Aims/priorities: Funding is intended to support any heritage asset which is of outstanding importance to the national heritage and at risk due to the impact of COVID-19, including:
- Works of fine and decorative art.
- Museum collections.
- Archives.
- Manuscripts.
- Items of industrial, transport and maritime heritage.
- Historic buildings and land.
Eligible costs and activities include:
- Acquisition/purchase costs, including associated professional fees.
- Transport costs, including conservation standard handling and packing for collections or heavy lift/transport costs for large items/historic vehicles.
- Interim storage costs and investment in new permanent storage capacity.
- Urgent conservation work necessary due to COVID-19 impact and investment to resolve maintenance backlog/deficit; collection care costs.
- Condition surveys, cataloguing, management and conservation planning.
- Professional fees, including legal and other fees to support asset transfer.
- Ownership transition costs; fixed term support to enable sustainable rehoming of heritage asset.
- Organisational development costs to support asset transfer; skills development/capacity building; business review and business planning support.
Who can apply? Applications will be accepted from charities, non-profit organisations and public sector organisations with responsibility for an asset of outstanding importance to the UK's national heritage which is at risk due to the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19).
Grant amount: There are no minimum or maximum levels of grant. However, NHMF operates as a fund of last resort - applicants must show that they have explored, or are exploring, all other possible sources of funding, including their own resources.
Application process: The first step is to submit an Expression of Interest. Eligible applicants will then be invited to submit a full application.
Applications must be submitted using the online grants portal available at the NHMF website.
Deadline: Applications may be made at any time until the fund's final closing date of 30 April 2023.
Contact Information: Tel: 020 7591 6044 Email: NHMF_Enquiries@heritagefund.org.uk
Website address: www.nhmf.org.uk/funding/covid-19-response-fund