Historic England

People and Research

Historic England grants for projects in England under two strands. People covers heritage engagement, skills and training, education and time-limited heritage project posts. Research covers surveys and investigations, scientific and technical conservation, sector research, publications, archiving, toolkits and guidance. Charities, trusts, companies, local authorities, educational institutions and self-employed individuals can all apply. Every applicant starts with a short online expression of interest (EOI), and Historic England then decides whether to invite a full application. No minimum or maximum grant is published, and awards are competitive against its four grant priorities.

Apply on the funder’s site

You could get: £250 – £300,000; no fixed round
Deadline: Rolling; apply any time
Effort: Moderate; full application with documents

Who can apply

Any organisation with an eligible project, including charities and charitable trusts (a UK registered charity number is requested), registered companies (a company number is requested), local authorities, public bodies, educational institutions and international organisations with a UK registered office
The EOI form also has an 'Other' organisation type
Individuals can apply if they can show self-employed or sole-trader status
The organisation must have the legal authority to carry out the project and to accept the grant terms and conditions
All grant recipients must be IR35 compliant
The project must be based in England and meet at least one of Historic England's four grant priorities
Ministerial departments and DCMS arm's length bodies cannot be funded for people activities

What it funds

People activities: engagement projects that promote inclusion, diversity and equality, community engagement in heritage, and educational and youth heritage projects. Skills and training, education and heritage project-based posts, which cover helping organisations and communities champion the historic environment, temporary posts that support heritage and the historic environment, heritage-related training and skills, and knowledge sharing and promoting best practice. Research activities (marine and terrestrial): managing the historic environment, research and surveys for heritage protection, audience, stakeholder and sector research, rescue archaeology and emergency research, guidance and support for the heritage sector, and sharing knowledge and research. Costs can include staff and salary costs, sub-contractors, capital equipment and overheads. Projects must meet at least one of Historic England's four grant priorities:

Help more people connect with, enjoy and benefit from the historic environment
Use heritage to improve civic pride, prosperity and wellbeing
Achieve positive change and a sustainable future for historic places
Ensure heritage helps limit and manage the effects of climate change

What it will not fund

Projects outside England (including Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland)
Projects without a defined end date
Engagement activity unrelated to a historic place or the heritage sector
Projects focused on creating museum exhibits, or on repairing or restoring artefacts, chattels or mobile assets such as steam engines, planes and boats
Capacity maintenance, including posts or activities that are part of an organisation's core activity
Non-heritage or generic skills (such as digital skills) where a Historic England grant would not be impactful
Activities delivered by ministerial departments and DCMS-sponsored arm's length bodies
PhD activities, or students enrolled or intending to enrol in higher education courses
National amenity societies' statutory consultation work (research strand)
Lobbying or political activity, or religious or political campaigning
Entertaining or hospitality aimed at influencing policy
Gifts, fines, penalties or legal costs
Interest payments or finance charges
Costs of statutory duties, or work already fully funded elsewhere
Bad debts or compensation payments
Depreciation or asset impairment
Asset purchases or improvements, unless the grant is specifically for capital use

How to apply

Check that the project is in England and meets at least one of Historic England's four grant priorities, plus the additional criteria for People or Research activities
Create a Historic England user account, or sign in to an existing one
Complete the online expression of interest form (about 30 minutes). Give the project's aims, need, benefits, estimated total cost including VAT, your own contribution, VAT status, start and end dates, applicant type and location, and choose the People or Research category. You can upload up to 3 supporting files
Submit the EOI. You will get an automated receipt email and later the name of an assigned officer
Historic England assesses the EOI against its priorities and aims to tell you within 6 weeks whether you are invited to make a full application
If invited, complete the full application using the web link and guidance sent by email, working with your assigned officer
If awarded, sign the grant agreement, which sets out the conditions of grant

If you cannot use the online form, email CentralGrants@HistoricEngland.org.uk to arrange a phone call and give your EOI verbally.

A submitted EOI cannot be edited. Decisions not to invite an application are final, with no right of appeal.

The EOI form times out after 2 hours 30 minutes, so use 'save and exit'.

Have ready

Up to 3 optional supporting files, for example a map or site plan, a survey or condition report, a job or role description, a training or engagement plan, a publication outline, or photographs
UK registered charity number, company number or UKPRN, as applicable

Uploads are optional at the EOI stage. Accepted formats are PDF, DOCX, XLSX, PNG and JPG, ideally under 2 MB each. Further documents are asked for only if you are invited to make a full application.

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