Two new funding streams have recently been launched to help tackle the impact of Covid-19 and help heritage buildings re-open. Whilst neither are focused on capital projects, emergency repairs and building works related to Covid-19 activities could be eligible.
The Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage – National Lottery Heritage Fund
Deadline: noon 17th August 2020. Decisions will be made by the end of September.
Overview: The Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage is part of the £1.57 billion rescue package announced by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to safeguard cultural and heritage organisations across the UK from the economic impact of COVID-19.
The aim is to help successful applicants to reopen by the 31st March 2021 or to operate on a sustainable and cost-efficient basis so that they are able to reopen at a later date.
The focus is very much on operational costs, exploring new ways of working and the provision of new equipment and PPE in order to re-open. Capital works such as repairs to a building or monument are not included, unless they meet the following criteria:
- essential costs to protect your heritage, for example, site security, maintenance, environmental monitoring for collections
- stabilising heritage that is at immediate risk, for example, scaffolding or urgent conservation work
- temporary storage for collections, artefacts and documents, including necessary secure transport or insurance.
For further information and to apply visit: https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/funding/culture-recovery-fund-for-heritage
Hope Beyond – All Churches Trust
Deadline: None specified
Overview: The Hope Beyond grants programme aims to enable churches and Christian charities to meet changing needs within their communities, helping them and the communities they support to adapt. The Fund will look to address these three themes:
- Projects responding to the issues of loneliness and isolation exacerbated by the Coronavirus pandemic where new and/or enhanced support is being proposed. This could include enabling improved accessibility to buildings/activities and measures to ensure buildings are Covid-19 safe
- Projects focused on growing community resilience and promoting mental and emotional health and wellbeing, including the provision of mental health and wellbeing support groups and 1:1 counselling for people of all ages (including clergy).
- Projects focused on growing technological capability and resilience, particularly increasing digital capacity and provision, and supporting those without online access to get online through training and support.
In all cases, applicants will need to demonstrate how their project is seeking to directly respond to increasing/new need as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.
For further information and to apply visit: https://www.allchurches.co.uk/what-we-fund/hopebeyond/
Foundation Grants – National Churches Trust
This is not a new grant scheme, but it could be more important now as building re-open and maintenance needs reviewing. The grants may be relatively small compared to others, but the programme has no deadlines and a relatively quick turnaround. It can make a big difference to tackling stitch in time repairs that, if left unchecked, could lead to more major and costly repairs.
For further information and to apply visit: https://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/foundationgrants
Other Sources of Information
Keeping up to date with the changes and knowing exactly what to do can be difficult. The websites of some of the main organisations that are trying to help are listed below. Do keep looking at the Diocese’s website for updates and don’t hesitate to contact our staff if you need help.
General Guidance
- https://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-churches
- https://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/news/advice-reopening-your-church