Historic England has launched a new grant programme to support community-led projects that use heritage to help people understand, influence and shape the future of their local place. The Neighbourhood Heritage Grants programme will provide 21 grants of up to £15,000 for projects and activities that help local communities to use local heritage to build community confidence, strengthen local identity, develop relationships and influence decisions about neighbourhoods.
Your project should use local heritage as a starting point for community discussion, learning and action about an area’s future. The buildings, places and sites in your project must have local significance and your activities can include community mapping, local research, creative activity, oral histories, workshops or heritage audits.
Proposed projects must be co-created with underrepresented communities, including:
- communities experiencing socio-economic disadvantage
- communities who are less likely to participate in heritage activity
- minority ethnic communities
- disabled people
- neurodivergent people
- LGBTQ+ communities
- communities experiencing barriers to participation in local planning, regeneration, or civic processes
Your proposed project must also be in one of the most deprived neighbourhoods in England (IMD 1-3 area). There is more information about this in the application guidance, including a link to the Government’s online checker Local Deprivation Explorer 2025 where you can check if your area is eligible.
Applications can be made by constituted community groups, charities, community interest companies and local authorities.
Focus of fund/fund aims:
Funding to help communities to explore their local heritage and shape the future of their area
Application deadline:
27 November 2026
Fund description:
https://historicengland.org.uk/campaigns/help-write-history/neighbourhood-heritage-grants/