Historic England. It forms part of the Government's wider £1.5 billion investment in arts and culture.

The grant initiative is intended to help communities across England rescue and repurpose neglected historic buildings, with a focus on town centre locations. It will support community organisations to take ownership of, adapt and reuse heritage assets, with the aim of bringing disused and underutilised properties back into use.

A total of £45 million is available, with £10 million per year, which is double the £5 million annual allocation in the first round.

There are three different grants:

• Project Viability Grants provide up to £20,000 for early-stage work for up to one year. Match funding preferred but not essential.
• Project Development Grants offer up to £100,000 for development work for up to one year. Match funding of at least 10% is required.
• Capital Works Grants offer up to £500,000 for repair, restoration and conservation activity for up to 18 months. Match funding of at least 20% is required.

Priority will be given to projects that contribute to town centre regeneration and demonstrate economic and social impacts, proposals in deprived areas including the top 30% most deprived areas, projects that bring historic buildings into community ownership and plans to restore and reuse vacant or at-risk buildings.

Eligible applicants include not-for-private-profit organisations and the lowest tiers of local government. This includes registered charities, social enterprises, CIOs, charitable companies limited by guarantee, community benefit societies, co-operatives, parish and town councils and CICs limited by guarantee where activities align with recognised charitable purposes. Unincorporated charities can apply for Project Viability Grants only.

The grant can support feasibility studies, business planning, design and surveys, as well as acquisition and renovation costs.

There is a two-stage application process for the three grants.

Expressions of Interest are open and will be accepted at any time.

• Find out more and apply

England Grassroots Music Projects Invited to Apply for Funding

Arts Council England is offering grants to support organisations working within the grassroots music sector. The funding aims to help artists, bands and music professionals build sustainable careers while developing new audiences.

The Supporting Grassroots Music programme is delivered jointly by Arts Council England and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. It provides financial support for a range of organisations including live music venues, rehearsal and recording studios, festivals, promoters and sector bodies.

Grants of between £1,000 and £40,000 are available. Projects may run for up to three years and must include some element of live programming or participatory activity that benefits grassroots artists or professionals. Eligible costs include artist and audience development, live programming, infrastructure improvements, touring networks and testing new approaches.

Applicants are expected to contribute at least 10% of total project costs from other sources. This may be through their own contribution, such as ticket income, or in-kind support from partners.

This is a rolling programme; should an application be received after a monthly deadline it will be automatically entered into the next round.

• Find out more and apply

Repayable Finance to Support UK’s Arts, Culture and Heritage Organisations

The world’s biggest social impact investment fund for the creative arts is offering secured and unsecured finance up to £1 million to socially driven arts, culture and heritage organisations registered and operating in the UK.

Organisations who want to acquire new assets, improve built infrastructure, develop new ventures or scale up existing revenue streams can apply now.

The Fund offers repayable finance between £150,000 and £1 million with a repayment term until May 2032 and interest rates ranging between 3% and 8.5%. 

The following fees apply:

• 1% completion fee
• 2% per annum, pro rata holding fee (minimum holding period is six months)
• No early repayment fee.

Eligible organisations must:

• Be registered and operating in the UK. Digital organisations will need to demonstrate their primary audiences are based in the UK.
• Have core operations or primary activity in the arts, culture and heritage.
• Have a clear social mission, reflected in its structure and governance.
• Be able to demonstrate measurable social impact on individuals or communities in the UK.

And work in one of the following disciplines:

• Architecture
• Combined arts 
• Crafts
• Culture and heritage in the natural environment
• Dance 
• Fashion design and textiles
• Film
• Graphic design
• Heritage
• Libraries and archives
• Literature 
• Museums
• Music
• Sector support organisation
• Theatre and performance
• Visual arts
• Workspace provider

Applications are currently being accepted.

• Find out more and apply

Arnold Clark’s Communities Support Fund Accepting UK Applications

Arnold Clark, the UK’s largest independently owned, family-run car retailer, has been offering grants to communities in the areas in which it operates since 2021.

UK registered charities and community groups who provide services that are widely accessible to their local community and are located within a 50-mile radius of an Arnold Clark branch can apply now for a Community Support grant of up to £1,000. Preference is given to smaller voluntary and community organisations.

The funding must be used for charitable or community purposes that address at least one of the following categories:

• Pet welfare (to help cover costs for pet bills, animal shelters, therapy animals - reviewed on case by case basis.
• Arts and culture (music, books, art and theatre groups looking for money for transport, resources, venue hire, and special licences at arts and culture.
• Community enhancement (enhancing community, defib installation and replacements, play parks, community gardens, community galas and events).
• Disability (sensory group resources, equipment and adaptations, this could be from groups or hospitals, trips for disability groups).
• Educational training / advancement (extra resources for a PTA, school/education fayre/gala, uniform poverty. Extra curriculum resources).
• Sustainability enhancements / projects (community clean-ups, recycling programmes, urban gardening, eco-friendly initiatives).
• Mental health support (local support groups, networks end events that focus on mental wellbeing support).
• Relief support organisations (emergency service aid, cancer or illness support groups).
• Equality and diversity (programmes that promote equal access and opportunity, address discrimination and inequality and foster community cohesion).
• Youth clubs and groups, such as Brownies, Scouts, Guides, Sea Cadets, Cubs, amateur sports teams, dance groups and gymnastics can apply for up to £750 for community trips, club costs materials, venue hire, transport.

There are no deadlines for applications; however, groups are encouraged to apply as early as they can as applications could be paused due to high demand. 

Applications are currently being accepted.

• Find out more and apply

Funding Available for the Conservation of Historic Buildings Across England and Wales

Grants of up to £250,000 are available for organisations across England and Wales to support the preservation of heritage buildings and structures of architectural significance, particularly historic country houses, including their gardens, grounds, and works of art within them. 

Historic Houses Foundation will support projects that can show that:

• There is a compelling need for the work undertaken to be done within the next two to three years.
• The project will enhance the historic environment.
• There will be appropriate public access.
• There is a financial need for the grant.
• The project can proceed within a reasonable timeframe.
• The project is sustainable, with a suitable conservation and/or business plan in place.
• The building or structure is listed.
• The structure is rural, either in the countryside or where it has been overtaken by urban or suburban development.

Organisations legally responsible for repairing a historic building, garden, and grounds can apply.

The Foundation typically expects the applicant to own the building or estate, hold a full repairing lease with a term of at least 20 years to run, or be able to demonstrate a legally binding agreement to acquire such a building or estate.

Grants of between £1,000 and £250,000 are available. Most grants are for less than £50,000. Larger awards will only be made in exceptional circumstances.

Applications can be submitted at any time. 

• Find out more and apply

PRS Foundation Early Career Promoter Fund

PRS Foundation – the award-winning charitable funder of new music and talent development – announces today a new initiative targeted to early career music promoters in England and supported by Arts Council England and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

The new and ambitious Early Career Promoter Fund recognises the vital role independent promoters play in supporting the talent pipeline across England and within the nighttime economy, and offers grant funding and capacity building support, with the aim of bolstering the grassroots music ecosystems.

Grants of up to £3,500 will be available to support a range of activity, including:

• The booking, programming and promotion of gigs, concerts, club nights, showcases, tours and other performances
• Costs associated with those activities (including venue hire, production, artist and/or DJ fees, crew fees, administration and other related costs)
• Capacity building (including mentoring, coaching, shadowing, workshops, masterclasses, and other skill building and networking opportunities)
• Other expenditure which helps grantees to programme a diverse range of artists, develop new audiences and build their skills

Rolling monthly deadlines will be listed on PRS Foundation’s website. All funding decisions will be delivered within 6-8 weeks of each deadline, and selected grantees will be invited to attend cohort induction meetings and a series of workshops delivered by PRS Foundation and associates.

• Find out more and apply

Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) - Project Development Grants for England

Grants of up to £20,000 are available to help not-for-profit organisations cover some of the costs of developing and co-ordinating their historic building project and taking it towards the start of work on site. 

To qualify, organisations must have established that the end use of the project is likely to be viable and have decided to take the project forward. At the end of the funded work, organisations should be at or closer to securing capital funding to enable the delivery of their project.

The one-year grants typically will support appointing professional advisors to work with the organisation to advance the plans. This can include architects, surveyors, and engineers to develop the designs and plans for the historic building; additional support to build the capacity of the organisation by employing or contracting a project manager; and support with refining the business plan, building community engagement and preparing funding bids.

Although 100% of the cost of the work involved can be funded, there is a preference for some match funding as the overall package of work required may be more than the grant can cover.

Applications will be accepted from the following not-for-private profit organisations and lowest tiers of local government:

• Unincorporated charities
• Charitable incorporated organisations (CIOs).
• Charitable companies limited by guarantee.
• Community benefit societies.
• Not-for-private-profit companies limited by guarantee.
• Community interest companies (CICs) limited by guarantee.
• Co-operatives
• Parish and town councils.

If applicants do not already own the building, they will need to provide evidence that they have a formal agreement to acquire it.

There is a two-step application process. The first step is to submit a short online Expression of Interest. Those who are successful will be invited to submit a full application.

Expressions of Interest can be submitted at any time.

• Find out more and apply

New National Lottery Heritage Grants Accepting Applications from Across the UK

National Lottery Heritage Grants form part of the National Lottery Heritage Fund's new 10-year strategy, Heritage 2033, that aims to invest £3.6 billion across the UK with grants ranging from £10,000 up to £10 million.

The strategy is centred around a simplified framework of four investment principles:

• Saving heritage.
• Protecting the environment.
• Inclusion, access and participation.
• Organisational sustainability.

Grants are available to support projects of up to five years that care for and sustain heritage in the UK. This could include nature and habitats, historic buildings and environments, or cultures, traditions and people’s memories. 

The programme funds projects that:

• Clearly focus on heritage – this can be national, regional or local heritage of the UK.
• Take into account all four investment principles.
• Have a clear plan with a defined start, middle and end.
• Have not already started.
• Can demonstrate the need for National Lottery investment.

Two levels of funding are available:

• Grants from £10,000 to £250,000 for projects of no more than five years in duration.
• Grants from £250,000 to £10 million for projects of no more than five years in duration (excluding the development phase).

Applications from:

• £10,000 to £100,000 will be accepted from not-for-profit organisations, private owners of heritage and partnerships.
• £100,000 to £10 million will be accepted from not-for-profit organisations and partnerships led by not-for-profit organisations.

Applications for more than £250,000 require an Expression of Interest which can be submitted at any time. If successful, applicants will then need to submit a development phase application. These have quarterly application deadlines.

Applications for grants of between £10,000 and £250,000 are open all year round with decisions in about two months.

Commenting, the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Chief Executive, Eilish McGuinness said:

“Thanks to National Lottery players, we’re able to invest £870 million across our first three-year delivery plan in projects of all sizes that connect people and communities to the UK’s heritage.

“We see heritage as broad and inclusive. If there’s something from the past that you care for and want to pass it on to future generations, we want to hear from you.”

Applications are currently being accepted for all levels of funding.

• Find out more and apply

Unlocking Collections: a time-limited grant theme for museums

Arts Council England’s time-limited theme is aimed at enabling museums to develop their collections-based work and increase public engagement with, and the use of, their collections. ACE is looking for work which:

• Reinterprets collections to reach a wider audience
• Uses digital tools and mechanisms within museums, and to link across the sector
• Collections review improving standards of collections storage and display

The application process varies depending on grant size, for under £30,000, £30,001 -£100,000 and over £100,001. 

• Find out more and apply

Music Venue Trust - Pipeline Investment Fund

The Pipeline Investment Fund (PIF) is a new grant-giving fund established by Music Venue Trust with the support of venue members of the Music Venues Alliance. PIF is now open for small-scale grant applications (up to £5,000) from UK-based grassroots music venues to support two areas of work - small-scale capital applications and staff & training.

The fund will prioritise support for organisations who may be excluded from other available funding and they ask venues to approach the fund appropriately and economically, for something that will make a real difference to your organisation and venue.

• Find out more and apply

Heritage Crafts Association (HCA) Maker Relief Fund Supports UK Craftspeople in Need

The Maker Relief Fund is offering grants to UK-based professional craftspeople facing financial hardship.

Grants of £1,000 will be awarded to 50 eligible applicants over the course of a year, starting in November 2024 and running through to the end of October 2025.

These grants are intended to provide flexible financial support, allowing recipients to use the funds without restrictions.

Practising professional craftspeople are eligible to apply if they identify with one or more of the following groups:

• Individuals on low incomes.
• Working-class people.
• Black and ethnically diverse people (including Gypsy, Roma, and Travellers).
• People with disabilities, neurodiversity or those managing chronic physical or mental health issues.
• LGBTQIA+ individuals.
• People with caring responsibilities.

The initiative aims to support these people in sustaining their careers during times of financial difficulty.

Applications can be submitted at any time until the end of October 2025.

• Find out more and apply

Developing your Creative Practice

Developing your Creative Practice supports individuals who are cultural and creative practitioners and want to take time to focus on their creative development. Individuals can apply for £2,000 to £10,000 to focus on their cultural and creative development - this could be a period of research, time to create new work, travel, training, developing future ideas, networking or mentoring - and reach the next stage in their practice.

Applications are now closed. Future rounds will be announced early 2025

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Theatres Trust Small Grants Scheme

The national advisory public body for theatres in the UK offers small grants of up to £7,500 for essential works to not-for-profit theatres in the UK that will enable them to be viable and thrive in the future.

The grants will support small capital improvements to theatres run by charities and not-for-profit groups that will make a big impact to a theatre's resilience, sustainability or accessibility, or to improving the diversity of audiences.

Eligible projects include:

• Improvements and repairs to the building fabric.
• The installation of key plant and machinery.
• The purchase of key equipment (not software) to improve digital infrastructure.

Priority will be given to improvements to buildings that protect theatre use and remove barriers to participation and attendance.

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Own or manage theatres with titles or signed leases of more than five years on buildings in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
• Run a regular theatre programme of professional, community and/or amateur work presenting no less than 30 performances a year.
• Have a bona fide UK charitable or not-for-profit legal structure and be able to provide certified or audited accounts for at least two years.

The funding cannot be used for revenue and survey costs. 

Eligible projects include:

• Improvements and repairs to building fabric.
• Purchase of key plant and machinery.
• Purchase of capital items that improve physical access and the audience/participant experience.
• Purchase of equipment to improve digital access.

Priority is given to projects where the total project costs are less than £250,000 or where the grant is the sole external funder and/or achievable within the total fund awarded.

The next round will have a June deadline and will reopen shortly.

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Funding for Music and Heritage Projects Across the UK

Radcliffe Trust is offering grants averaging between £2,500 and £7,500 for charities, not-for-profit groups, and exempt organisations across the UK to support projects in the areas of music or heritage and crafts.

For music projects, the Trust will consider projects in the following categories:

• Composition and contemporary music - in the case of commission applications the lead composer must be named.
• Bursaries for courses and summer schools; limited to UK-based students.
• Music therapy and special needs.
• Academic research.
• Youth orchestras.
• Performance projects.
• Educational projects - excluding applications from individual mainstream primary and secondary schools.
• Miscellaneous.

For heritage and crafts projects, the Trust will support the development of the skills, knowledge and experience that underpin the UK’s traditional cultural heritage and crafts sectors. This includes support for:

• Emerging craftspeople.
• Craft and conservation projects and training.
• Projects demonstrating creative outcomes by designer-makers.
• Projects with potential for capacity building within the sector.
• Special needs projects focusing on the therapeutic benefits of skills development.

Other areas of cultural creativity related to heritage and crafts may also be considered, including theatre, performance, and literature, especially where projects can be shown to promote and develop high-level skills among early career practitioners and disadvantaged groups.

There are two deadlines per year for both the Music and Heritage and Crafts schemes:

• 31 July (for consideration in December)
• 31 January (for consideration in June)

Groups can apply for Music and Heritage & Crafts grants in the same funding round.

• Find out more and apply