Derbyshire Makes Heritage Grant Closes Soon

Derbyshire Makes History is a new stand-alone 2-year project, set up to complement the wider 3-year Derbyshire Makes programme, with an exclusive heritage focus, which is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, to champion and support the heritage sector.

Derbyshire’s heritage of makers and innovators has shaped its landscape and communities. The primary focus will be Derbyshire’s industrial heritage of making and will explore and celebrate 3 key industries: textiles and knitting, ceramics, and mining (lead, iron ore, coal).

Definition of heritage for Derbyshire Makes History

Heritage can be anything from the past that you value and want to pass on to future generations. From historic buildings, Derbyshire’s industrial legacy and the natural environment, to collections, traditions, stories and more, ways to connect people and communities to Derbyshire’s heritage.

About the Derbyshire Makes Heritage Grant and aims

Heritage grants are available to Derbyshire-based heritage businesses, museums and community groups, to fund engagement activities, which will:

• engage local communities in making-focussed heritage activities
• tell the stories of Derbyshire’s industrial heritage of making
• raise awareness in heritage craft skills and offer opportunities to engage
• celebrate and continue to upskill the heritage craft and construction skills of staff and volunteers
• contribute to the Heritage Fund investment principles:
  • saving heritage
  • protecting the environment
  • inclusion access and participation
  • and organisational sustainability

Activities can take place anywhere, but they’re especially keen to fund activities taking place in or around the 6 main hub towns for the festival period April to May 2026 and 2027 in Bolsover, Chesterfield, Cromford (Hub and Spoke – Matlock and Wirksworth), Glossop, Heanor and Swadlincote.

What the grant can be used for

The grant can be used for:

• events and engagement activities, such as participatory workshops
• materials and activities to help promote understanding, such as interpretation materials
• educational activities, such as webinars or resource packs
• training to build making and heritage craft skills
• creative commissions

The grant won’t cover:

• capital costs
• essential running costs, like statutory obligations, utility bills, wages and salaries, overheads, insurance, tax, basic standard IT (not replacement IT or monthly software subscriptions)
• website domain names and platform costs
• advertising (including radio, vehicle, newspaper, online, social media)
• grants to others

How much you could receive

Grants of £300 to £2,000 are available.

No match funding is required.

Grants will be assessed for eligibility then assessed by a panel of industry specialists.

Eligibility

All applicants must be associated with a Derbyshire heritage organisation (Derby City residents and organisations are not eligible to apply, however collaboration with a county business is accepted).

All applicants must be a registered company, charity, CIC, community group, or sole trader with a dedicated UK bank account.

Be part of the heritage / history sector excluding those with religious links or any industry which could bring the authority into disrepute.

They are unable to fund retrospectively. Therefore funding cannot be for existing projects which have already started.

The applicant meets subsidy control requirements.

How to apply

All applicants must apply online using this form: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=s46aQhAyGk6qomzN4N2rxTFOVc_BNHRLiVFkZRfCDhBURVk4VEJCWEJVVU5MUUhISTVKV0cxS0hZMiQlQCN0PWcu&route=shorturl

You can apply at any time but please ensure you get your applications in plenty of time before your planned activity as funds cannot be awarded retrospectively.

Deadline: 4 November 2026

Applications will be assessed via a panel, and you will be notified of a decision within 6 weeks of this deadline date.

If you have any queries, email regeneration@derbyshire.gov.uk.