Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage Opens

Funding to support organisations across the heritage ecosystem that were financially sustainable before COVID-19, have exhausted all other financing options, and are now at risk of failure.

Heritage organisations in England that are at risk of no longer trading viably this financial year can apply now for grants of between £10,000 and £3 million to cover any reasonable costs that helps them recover and become viable.

The £88 million Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage is administered by the National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with Historic England. The Fund is part of the £1.57 billion rescue package announced by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to safeguard cultural and heritage organisations across the UK from the economic impact of COVID-19.

The funding aims to help organisations adapt and recover; re-open and follow public health guidelines; or temporarily scale back.

Applications will be accepted from:

• Not for profit organisations that manage heritage sites, venues or attractions
• Local authorities, universities and other public sector bodies that manage heritage sites, venues or attractions
• Private owners of heritage sites, venues or attractions that are normally open to the public 28 days a year or more
• For profit businesses that are a vital part of the heritage ecosystem and who generate the largest portion of their income from heritage work, this includes conservators, contractors, specialists and suppliers
• Organisations that manage culturally significant assets or collections
• Organisations that provide significant support to the heritage sector.

Organisations should only apply for this funding if they are able to meet all of the essential criteria:

• They must have been financially viable before COVID-19 (March 2020)
• They are at risk of no longer trading viably by the end of this financial year
• They can demonstrate that they have exhausted all other financing options. For example, applying for other emergency funds, reducing costs, diversifying income streams or taking advantage of government easements
• They have a clear plan towards future financial viability.

The funding must be spent by 31 March 2021.

There will be one application round.

Applications will be accepted from noon on 30 July until noon on 17 August 2020.

Full details…