Community heritage

Community heritage

A group of people with handmade props and decorations
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.

A close up of meadow plants in the sunlight
The conservation-themed activity of meadow management, for Wild Ways Well

Projects

Creating Natural Connections in Cumbernauld

The Scottish Wildlife Trust are bringing transformational change to Cumbernauld’s natural heritage, and helping local people engage with its greenspaces to improve mental health.

Hull UK City of Culture 2017 Cultural Programme

Projects

Hull UK City of Culture 2017

As holders of the UK City of Culture title in 2017, Hull received a grant of £3million to embed its rich heritage into the heart of its year-long cultural programme.

people in cafe

Projects

Caribbean takeaway and oral histories shared

The stories of 10 Caribbean elders from the Windrush generation, who arrived in the UK between the 1940s and 1960s, have been recorded and shared for the first time.

Women wearing uniforms, stood at tables in a factory, making biscuits.
Women working in Carr's biscuit factory

Projects

Celebrating the Spirit of the Cracker Packers

This inspiring community heritage project explores the fascinating lives of Carlisle’s ‘Cracker Packers’ through the ages.

Launch of Barnsley's LGBT History trail
Launch of Barnsley's LGBT History trail

Projects

Uncovered: Barnsley's LGBT Past

Barnsley LGBT forum have uncovered previously untold histories to create a digital education pack, documentary and local history trail.

Booklets displayed in a glass display case at an exhibition
Booklets displayed in a glass display case at an exhibition

Projects

Kashmiri Lives

Recording the culture of the Kashmiri community in Greater Manchester through the collection of memories.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of being legal to be gay in Doncaster
The project has brought local business, police and communities’ together and promoted understanding.

Projects

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of being legal to be gay in Doncaster

During the 50th anniversary of the Sexual Offences Act in 1967 which partially decriminalised homosexuality, the local Doncaster LGBT+ community have shared their experiences over the years in a poignant film.

If you query is regarding our application portal, please contact our support team.