New Funding to Support NI Heritage Sector to Launch Shortly

A total of £5.5 million is being made available in 2020 to help Northern Ireland’s heritage sector, both organisations and individuals, respond to the immediate impacts of the COVID-19 crisis and support their future sustainability.

Applicants must be based in Northern Ireland and can include:

Heritage organisations managing a heritage site or visitor attraction

Private owners of a heritage site, venue or attraction

Organisations managing, maintaining or caring for culturally significant assets or collections

Businesses which are part of the heritage ecosystem, including conservators, contractors, specialists and suppliers

Self-employed or freelance individuals working in the heritage sector

The following grants are available:

Grants of £3,000 to £250,000 for non-profit or private heritage organisations

Grants of £3,000 or £5,000 for self-employed and freelance individuals working in the heritage sector

The funding is intended to cover the costs (from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021) needed to help organisations recover from the economic impact of COVID-19 and to make sure that they are financially viable in the future. Applicants will need to consider the most effective route to future sustainability for their organisation, and the public benefit, including economic benefit, to the wider heritage ecosystem. This may include a combination of re-opening, partial re-opening and mothballing.

The funding can cover any reasonable cost that helps organisations recover and become viable.

Applications will be accepted from 2 November 2020 to noon on 27 November 2020.

More information about this funding opportunity and the application process is available on the GRANTfinder funding information platform. GRANTfinder provides up-to-the minute content, insight and analysis on funding news and policy. To find out more about how GRANTfinder can keep you in the know, and subscription fees, contact us today.