Starting Your Own Heritage Project

Are you interested in documenting the lives of people in your community? Do you want to organize an exhibition of photographs showing your neighborhood 30 years ago? How about collecting stories form your grandparents, putting on a play about their lives or making a video?

History isn’t something that’s necessarily old and uninteresting; remember you are making history everyday! If you’re an individual or part of a community organization wanting to start your own project there are various sources of funding available which can help you achieve what you want to do.

Ways to get started in your local area

Contact your Local Authority and find out if there is a Regeneration Officer. Ask for information about Regeneration money in your area.

Your Local Authority Arts Officer may also be able to help you find out if there is any funding available locally for your project.

www.open.gov.uk has details about all local authorities in the country - or ask at your local library for contact numbers.

Help and Support

Council for Voluntary Service
www.ncvs.org.uk

There may be a Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) in your area. They can sometimes help small groups find out about funding. This website lists all the CVS's in England.

Charities Information Bureau
www.cibfunding.org.uk

Offers support to voluntary organisations and community groups in funding their work. Information sheets to get you started and links to many sources of funding open to community groups.

Directory of Social Change
www.dsc.org.uk

Provides training and for voluntary and community organisations to help them raise the money they need, manage their resources to maximum and develop for the future.

National Council Voluntary Organisations
www.ncvo-vol.org.uk

Members can help and advice from the Council about funding opportunities.

Finding Funding

Heritage Lottery Fund
www.hlf.org.uk

Heritage Lottery Fund have made it easier and quicker to apply for grants of between £5,000 and £50,000. There is a simpler application pack and, if you apply, you should normally hear their decision within three months of HLF receiving your filled in application form.

Awards For All
www.awardsforall.org.uk

Awards for All is a grants programme set up to help small groups. It is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Arts Council England, Sport England, the New Opportunities Fund and the Community Fund. The main aim of the programme is to fund projects which involve people in their community.

Young Roots
www.hlf.org.uk

Young Roots promotes the involvement of young people, 13-20 years old, in their heritage with grants between £5,000 and £25,000.

Community Fund
www.community-fund.org.uk

The Community Fund gives Lottery money to charities and voluntary and community groups.

Co-op
www.co-operativebank.co.uk

Mostly targeted at the North West, around Manchester, Salford, Stockport and Skelmersdale, although they also consider projects elsewhere. They are especially keen to hear from organisations concerned with Black & Minority Ethnic groups.

The Princes Trust
www.princes-trust.org

If you have a plan for a community project and the people to do it, but don't have the money to make it happen, The Prince's Trust Millennium Awards can help. You need to be a UK resident aged 14 to 25 and be a member of a group of 3 to 12 young people.

Arts Council
www.artscouncil.org.uk

Information about funding for arts projects available from the Government and National Lottery.

Back to Help Index