Community heritage

Celebrating community heritage can help people come together, feel pride in where they live and save stories and traditions.

Since 1994 we have awarded £460million to more than 24,100 community and cultural heritage projects across the UK.

What do we support?

We fund projects that are researching, conserving and celebrating the heritage of a community or place.

These projects could include lots of types of heritage, such as people celebrating living customs or improving a historic green space. What's most important is that the project involves and benefits the community.

Project ideas

Our funding could help people:

research the impact of a historical event on their town, and share their findings through displays, talks and online
investigate the names on a war memorial
crowdsource documents and photographs linked to the LGBTQ+ community, creating an online archive and exhibition
set up an audio trail around a range of buildings, parks and monuments in a town
enable a youth group to research their local history and create an animated film about their learnings

For more inspiration, see the stories below or browse projects we've funded.

How to get funding

If you have an idea for a project, we would love to hear from you.

Explore our available funding

News

£7million legacy for nature and communities for the Queen’s Jubilee

We’re investing in local nature projects and creating job opportunities for 70 young people to mark Her Majesty’s 70 years on the throne.

17/11/2021

Volunteers in ‘The Wilderness’ garden. Credit: MHA

Projects

The Wilderness: Saving nature’s heritage to improve wellbeing

Despite challenges during the pandemic, The Wilderness project shows how older people’s wellbeing can be improved by actively restoring and engaging with natural heritage.

28/11/2017

Ffestiniog Railway. Credit: Christ Parry.

News

Full steam ahead for the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways

North Wales’ largest tourist attraction has secured a £3.1million National Lottery Heritage Fund grant.

15/10/2021

Projects

Celebrating our Black heroes: The story of John Richard Archer- Battersea’s First Black Mayor

The Black Heroes Foundation staged a short play at Battersea Arts Centre about John Archer, the first Black Mayor of London, elected in 1913.

14/07/2021

News

Spotlight to shine again on Leeds’ favourite building

Victoria Hall in Leeds is to receive a £250,000 grant for restoration, helping to bring investment in the North of England's heritage to more than £1.9billion.

29/09/2021

Design visual of the Wondrous Stories production. Credit: Motionhouse and Birmingham 2022 Festival

Projects

Solicited Application for Birmingham XXII Commonwealth Games

Running from March to September 2022, the £12million festival featured hundreds of artistic commissions, engaging a local and national audience with Birmingham’s cultural heritage.

03/11/2020

Netball games with Sported charity. Credit: Sported NI

Projects

Sport in the Community: Shaping NI for 100 Years

Sported Foundation were awarded a £24,861 National Lottery grant to explore the history of sport and how it plays a part in Northern Ireland's identity.

30/07/2021

One of last year’s grantees: Tin Shed Theatre company

Stories

15-Minute Heritage grant programme for local heritage in Wales re-opens

Communities across Wales can now apply for grants between £3,000 and £10,000 to help celebrate local heritage.

Marquess of Anglesey's Column

News

Latest National Lottery funding opens up access to heritage

More than £14million has been awarded to projects that will help a wider range of people benefit from heritage.

05/08/2021

Aerial view of Plymouth coast with lighthouse and dramatic sunrise

Site of the new marine park at Plymouth. Credit: Chris Gorman/Big Ladder Photography

News

Heritage Horizon Awards: £50million to five life-changing projects

We are proud to announce the recipients of our Heritage Horizon Awards. Over £50million of funding has been awarded to five transformational projects across the UK. When we launched the Heritage Horizon Awards in 2019, we set out to fund ideas that unlocked possibility. From innovative farming

13/07/2021

Three people look down over a valley with mountains in the distance

Braemar view. Credit: Cameron Cosgrove

Projects

Cairngorms 2030: people and nature thriving together

We have awarded nearly £12.5million to a life-changing project aiming to preserve the UK’s biggest National Park, bringing communities together to help nature and improve wellbeing.

29/06/2021