Aims/priorities: Grants are available to support the development of projects that have the potential to bring new life to high streets by creating alternative uses for redundant or underused historic buildings in town centres. Funding can be used for individual heritage buildings in, or transferring to, community ownership or that of charitable/social enterprise organisations.
The programme offers the following funding strands:
- Project Viability Grants: up to £15,000, for early viability and feasibility work (covered in a separate entry).
- Project Development Grants: up to £100,000, for capital project development costs (covered in a separate entry).
- Crowdfunding Challenge Grants: up to £25,000, to match fund crowdfunding campaigns (covered in a separate entry).
- Transformational Project Grants: up to £350,000, for transformational capital projects.
- Community Shares Booster Grants: development grants up to £10,000 and equity investments up to £50,000 for Community Benefit Societies and Cooperatives. This grant programme is being managed by Co-Operatives UK on behalf of AHF. (It will be covered in a separate entry).
Who can apply? Applications are accepted from any of the following non-profit organisations:
- Charitable incorporated organisations (CIOs or SCIOs).
- 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.
- Co-operatives.
- Parish and town councils.
Projects must be in places that are or have the potential to be a hub for their community, providing services to a wide catchment population. They will typically include a variety of uses, including retail, and be recognised by local people as their town centre or high street.
Grant amount: Transformational Project grants of up to £350,000 are available, for up to 80% of the cost of work involved.
Application process: Applicants must initially submit an online enquiry form to check their project will fit the scope of the programme's funding. They will then be contacted by a member of the AHF team, who will confirm their eligibility and invite them to complete the online application form on the AHF website.
AHF strongly encourages applicants to discuss any potential application with the relevant Support Officer in their area before submitting an application.
Deadline: 31 March 2021
Contact Information: 020 7925 0199 Email: [email protected]
Website address: http://ahfund.org.uk/england