The Architectural Heritage Fund
Funding of up to £20,000 is available to support community-led organisations to take ownership and to adapt historic buildings for new, sustainable uses.
Who can apply?
Your organisation must be one of the following not-for-private-profit organisations or lowest tiers of local government:
Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs)
Charitable Companies Limited by Guarantee
Charitable Community Benefit Societies
Community Benefit Societies
Not-for-private-profit Companies Limited by Guarantee
Community Interest Companies (CICs) Limited by Guarantee
Parish and Town Councils
If your organisation is not a registered charity then it must have an asset lock in place. This is a provision in the governing document to protect its assets. It means that if the organisation is wound up any assets must be transferred to a similar not-for-profit organisation (another asset-locked body) once creditors have been paid.
Restrictions
The following applicants and project types will generally be considered a low priority and are highly unlikely to qualify for an AHF grant.
Private individuals
Local authorities and other public sector bodies
Universities, colleges and other mainstream educational institutions including independent schools
For-profit companies, unless in a partnership led by a not-for-profit organisation
Unincorporated organisations (e.g. charitable trusts and associations) that are not intending to incorporate
Organisations established primarily for the benefit of their members (e.g. co-operative societies)
Organisations with fewer than three Trustees or Directors who are not spouses or partners or otherwise related to each other
Limited liability partnerships
Churches or other places of worship, where the building or the space within the building you are enquiring about will be used as an active place of religious worship
Projects that mainly involve enhancing or facilitating existing uses within a building. Work intended to test and develop new uses for disused or derelict parts of a partly occupied building is eligible, however.
Capital costs (such as building repairs, installation of services, landscaping, access improvements or heritage interpretation displays)
Retrospective costs (i.e. the cost of work or activities that will take place prior to us notifying you of our decision on your application)The following project types will generally be considered a low priority and are highly unlikely to qualify for an AHF grant.
Eligible Expenditure
Any work that is essential for developing a project of revitalising an historic building will be considered. Applicants must explain how a particular piece of work or activity will enable this.
How to apply
Complete the online enquiry form (https://ahfund.org.uk/enquiry/).
A Support Officer will then get in touch to discuss your project.
You will then need to complete the online application form on the Grants in Wales section of their website; there you will find the Application Help Notes (PDF) to guide you in completing the form.
If you are applying for up to £10,000 the deadline is the last day of each calendar month. A decision is usually made within 8 weeks. Decisions for applications over £10,000 are made by our Grants Panel, which meets quarterly. The dates of application deadlines are published on their website (https://ahfund.org.uk/grants/eligibility-deadlines/).
Useful Links
https://ahfund.org.uk/grants/frequently-asked-questions/