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Lloyd’s Register Foundation’s Heritage Grants Call aims to fund ambitious, high-impact projects that support our heritage key themes and contribute to delivering the Foundation’s . This £2.5 million programme will support initiatives that strengthen heritage research, equity, safety, and public access, while advancing our global reputation as a centre of excellence in heritage management and learning from the past.
The Foundation has been working globally to engineer a safer world for many years, building on the legacy of Lloyds Register, dating back to 1760 as a maritime classification society. The heritage key themes aim to increase the understanding of maritime safety and its importance to the past, present and future ocean economy.  Through this call we invite expressions of interest to help us to deliver this vision, mobilising heritage and cultural evidence, and widening perspectives to learn from the past. Find out more about the .  
In line with our Grant Eligibility and Grant Funding Guidelines, Lloyd’s Register Foundation does not generally restrict the types of organisations eligible for funding. Funding may be directed towards, but is not limited to, the following types of organisations:
Collaborative, cross-sector and inter-disciplinary proposals are strongly encouraged.
Principles for Non-Charitable Organisations
In line with United Kingdom government guidelines, Lloyd’s Register Foundation adheres to the following principles when granting funds to non-charitable organisations:
These principles ensure that all grants to non-charitable organisations remain aligned with Lloyd’s Register Foundation’s mission and are compliant with relevant regulatory standards.
Projects must align with our heritage key themes below:
We are particularly interested in proposals that will scale our impact in any of the following five ways:
- Align with our heritage priorities and contribute to delivering the Foundation’s 2024-2029 strategy.
- Demonstrate collaboration and shared benefit
- Centre equity, innovation, and access
- Have a clear vision and plan for impact and sustainability
- Build capacity across the sector
What we don’t fund:
Applications that do not directly align with the Foundation’s mission or fail to advance the Heritage Centre's vision will be excluded. This includes:
Examples of eligible projects might include:
Read more about the projects that we
Grantees will be expected to:
- Provide regular progress updates and a final report
- Share insights publicly via open-access resources, events, or social media
- Engage in Foundation-led evaluation or learning activities where appropriate
Funding & Scope:
Eligible costs include:
Four stage application process includes:
Stage 1: Register with our grants management system
To start your application, you will first need to create an account on Flexigrant on the Lloyd’s Register Foundation portal homepage. Once registered, you will receive an email to verify your account. Please ensure all organisational and contact details are accurate when creating your account.
Stage 2: Submit an expression of interest by 24 November 2025 23:59 GMT.
You can apply for the funding call
Applicants will be required to submit a short concept note (maximum 2 pages) that outlines the project idea, proposed partners, indicative budget, and alignment with the Foundation’s heritage themes. Expression of interests will be assessed for eligibility, strategic fit, and potential impact
Webinar for applicants
We encourage all potential applicants to attend an informational webinar on 9 October 2025 with both morning and afternoon sessions (Morning session 10:00 BST and afternoon session 14:00 BST), where we will provide an overview of the call, eligibility criteria, and application process, followed by a Q&A session. Details on how to register will be available on our website.
Deadline for Expression of Interest
To ensure timely consideration, please submit your expression of interest by 24 November 2025 23:59 GMT. Once an initial review has been carried out, we may request some additional documentation from you if you have not previously worked with the Foundation.
Stage 3 – Full Application (by invitation only)
Shortlisted applicants from Stage 2 will be invited to submit a detailed proposal through the Flexigrant portal, which will include:
• Comprehensive project plan and methodology
• Detailed budget and justification of costs
• Delivery team and governance arrangements
• Impact framework, evaluation plan, and risk management strategy
Invitations to submit full proposals will be issued 19 January 2026 and the deadline to submit full proposals is 2 March 2026.
Stage 4 – Grant Award & Onboarding
Following review by our team during our governance meeting on 2 June 2026, successful applicants will be notified on 8 June 2026.
Awardees will undergo onboarding with the Foundation to agree milestones, reporting requirements, and other commitments within the contract.
Proposals will be judged on:
The call aims to fund ambitious, high-impact projects that strengthen heritage research, equity, safety, and public access, while advancing our Foundation’s 2024–2029 strategy.
We welcome applications from:
Collaborative, cross-sector, and inter-disciplinary proposals are strongly encouraged.
Funding may support:
We are unable to fund:
Projects must align with at least one of our heritage key themes:
Is this a recurring call, or is this the only opportunity to apply?
Currently, this is the only planned Heritage Open call within the next 12 months.
Do we need to include partner institutions in the Expression of Interest (EOI)?
Yes, please list all expected collaborators in your EOI. While formal letters of support are not required at this stage, identifying partners and their roles will strengthen your proposal.
Can I submit an EOI first and find partners later?
We strongly recommend identifying your partners before submitting the EOI.
Can an organisation submit multiple proposals?
Yes, it is possible to submit more than one EOI from the same organisation. It is however more likely that we will fund a range of organisations rather than multiple from one organisation. Projects will be assessed individually and ranked according to strength of proposals and we will seek a balanced portfolio of projects.
How detailed should the budget be in the Expression of Interest (EOI)?
The EOI budget should provide a high-level estimate of expected costs. A detailed breakdown will be required at the full proposal stage.
Can funding be distributed among partners?
Yes, while the grant contract will be with the lead institution who will receive the full funding, funds can be distributed to partners in accordance with appropriate governance processes, as per the project agreement.
Will the webinar recording and slides be shared?
Yes, the webinar recording and slides will be shared with attendees via email. If you have not received them or you were unable to attend, please reach out to us.
Applications will be evaluated on:
Awardees must:
These case studies highlight the types of impactful, heritage theme-aligned projects the Foundation supports:
• Global Maritime Histories, ICMM
Partnering with the International Congress of Maritime Museums (ICMM), this programme empowers 120+ maritime museums around the world to explore safety, heritage, and sustainability through museum storytelling, especially in the Global South.
• PASSAGE, the National Archives
A collaborative research and mobility project with the National Archives, improving digital access and understanding of the transatlantic slave trade and uncovering Lloyd’s Register’s role during this time through co-designed initiatives.
• Rewriting Women into Maritime History
A project elevating women’s stories back into maritime heritage narratives using oral histories and archival material. The project raises awareness of equality and forgotten voices, showcasing the stories publicly through a public exhibition.
• Creating Ocean Citizens, the National Maritime Museum (UK)
A five-year programme with the National Maritime Museum in the United Kingdom, designed to drive ocean literacy, gender equality, public engagement, and digital innovations—enhancing maritime heritage and safety.
• Sail to Steam, Carbon to Green: Empowering Port Communities in the Global South
A six-year project with the Centre for Port Cities and Maritime Cultures at the University of Portsmouth that compares historic sail-to-steam shifts with today’s fossil-to-carbon-neutral shipping transitions, through PhD-level research in port communities across Macau, Callao (Peru), and beyond, to uncover lessons for resilience in the Global South.
Helping to open access to and use of cultural heritage
Find other projects that we currently fund on our website here.
