Community heritage
Act for Action CIC, recipients of a community heritage grant from One Knowsley. Photo: Act for Action CIC.
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.
News
Remembering the Peterloo Massacre – 200 years on
In 1819, more than 60,000 people from across Greater Manchester gathered in St Peter’s Field to protest for justice, the right to vote and freedom from oppression. Despite their peaceful means, the day was to end bloodshed. While the crowds listened to renowned orator Henry Hunt’s address, local
Blogs
How Thanks To You made a big difference to a small project
Julie from Fairhaven Lake, Lancashire, reveals how taking part in the Thanks To You campaign was more than just a fun day out.
Brighton Pride, 1995. Credit: Sally Munt
Blogs
Future-proofing heritage: experience and advice from Brighton LGBT+ leaders
Lesley, Chief Executive of New Writing South, and David, Co-Artistic Director of Marlborough Theatre, are collaborating on the project, Building Brighton LGBTQ+ Heritage. The project involves: skills development for volunteers establishing a youth board building capacity strengthening partnerships
News
Free family events for the summer holidays
The summer holidays are perfect for spending quality time outside with your loved ones. Need inspiration for what to do? These nine National Lottery funded ideas are a breath of fresh air.
Stories
Making friends through heritage: four stories
Nelli and Zara Aratta: Armenian Heritage in the North West Zara, project manager: We were organising a food event on Albert Square and I posted about it on Facebook to see if people would like to take part. Nelli messaged me straight away saying that she would make a few dishes and bake a cake
News
National Lottery Awards shortlist announced
Nominations have been drawn from the past quarter of a century to celebrate The National Lottery’s 25th Birthday.
News
South London pub reopens after £4million from National Lottery
The Fellowship And Star in Bellingham, once home to boxer Henry Cooper, set to be heart of community once more.
Blogs
Why communities are essential to sharing the stories of Pride
These significant and inclusive events raise the profile of all sorts of LGBT+ lived experiences, celebrate activism and build stronger alliances. They increasingly involve people of all ages, cultures and faiths in publicly sharing differing identities. Alongside Stonewall’s 50th anniversary this
News
Launch of £100million Heritage Horizon Awards
We will invest £100million over the next three years in ambitious, innovative and transformational projects that will revolutionise UK heritage.
News
How Durlston Country Park is helping people overcome isolation
A coastal park is helping people overcome physical and social isolation as part of a project funded by the National Lottery.
News
Narberth’s golden era of pop and rock remembered
Now, a grant from the National Lottery means the hall will house a permanent exhibition to its rocking past using memorabilia and stories from the time, gathered by a group of volunteers. From football social club to rock band royalty What began as a fundraising initiative by two local men for their
Stories
Changing lives: how Sean is helping others leave addiction behind
Right in the centre of Bristol, next to the busy bus station, is the city’s oldest building, the 900-year-old National Lottery-funded St James Priory Church. On the same site is St James House, a residential support centre for people recovering from addiction. Both are run by St James House Project