Application Deadline: 20 July, 2026
Applications are now open for the 2026 British Council Cultural Protection Fund (CPF). Established in 2016, the Cultural Protection Fund (CPF) is led by the British Council in partnership with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
The British Council is now accepting Expressions of Interest from organisations for grants of up to £500,000. Only selected applicants will be permitted to submit a full application.
Available Awards
While each application will be assessed on its own merit, although we have limited funding available and expect to make approximately:
- 7 awards for projects with grant values between £100,000 and £500,000; and
- 20 awards to projects with grant values under £100,000.
Funding Eligibility
They must meet the strategic objectives of fund which are:
- Heritage – Cultural heritage will be in better condition, more prepared and better understood
- Society – Societies will be stronger, more inclusive and more resilient
- Economy – increased opportunities and benefit for people and places
Requirements
- Projects must be submitted by one lead organisation. While organisations can be registered anywhere in the world, your project must include partners registered in CPF’s target countries. All projects must demonstrate evidence of local demand and support for proposed activities.
Organisations can apply for grants of up to £500,000. While each application will be assessed on its own merit, although we have limited funding available, we expect to make approximately:
- seven awards for projects with grant values between £100,000 and £500,000; and
- 20 awards to projects with grant values under £100,000.
Participating countries
The program is looking for projects protecting cultural heritage at risk in: Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, Nepal, Pakistan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, and Yemen.
Application Timeline:
- Applications open: Tuesday 23 June 2026
- Expressions of interest deadline: Monday 20 July 2026, 23:59 BST.
- Online information session: Monday 1 July, 10am – 11am BST.
- Full application deadline: Friday 28 August 2026, 23:59 BST.
- Projects start: December 2026.
- Projects end by: 31 January 2029.
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the British Council Cultural Protection Fund
