1. Is your project concerned with Heritage?
To apply for a grant under the Your Heritage programme you need a project that clearly focuses on heritage.  Heritage includes many different things from the past that we value and want to pass on to future generations.  These range from people’s memories and experiences (often recorded as ‘oral history’ or spoken history); cultural traditions such as crafts and costumes; historic buildings; wildlife, including special habitats and species; collections of objects, books or documents in museums, libraries or archives and places and objects linked to our industrial, maritime and transport history, such as coal mines docks and railways.

2.  Do you need a grant of £3,000 to £50,000?
We do not give grants of under £3,000 or over £50,000 under this programme.

3. Are you a single organisation or a partnership?
We welcome applications from single organisations and partnerships (for example, a partnership between a heritage organisation and a community group).  All partnerships must be led by a not-for-profit organisation.  If private owners are involved as part of a partnership, we expect the public benefit of a project to be greater than any private gain.

4. Can you contribute to the costs of the project?
We can fund up to 100%, however we receive more grant applications than we are able to support.  Because of this, we ask you to apply only for what you need and contribute as much as you can either as cash, non-cash contributions (for example, donated materials) or volunteer time.

5. Does your project meet our aims?
We have three aims which relate to learning, conservation and participation.  Your project does not have to meet all three aims to apply for a grant, but must meet the first one – learning. You will also need to meet either one or both of the other two aims – conservation and/or participation.

6. Will your project help people to learn about their own or other people’s heritage?
All projects must give people the opportunity for learning about their heritage.  For example, this could be through displays, leaflets, holding open days, tours, or training people in new skills.

7. Will your project preserve and protect our heritage?
For projects meeting our conservation aim to preserve and protect the heritage your project could include repairs to a historic buildings or monument; conservation work to a heritage item, archive or collection; providing training in conservation skills or helping people to understand their heritage better through surveys and research.

8. Will your project give opportunities for people to take part in your project?
For projects meeting our participation aim to give people opportunities to take part in their project, your project could include activities for specific audiences currently not involved with your heritage or developing a volunteer programme.

If you have answered YES to the questions above you may meet our criteria for funding under this programme.  Read the Introduction to the Your Heritage programme and the Help notes for more information. Then send in a pre-application enquiry form online for advice on what to do next.