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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.

Explore our available funding
Bo'ness war memorial is at the centre of the frame and behind it there are trees and houses. In the distance is the Firth of Forth.
The names on Bo'ness War Memorial will be the focus for Without Fear Again. Bo'ness Town Trust Association.

Projects

Without Fear Again: Remembering the brave men of Bo'ness

The names of the individuals on the Bo'ness War Memorial will be brought to life through the memories of the town's community.

Person looking at a brightly coloured globe sculpture
Echoes in the Present, Larry Amponsah in Leeds

Projects

The World Reimagined: Journey of Discovery

A vibrant art education project aiming to transform understanding of the Transatlantic Trade in Enslaved Africans and its significant global impact.

Dr Edson Burton

Blogs

Why we need to tell untold stories

Dr Edson Burton shares his experience of growing up in a diverse community, the importance of sharing everyone's heritage and his work on The National Lottery-funded project exploring 100 years of activism in Bristol.
Photograph of a young person sitting in the cockpit of a plane. Someone is passing him a helmet.
A trip to the RAF Museum. Photo: Plasma of Hope

Projects

Heritage Trips for Disadvantaged Young People

Young people with sickle cell disease and other genetic blood disorders and their families took part in social activities to experience local heritage, building confidence and connection.

Colourful handmade poster for the In Plain Sight project. Rainbows, flowers and an eye decorated with LGBTQ+ colours can be seen

Projects

In Plain Sight: A Story of Gwen Lally

This Bradford-based project will explore the history and traditions of Gwen Lally – a queer historical figure and the first woman pageant producer in England

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