Funding Guidelines

Main Grants Programme

The Leche Trustees offer grants in two areas: performing arts and conservation.

Trustees will consider grants up to £5,000. In 2017 they awarded 83 grants totalling £172,400. The average grant was £2,077.

Applicants must be UK registered charities, public authorities or public institutions. We do not accept applications from Community Interest Companies (CICs) or individuals (except overseas PhD students – see separate guidance).

Organisations that have received a grant will not normally be considered for a further grant until 24 months have elapsed since the date of the meeting at which the previous grant was awarded.

Performing Arts

The Trustees’ priorities for music, theatre and dance are:

  • excellence in professional performance
  • new work, and
  • development of young, professional artists aged 18 or over.

Trustees do not normally fund:

  • visual arts
  • capital developments at arts venues
  • general outreach and audience development projects
  • learning projects aimed at schools and children
  • projects with the primary purposes of health and social welfare 
  • the purchase of equipment 
  • projects that have been completed.

Conservation

The Trustees support projects to conserve historic objects, collections and features of buildings and landscapes which date from the Georgian period or earlier, i.e. pre-1830s.

Projects may include acquisition costs (for objects) and conservation surveys as well as remedial work. Trustees are inclined to give grants to smaller projects, or specific elements of projects, where their contribution can make a greater impact.  

In the case of churches, Trustees will consider supporting the conservation of such features as monuments, wall paintings, stained glass, and historic furniture and fittings.

Trustees do not fund:

  • major structural repairs to buildings, or new buildings
  • installation of modern facilities and services
  • exhibitions
  • general education, outreach and audience development projects
  • organ conservation, unless instruments are substantially pre-1830s in date and the aim is to conserve an original action and casework
  • bell restoration projects, unless the bells and their fittings are substantially pre-1830s in date and the aim is to conserve these as far as possible, consistent with safe use.
  • Heritage Lottery funded projects that are subject to a two-round process should normally have secured second round approval before application to the Leche Trust.
General Exclusions

The Leche Trustees do not fund:

  • Schools or school buildings
  • Student tuition fees
  • Social welfare projects
  • Natural environment or wildlife projects
  • Buildings and objects in private ownership
  • Projects promoting religion
  • Health and medicine