1 Grants Funding Report 2024-25
Our second annual report on how Historic Environment Scotland spends its grants funding each year, supporting communities and historic places all over Scotland.
We awarded around £12.4 million in grants last financial year on behalf of the Scottish Government to projects that protect and promote the country’s historic environment. Find out how we did it.
This report:
- Demonstrates how we spend this funding
- Provides insights into how we make our funding decisions
- Shares and celebrates the transformations made possible by this money
- Highlights areas where we could be doing things differently
Key findings from the report include:
- We spend 20.9% of our funding in Scotland’s most deprived areas.
- We spent £12.4 million on grant funded projects, meaning for each person in Scotland we have invested £2.26 in heritage.
- We were asked for £17.8 million for future projects, roughly two thirds more than the amount we were able to award.
- Every pound of our investment has leveraged a further £5.24 of investment for Scotland’s historic environment.
The report also helps us to direct our efforts. Next year, we will be focussing on addressing the impacts of AI on our processes as well as better recording our applicants’ efforts in adapting and mitigating the climate crisis.
Download the Grants Funding Report 2024-252 Case studies
We spend our funding on a wide range of Scottish heritage, from bridges and brochs, to slate, thatch and stone. Below are some examples of where we have invested this year.
Tam O’Shanter Inn, Ayr
We funded Shanter Inns Ltd in August 2024 for the renewal of the reed thatch roof of the B-listed Tam O’Shanter Inn, Ayr High Street. We visited the site with HES’ thatching in-house experts to provide additional support and advice. Unusually for a thatched building, it is an urban pub with significance locally through association with Robert Burns.
‘Rock, paper, chisels’ - A celebration of Luing’s slate heritage past
The project engaged the population of Luing, and surrounding areas, with the slate-quarrying heritage of the island, together with forward-looking plans to revive this activity. The project raised awareness and appreciation of this industrial history though engagement activities, including guided tours, art demonstrations, multilingual song, and storytelling
Kilkivan, Killean and Kilchenzie Churches - Emergency works
The emergency stabilisation project for three medieval church ruins (Killean, Kilchenzie, and Kilkivan) that are located in the Kintyre peninsula completed in November 2024. The eight-week programme of works also included the removal of the historically significant West Highland Graveslabs from Kilkivan to have their condition be assessed. This project was a precursor to a full repair scheme for all three churches. A heritage trail, with new signposting and interpretation panels, will connect all three churches.
Duncansby Head Lighthouse Centenary Celebrations
Lyth Arts Centre delivered an engagement project to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the opening of the Duncansby Head Lighthouse and the people that worked at the lighthouse and lived in the surrounding area. The main attraction of the project was the film, light and sound projection show, Duncansby Light at Night. All six sold out, reaching over 700 people. The celebration, which included live pop-up performances, exhibitions, and arts workshops, spanned February and March 2024 and reached over 1,200 people.
Whithorn and the Machars Pilot Archaeology Field School
A £13,104 grant to the Whithorn Trust was made towards a year-long pilot Archaeology Field School, on the lands of Sinniness, Dumfries & Galloway. The field school was completed on Friday 14 March 2025: circa 30 individual adult volunteers attended and provided with skills training and skills training passports. 51 pupils and six staff attended from Whithorn Primary, who were engaged with excavating in one of the de-turfed areas.’
Download the Grants Funding Report 2024-25