Funding is available to local authorities, universities, charitable trusts and limited companies for strategic research and to build skills and capacity in England’s historic environment. The programme offers funding for strategic research that will help Historic England to know what the historic environment comprises, which aspects of it are the most significant, and what innovations in science and approach will help HE to look after it for the future.

The funding is for projects which develop sector capacity, capability and resilience, and/or help more diverse people engage with heritage and the historic environment.

Projects must be rooted in, and about, place to reflect Historic England’s statutory remit.

Heritage Protection Commissions and Capacity Building (HPC) funds projects that directly address the priorities outlined in Historic England’s Corporate Plan and where relevant address HE’s current Research Agenda, which sets out its broad research themes.

Historic England’s current priorities, as published in its 2022-23 Corporate Plan are:

• Climate Change – ensuring heritage plays an important role in the fight to limit climate change and its impact on people and places.
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion – delivering on its commitment and Vision that heritage should be for everyone.
• Wellbeing – the value of heritage to people’s wellbeing.
• Levelling Up – aligned with the government’s priority to ensure equity of opportunity wherever people are.