Deadline: 19-Jan-2026
The Heritage Revival Fund is a national initiative designed to breathe new life into historic buildings across England, supporting community-led regeneration and sustainable local development.
By placing heritage assets under community ownership and control, the fund aims to empower local people, strengthen social enterprises, and make communities more resilient and fit for the future.
The programme focuses on protecting, enhancing, and repurposing historic buildings that have fallen into disuse or are underutilised, helping to preserve the nation’s cultural legacy while offering them new, viable purposes. In doing so, the fund seeks to generate social, economic, and environmental benefits for local areas. It also encourages innovation in ownership structures and investment models to ensure that restored heritage assets remain sustainable in the long term.
To help communities and organisations progress their heritage projects, the fund offers several levels of grant support. Project Viability Grants of up to £15,000 are available for organisations exploring whether a project is feasible. These grants typically cover assessments of a building’s condition, potential new uses, and long-term sustainability.
For projects that have already demonstrated viability, Project Development Grants of up to £100,000 are available to support planning, coordination, and preparatory work leading up to construction. Applicants should have confirmed, or be close to confirming, ownership or a long lease of the building and have a clear plan for its future use.
Eligibility for the Heritage Revival Fund is open to a range of not-for-private-profit organisations and the lowest tiers of local government across the UK. This includes charitable incorporated organisations, charitable companies, community benefit societies, community interest companies limited by guarantee, and parish or town councils. Unincorporated organisations intending to incorporate may also apply for Project Viability Grants.
Faith-related organisations may also be eligible under specific conditions. Independent secular organisations seeking to take ownership of places of worship—while allowing for limited ongoing religious use—can apply, provided that worship makes up less than half of the intended use of the building. However, this option is not available in Northern Ireland, where ongoing worship activities cannot be supported.
Through this fund, communities have a significant opportunity to safeguard their heritage while driving local regeneration. By restoring and reimagining historic spaces, the Heritage Revival Fund not only preserves the past but also inspires sustainable futures for towns and communities across the country.
For more information, visit The Architectural Heritage Fund.
