England
War Memorials Trust has two grant schemes that operate in England. In order to decide which one to apply for follow this two step guide. You need to consider the type of war memorial and the work you plan to undertake.
Step 1: Freestanding or not?
The first step is to determine if your memorial is freestanding or non-freestanding.
Freestanding war memorials are eligible for support from the Grants for War Memorials scheme funded by English Heritage and The Wolfson Foundation or the Small Grants Scheme depending on the work to be undertaken and the costs involved.
Non-freestanding war memorials are only eligible for support from the Small Grants Scheme.
What is freestanding and non-freestanding?
Freestanding war memorials are:
- Self supporting (i.e. not fixed to a wall or other structure for support)
- Have no other use than as a war memorial
- Do not combine the commemorative function with other functions as in the case of bridges, gardens or memorial halls (these for the purposes of our grant schemes are not considered freestanding)
Freestanding war memorials include most crosses found in village centres, obelisks, cenotaphs as well as lych gates, sculpture and many more.
Non-freestanding war memorials are:
- Non-self supporting memorials (e.g. plaques, stained glass windows, framed rolls of honour)
- Part of another building (e.g. clock towers in churches)
- Those which combine their commemorative function with other functions (e.g. gardens, halls, buildings)
- War memorial objects (e.g. books, toys)
Step 2: What work is required?
Once you have identified if your war memorial is freestanding or non-freestanding you will need to read the eligibility criteria for the relevant scheme.
If your memorial is freestanding investigate the Grants for War Memorials scheme first. Details of eligible work are provided. Only if your proposed work does not fit the criteria should you look at the Small Grants Scheme.
If your memorial is non-freestanding then visit the Small Grants Scheme page where you can find out more and also apply online.
If you are at the start of your project and unsure about what works are required, you can contact the Conservation Team either by email conservation@warmemorials.org or by telephone on 020 7233 7356. Please note, the Conservation Team can only give general conservation advice and do not provide detailed technical specifications. This is something which contractors will be able to do once they have seen the memorial.
If you do have an idea of what works are required but are still unsure which grant scheme is right for you, or would like to receive an application form, we recommend you submit an 'Expression of interest form'.
