Grants and Funding

Historic Environment Support Fund

Closed to new applications. A small fund used to provide support for one-off heritage events, small projects and training activities.

People wearing high visibility jackets and hard hars working on a brtick wall
© Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust
  1. Overview
  2. Eligibility
  3. Criteria for awarding grants
  4. How to apply
  5. Contact

1 Overview

Please note that the Historic Environment Support Fund (HESF) is now closed and we will not be accepting any new applications.

If you are interested in applying for a project relating to the historic environment which would have previously been eligible under the HESF, you will need to apply under our new Historic Environment Grants (HEG) programme which is scheduled to launch in March 2023. An overview of the HEG can be found here.

If you have any questions about the HEG Programme or would like to be added to our distribution list to receive a notification e-mail once it is launched, please get in touch at grants@hes.scot.

2 Eligibility

This fund is used to support various one-off, heritage-related projects such as:

  • grants for training in traditional skills
  • payment for travel and study costs associated with the use of traditional materials
  • production of heritage publications
  • support for community outreach
  • grants to owners of historic traditional thatched properties to help towards the cost of maintaining roof structures. However, for thatched properties in Comhairle nan Eilean Siar or the Highlands and Islands areas you should apply to your local authority direct.
  • grants to owners of properties included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes for the preparation of landscape management plans to explore the history and development of a site, help plan for the future or manage change appropriately.
  • grants to owners of historic properties of outstanding architectural or historic interest for the preparation of maintenance plans in order to reduce the need for costly repairs

To qualify for consideration a project must.

  • Meet as many of Historic Environment Scotland’s outcomes as possible
  • be non-recurring
  • in the case of Thatching, Landscape Management Plans and Maintenance plans we would expect you to be the owner of the property or long term leasee.

3 Criteria for awarding grants

Assessment of applications is a competitive process that also takes account of any wider benefits that the project may provide and applications must meet as many of Historic Environment Scotland’s outcomes as possible.


We let applicants know of our decision as soon as possible after the batch closing dates but usually within four months.

4 How to apply

Please note that the Historic Environment Support Fund (HESF) is now closed and we will not be accepting any new applications.

If you are interested in applying for a project relating to the historic environment which would have previously been eligible under the HESF, you will need to apply under our new Historic Environment Grants (HEG) programme which is scheduled to launch in March 2023.  An overview of the HEG can be found here.

If you have any questions about the HEG Programme or would like to be added to our distribution list to receive a notification e-mail once it is launched, please get in touch at grants@hes.scot.

Useful links

Historic Environment Scotland is bound by the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act. This means that any information that you send us or which is provided to help process your application may be made publicly available. However, any sensitive information you give us will be covered by the relevant legislation and will be dealt with accordingly.

5 Contact

Please contact us if you have any queries about the Historic Environment Support Fund.

Email: grants@hes.scot 

HES Grants Team
Historic Environment Scotland
Longmore House
Salisbury Place
Edinburgh
EH9 1SH

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