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We are delighted to announce that the Cultural Protection Fund will continue into 2021 

The British Council and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) are delighted to announce that the Cultural Protection Fund will continue for another year. 

Additional ODA funding awarded for the year 2020-2021 enables the British Council to build upon the success of the Cultural Protection Fund so far, and work with DCMS to prepare for an enhanced fund beyond 2021. 

About the Cultural Protection Fund

The Cultural Protection Fund, a partnership between the British Council and the UK Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport was established in 2016 to protect heritage at risk in 12 countries in and around the Middle East and North Africa. Since the fund launched, 51 grants have been awarded to protect heritage and provide social and economic opportunities for communities in this region, including Yazidis, nomadic Bedouins and Syrian refugees. 

So far over 10,000 people have undertaken activities that increase understanding of, or engagement with, cultural heritage and thousands of new records for threatened heritage sites are being created and monitored across the region. By 2020, over 3,000 people will have received new skills thanks to the fund's initiatives.

The additional funding means the British Council is able to offer grants to new and existing grantees, as well as undertake activity that will support the renewal of the fund beyond 2021. 

New grants available

From autumn 2019, three new strands of funding will be made available:

  • Existing grantees have been invited to apply to a one-off 'Impact' round to enhance the impact and sustainability of current CPF work to date. 
  • Organisations have been invited to submit expressions of interest (closed 23 December 2019) for cultural protection projects relating to Libya, Syria and Yemen. 
  • In preparation for the expansion of the fund into new regions beyond 2021, a new disaster preparedness and climate change mitigation pilot will be launched in 2020. Check back for further updates soon. 

More information on each of the funding strands can be found below:

Grants available to organisations to deliver projects in Syria, Yemen and Libya

Organisations were invited to submit expressions of interest (closed 23 December 2019) to receive grants to work with locally-based partners to deliver projects relating to Libya, Syria and Yemen. This round is designed to encourage creative solutions to protect heritage where Cultural Protection Fund investment has been low to date. In addition to new projects, development work – such as feasibility studies, research and knowledge sharing – will be considered in this round as a potential route to future projects.

Deadline for Expressions of Interest (EOI) is 23 December 2019. Only applicants who have received a positive response to their EOI will be eligible to apply for a grant. Decisions will be made in 2020 for projects to start from June 2020. 

A new disaster and climate change mitigation pilot

In the wake of natural disasters, and the increasing risks posed to cultural heritage by climate change, the need for improved preparedness measures is a key priority for the global heritage community. In response to this, we are piloting a Disaster and Climate Change Mitigation Fund in early 2020 with a view to rolling out a larger fund from April 2021. 

Please check this page for further updates. 

Grants available to existing CPF projects

In October 2019, existing CPF grantees were invited to apply to a one-off 'Impact' round with proposals for 10-month projects designed to amplify and extend the impact of work previously supported by the fund. This will increase the sustainability and impact of CPF work to date, providing new opportunities to communities in and around the Middle East and North Africa. 

Decisions will be made in February 2020 and grant extension activity will take place from April 2020.

See also

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