National Lottery Heritage Fund grants: what they fund and how to apply
The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the UK's largest dedicated funder of heritage, distributing National Lottery money to projects that look after and connect people with heritage. It gives grants from £10,000 up to £10 million across two funding levels. Heritage is whatever you value from the past and want to pass on — from buildings and nature to museums, traditions and community stories.
What the Heritage Fund funds
The Fund deliberately does not put a tight definition on heritage. Instead, it asks you to say what matters to you and your community and should be passed on to future generations. In practice, that includes historic buildings, monuments and the historic environment; nature projects that improve habitats or conserve species; designed landscapes such as public parks and historic gardens; community archaeology; museums, libraries and archives; industrial, maritime and transport heritage; and traditions, cultures and stories. Whatever the focus, your project needs to connect people and communities with that heritage and deliver public benefit.
How much you can apply for
Grants run from £10,000 up to £10 million, in two funding levels:
- £10,000 to £250,000 — for small to medium-sized projects, with no fixed deadline.
- £250,000 to £10 million — for major projects, which require an Expression of Interest first.
Most small charities and community groups apply for the £10,000–£250,000 level, where the process is quicker and there are no deadlines.
Who can apply
The Fund accepts applications from not-for-profit organisations, private owners of a heritage asset, and partnerships. Your project must deliver clear public benefit, involve people and communities with heritage, and take account of the Fund’s investment principles set out in its ten-year strategy, Heritage 2033. It funds heritage across the whole of the UK.
Deadlines and rounds
For grants under £250,000 there are no deadlines — you can apply at any time and, once your full application and supporting documents are in, you get a decision in about eight weeks. For grants from £250,001 to £10 million, you must submit an Expression of Interest to fixed quarterly deadlines. In 2026 these are 26 February, 28 May, 6 August and 12 November. (Confirmed live 10 Jul 2026 — re-confirm the exact round at publish.)
How to apply
- Read the “what we fund” and “how to apply” guidance for your grant level.
- For grants up to £250,000, submit a Project Enquiry to get feedback on your idea within about ten working days, then complete a full application online.
- For grants over £250,000, submit an Expression of Interest first, ahead of the relevant quarterly deadline.
Start here: heritagefund.org.uk/funding/how-to-apply.
Tips
- Use the free Project Enquiry before a full application — early feedback saves time and improves weaker ideas.
- Lead with people: the Fund wants heritage that communities are involved with and benefit from, not just conservation for its own sake.
- Small local groups should look at the £3,000–£10,000 tier first — it’s the most accessible and has no deadline.
- Build the Fund’s Heritage 2033 investment principles (including inclusion and environmental sustainability) into your plans from the start.
Official source and last updated
Source: The National Lottery Heritage Fund funding pages (heritagefund.org.uk), checked 10 July 2026. Last updated: July 2026. Confirm the current tiers, priorities and deadlines on the Fund’s own website.
Recent grants
[Placeholder — the theme renders recent grants from 360Giving where available. Since 1994 the Fund has awarded over £9.9 billion to more than 54,000 projects across the UK (verified 10 Jul 2026).]
Similar funders
[The theme auto-lists similar funders. For heritage and place-based projects you may also point to the Architectural Heritage Fund and Historic Houses Foundation (both confirmed real, active organisations — Historic Houses Foundation is registered charity no. 1111049 — verified 10 Jul 2026).]
Check if your charity is eligible for funders like this — CharityIQ’s free Grant Finder matches your charity to real, published UK funders and cites the source for each. → /grant-finder/
Frequently asked questions
The Fund does not narrowly define heritage — it asks you to tell it what you value from the past and want to pass on to future generations. That can include historic buildings and monuments, nature and landscapes, public parks and gardens, museums, libraries and archives, community archaeology, industrial, maritime and transport heritage, and traditions, cultures and stories. Your project must connect people and communities with that heritage.
Grants range from £10,000 up to £10 million, across two levels: £10,000 to £250,000, and £250,000 to £10 million. Most community projects apply for the lower level, which has no fixed deadline and is a good route for local heritage groups, while the higher level is for major, transformational projects and needs an Expression of Interest first.
Not-for-profit organisations, private owners of a heritage asset, and partnerships. Your project must deliver public benefit, connect people and communities with the UK's heritage, and take account of the Fund's investment principles from its Heritage 2033 strategy. Individuals cannot generally apply for their own benefit; the emphasis is on heritage that is looked after for, and shared with, the public.
For grants under £250,000, there are no deadlines — you can apply at any time and get a decision within about eight weeks of a complete application. For grants from £250,001 to £10 million, you submit an Expression of Interest to fixed quarterly deadlines; in 2026 these are 26 February, 28 May, 6 August and 12 November. Always check the current dates before applying.
For grants up to £250,000, start with a Project Enquiry to get feedback on your idea within about ten working days, then submit a full application online. For grants over £250,000, submit an Expression of Interest first. Read the "what we fund" and "how to apply" guidance for your grant level, and build your project around the Fund's priorities and investment principles.