Local heritage to be protected with £20 million of funding

Communities across England can now apply for a share of almost £20 million to help care for historic buildings and heritage sites in their local area, ensuring that everyone, everywhere feels proud of where they live. 

The new £4.85 million Heritage Revival Fund is currently accepting applications for projects that will help to rescue and repurpose neglected historic buildings, like theatres, department stores and former banks. It will do this by supporting community organisations, charities and social enterprises to take ownership of these sites, transforming them into vibrant spaces that meet local needs. 

The programme will be delivered by the Architectural Heritage Fund and will run from 1 April 2025 until 31 March 2026. It will be open to charities and social enterprises in England seeking to take ownership of and adapt historic buildings for community uses. 

This is in addition to the £15 million Heritage at Risk Capital Fund opening today for Expressions of Interest from individuals or organisations, focusing on the most deprived areas to rescue their locally cherished, at-risk historic sites and buildings. This funding will support projects which seek to repair and enhance a variety of heritage buildings to benefit the local public and community, like shops, pubs, parks, and town halls. This is in addition to Historic England’s current Heritage at Risk Repair Grants, and will be open to a wider range of local heritage sites, celebrating the historic buildings people care most about. 

It follows the announcement from the Culture Secretary last month of the £270 million Arts Everywhere Fund as part of the Government’s Plan for Change, which aims to support economic growth and increase opportunities for people across the country.

Ros Kerslake, Chair of the Architectural Heritage Fund, said:

"We are delighted to announce the new Heritage Revival Fund and our renewed partnership with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Historic England. AHF’s work in recent years has demonstrated the impact that the regeneration of historic buildings can have on our town centres and high streets so we are excited to be able to extend the reach of that work.

Historic buildings aren’t just landmarks—they’re symbols of pride, purpose, and local identity and this funding will unlock the potential of social enterprises and charities to transform neglected heritage into thriving community spaces.

We would also like to say a huge thanks to DCMS and the Culture Secretary, this investment will breathe new life into these vital spaces".