Historic England has launched an Emergency Response Fund to help keep small and vulnerable heritage projects on track.
You have to be quick to apply for help - the deadline is 3 May. But you will not have to wait long for the money. Funding for successful applications will be awarded from mid-May.
Download a PDF with details of how to make a proposal here or read more about the scheme on the Historic England website here.
This is to help out vulnerable small projects and self-employed contractors with grants of up to £25,000 to address financial difficulties arising from Coronavirus. Grants of up to £50,000 are also available for projects and activities that reduce risks to heritage by providing information, resources and skills.
The grants available will help organisations, voluntary groups and self-employed contractors survive the immediate challenges posed by the pandemic and prepare for recovery.
The fund is in response to a survey carried out by Historic England earlier in the month asking about the effects of the Coronavirus lock-down. Responses came from a range of those involved in the heritage sector, including businesses ranging from the small (up to 10 employees) to the larger (more than 100 employees). There were 557 small businesses who completed the survey and 79 larger businesses. 97 entirely volunteer-run organisations also completed it.
The survey revealed the serious impact of Coronavirus on the sector, particularly on small organisations crucial to the operation of England’s heritage construction sector. It showed 76% of respondents had suffered loss or postponement of work. See the results of the survey here.
Historic England says: "We know that the grants we can offer are small but we hope that they will provide encouragement and a safety-net. Please do forward to this email to any organisations in your supply chain that you think could benefit."
The National Lottery Heritage Fund is also offering support. It has diverted £50million to support ongoing projects. Read about that here.
This Call for Proposals sits alongside Historic England's continuing Heritage Protection Commissions Open Proposals Programme, which it is continuing to support.