GrantRadar

Wiltshire and Swindon Community Foundation

Heritage and Nature Grants

Wiltshire and Swindon Community Foundation's Heritage and Nature programme funds work to preserve land or buildings of beauty or historic interest in Wiltshire, including the preservation of animals and plant life, with a clear benefit to the local community. Typically two to three small grants (£3,000-£8,000) and/or one to two larger grants (£10,000-£18,000) are made each year. Applications are by invitation only: organisations register an Expression of Interest, and each September the Foundation invites one or more to apply. EOIs are now being taken for 2027/28 grants, whose priority is landscape and nature conservation.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
£3,000 – £18,000
no fixed round
Deadline
Rolling
apply any time
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • Constituted voluntary or community organisations, registered charities and not-for-profit companies, including CICs limited by guarantee with a suitable asset lock and a majority of unpaid directors (CICs limited by shares must speak to the Foundation first), that are responsible for preserving a heritage building or natural space
  • The building or land must be in Wiltshire and the community benefits must be for people living in Wiltshire
  • Organisations must be based and operating in Wiltshire and/or Swindon (including local branches of national organisations with their own local committee and bank account), or be based outside but working in Wiltshire with most services in neighbouring counties and a track record of working with local people
  • You need an active committee or board of at least three people who are not related, in a long-term relationship or living at the same address; an appropriate constitution; safeguarding (with a named lead) and equalities policies; a bank account with two unrelated signatories; unrestricted reserves normally under 12 months' running costs; last year's accounts and this year's budget
  • New organisations may apply through another charitable organisation

What it funds

  • Work to preserve buildings or land of beauty or historic interest in Wiltshire, including preserving animals and plant life
  • Grants can pay any reasonable costs that enable preservation:
  • Core or running costs (where the organisation's purpose is preserving a building or land for heritage or nature)
  • Project and activity costs
  • Capital costs (the rest of a larger project's funding must already be secured)

Buildings are usually expected to be listed Grade II* or above (otherwise evidence of significant architectural or historic interest is needed); land needs evidence of beauty drawing on Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty criteria (landscape and scenic quality, relative wildness and tranquillity, natural heritage features such as geology, species and habitat, and cultural heritage such as archaeological remains or historic parkland).

Applicants must show community benefit, e.g. volunteering, public access, education or space for local events.

Grants must be spent within 12 months, starting within 6 months of award.

The 2027/28 priority is landscape and nature conservation.

What it will not fund

  • For buildings: work not directly related to preserving the historic features of an eligible building, e.g. conversion of a listed building for community use, general maintenance or refurbishment
  • For land: work not directly related to conserving significant natural features or protected/endangered species, e.g. creating community gardens
  • Preservation of collections or objects
  • Preservation of church buildings
  • Money to individuals or families
  • One-off or sponsored events
  • The advancement of religion
  • Medical research and equipment
  • Animal welfare
  • Party political activities
  • Applications from individuals, schools, statutory bodies (city, county or parish councils, health institutions) or charities that operate nationally
  • Unsolicited applications (invitation only)

How to apply

  1. Read the programme page to check the building or land and your organisation are eligible
  2. Register an Expression of Interest using the online EOI form (open throughout the year), or contact the Foundation on 01380 738985 or info@wscf.org.uk to discuss your project
  3. In September each year the Foundation reviews EOIs and invites one or more organisations to apply
  4. If invited, submit a full application, typically in the autumn
  5. Grants are awarded between November and March; spend within 12 months, starting within 6 months of award

Unsolicited applications are not accepted; current EOIs are for grants to be awarded in 2027/28, with a priority of landscape and nature conservation.

Have ready

  • Constitution appropriate to the organisation
  • Safeguarding policy with a named safeguarding lead
  • Equalities policy
  • Financial records or accounts for the most recent financial year showing income, expenditure and reserves
  • Financial plan or budget for this year
  • Recent bank statement

For buildings, evidence of listing or of significant architectural/historic interest; for land, evidence of beauty against AONB-style criteria. Documents are needed at the invited application stage.

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Heritage and Nature Grants — Wiltshire and Swindon Community Foundation — GrantRadar