War Memorials Trust Small Grants

Overview

War Memorials Trust grants support repair and conservation works undertaken following best conservation practice. Almost all war memorials are eligible for support and custodians/owners can find information about eligibility and processes in this section of the website.

Grants are

• available to support the repair and conservation of war memorials in the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man
• normally awarded at 50% of eligible costs depending on the priority level of your project. The worse the condition the greater contribution the Trust might make. High priority cases are those where the Trust agrees with a Very bad condition assessment on War Memorials Online, Medium priority reflects Poor condition, Low priority would be memorials in Fair condition whilst those in Good condition are unlikely to be eligible. Any specific concerns or threats are also considered
• likely to be considered up to a maximum grant of £5,000 for non-freestanding war memorials while freestanding, non-beneficiary war memorials may be considered up to a maximum grant of £20,000. The minimum award is normally £125 but there is some discretion on minimum and maximum grant levels. Decisions will depend on the amount of funding available and the grant scheme for which your project is eligible. Grant assessment is a competitive process with the condition of the war memorial itself the primary consideration so you should never assume you will obtain all the funding you request. Of the 36 grants awarded in 2020-21 the median offer was £1,840 while the average was £3,760.
• open to anyone to apply; individuals or organisations, including councils. If you are not responsible for the war memorial you must provide written proof that you have the custodian’s consent to carry out the proposed works
• not obtained quickly. You should be aware the process does take time. The charity will only fund works in-line with best conservation practice to minimise any damage to the war memorial - inappropriate works are often proposed and these will not be supported.
• Appropriate procurement processes are required which means two or three quotes/tenders will be required depending on the size of your project.

Please note that projects cannot be funded if they have already started or have finished. This includes if a contractor has been appointed.

Types of works they can fund

• Conservation 
• Like-for-like repair
• Structural repair/stabilisation
• Reinstatement of lost elements that form an integral part of the design
• Professional condition surveys and structural reports 

For further details read the helpsheets Definition of a war memorial for funding purposes and What we can and cannot fund.

You can also use their Grants Showcase to see examples of projects previously funded.

For FAQ's visit the website here