Wolfson Foundation: Funding for historic buildings & landscapes

Overview

Funding for places

About 85% of their funding is for capital infrastructure – buildings (new build or refurbishments) and equipment. These awards support excellence across education, science & medicine, heritage, humanities & the arts and health & disability.

These grants are for capital initiatives, i.e. buildings (new build or refurbishment) and equipment.

Who can apply:

Registered or exempt charity (or equivalent) or local authority

Location of applicant and project:

UK only

Funding covers:

Conservation and restoration work to sites of outstanding historic, architectural and cultural significance

Minimum grant amount:

£15,000

Usual grant range:

£15,000 – £100,000

Match funding required:

Yes, if project cost is >£50,000

Decision dates:

June and December annually. Projects must not be completed before a funding decision is made

Wolfson funding programme:

Heritage, Humanities & the Arts

Eligibility

They support organisations managing sites of outstanding historic, architectural and cultural significance and that have a clear emphasis on public access and engagement. They award grants towards conservation and restoration work, interpretation, and education spaces.

Your site should:

• be a registered charity or a local authority
• be open and accessible to the public for the majority of the year, with a reasonable number of visitors. We know that COVID-19 continues to affect visitor numbers and understand that the environment for many public sites has changed.
• be listed as:
  • Grade I, II* or a Scheduled Monument (England and Wales)
  • Category A, B or a Scheduled Monument (Scotland)
  • Grade A, B+ or a Scheduled Monument (Northern Ireland).

When they receive a high level of interest in this programme, they will prioritise applications from sites which are listed as Grade I, Category A, Grade A or a Scheduled Monument.

For landscapes, parks and gardens, you should make a case that the site has national significance.

Your project should involve one or more of the following elements:

• restoration or conservation work to the historic fabric of the building
• excellent interpretation of historic buildings, landscapes and collections

and also have at least one of the following aims:

• increased numbers of visitors to historic sites
• better public engagement with and understanding of sites of historical and cultural significance
• improved future sustainability of the organisation.

When they receive a high level of interest in this programme, they will prioritise applications from sites which are listed as Grade I, Category A, Grade A or a Scheduled Monument, and projects which are focussed primarily on increasing public engagement with and understanding of the historic, architectural and cultural significance of the site.

For landscapes, parks and gardens, you should make a case that the site has national significance, and the project should involve conservation or restoration works to built heritage on the site and/or the interpretation of built heritage or past human existence. Projects that relate primarily to the conservation and interpretation of natural heritage are unlikely to be eligible for funding through this programme.