National Highways

Charity Number: CUSTOM_4BC2D2AE

Annual Expenditure: £89.0M

Stay updated on changes from National Highways and other funders

Get daily notifications about new funding opportunities, deadline changes, and programme updates from UK funders.

Free Email Updates

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £89 million (2025-26 financial year for Designated Funds)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Varies by fund; multiple application windows throughout the year
  • Grant Range: £10,000 - £200,000 (depending on programme)
  • Geographic Focus: England (Strategic Road Network and surrounding communities)

Contact Details

Website: https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-work/designated-funds/

Designated Funds Email: Available via website contact form

Main Office: National Highways, Bridge House, 1 Walnut Tree Close, Guildford, Surrey GU1 4LZ

Pre-application Support: Available for Innovation and Research Fund applications through the Working with Us portal

Overview

National Highways is a government-owned company established in 2015 (originally as Highways England, rebranded in 2021) that operates, maintains, and improves England's strategic road network. The organization launched its Designated Funds programme in 2015 to deliver value beyond traditional road operations. Between 2015 and 2025, National Highways invested in over 5,000 projects through this programme, with over 2,500 schemes delivered during Roads Period 2 (2020-2025). The Designated Funds are government-allocated funds totaling £870 million for Roads Period 2, with £89 million allocated for the 2025-26 interim period. The funds focus on four strategic themes: Safety, Environment, Customer and Communities, and Innovation and Research. Under CEO Nick Harris, who was appointed in 2021, National Highways has continued to expand community engagement through these funding streams, supporting initiatives from cycling schemes and environmental enhancements to innovation projects and community facilities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Community Fund (£10,000 maximum per grant)

  • Small grants for community groups, registered charities, community interest companies, and school PTAs/Friends groups
  • Administered through community foundations for specific major road projects
  • Rolling applications through designated application windows
  • Example: Lower Thames Crossing Community Fund (£250,000 total fund as pilot, paving way for £1.9 million fund during construction)

Social Value Fund (£15,000 - £200,000)

  • Larger grants for substantial community benefit projects near major road schemes
  • Five application windows per year
  • Administered through community foundations
  • Example: A1 Birtley to Coal House scheme supported 13 projects with over £87,000

Environment and Wellbeing Fund (Varies significantly)

  • Environmental restoration and enhancement projects
  • Biodiversity improvements, watercourse enhancements, natural flood management
  • Landscape-scale connectivity projects currently accepting applications
  • Example grants: £785,000 to Cornwall Wildlife Trust for 16.8 hectares of habitat restoration; £427,000 for species-rich grassland

Customer and Communities Fund (Varies)

  • Freight & Roadside Facilities Scheme currently accepting applications
  • Lorry Parking Facilities Improvements Scheme: Up to £20 million total programme, funding up to 50% of capital costs (requires 50% match funding)
  • Projects must complete by 31 March 2026
  • Funds construction/refurbishment, security equipment, engineering/design, HGV driver facilities

Innovation and Research Designated Fund (Varies)

  • Challenge-led approach with priority business challenges identified
  • Open calls for project ideas responding to priority challenges
  • Technical and commercial innovation for strategic road network
  • Competitive tender or direct award depending on responses

Priority Areas

Safety: Projects that improve road user safety on or near the Strategic Road Network

Environment:

  • Biodiversity enhancements and habitat restoration
  • Watercourse improvements and natural flood management
  • Landscape-scale connectivity projects
  • Air quality improvements
  • Carbon reduction initiatives

Customer and Communities:

  • Local economic development, skills, and employment (especially STEM careers)
  • Community safety, health, and wellbeing
  • Enhanced accessibility for walkers, cyclists, and horse-riders
  • Freight and roadside facility improvements
  • Physical activity and public use of green spaces

Innovation and Research:

  • Solutions to key business challenges for road network management
  • Technology deployment and digital innovation
  • Operational improvements and efficiency gains

What They Don't Fund

  • Projects unrelated to the Strategic Road Network or surrounding communities
  • Activities that duplicate existing provision without added value
  • Projects outside England
  • Retrospective funding for completed projects
  • Ongoing operational costs without demonstrated sustainability plan
  • Projects that cannot complete within specified timeframes (e.g., by 31 March 2026 for current Lorry Parking scheme)
Helpful Hinchilla

Ready to write a winning application for National Highways?

Our AI helps you craft proposals that match their exact priorities. Save 10+ hours and increase your success rate.

Get Free Beta Access

Governance and Leadership

Chief Executive Officer: Nick Harris (appointed August 2021)

  • Responsible for day-to-day operational management and Executive team performance
  • Accountable as Accounting Officer to the Permanent Secretary at the Department for Transport
  • Joined Highways England in 2016, served as Acting CEO from February 2021
  • Background includes senior roles at water utilities before joining highways sector

Chairman: Dipesh J Shah

Structure: National Highways operates as a government-owned company (private company limited by shares, wholly owned by the Secretary of State for Transport), not as a charity. It functions under the Infrastructure Act 2015 and was licensed as a strategic highways company by the Secretary of State for Transport on 1 April 2015.

Board: The National Highways Board is the primary governance arm, accountable to the Secretary of State for Transport, who delegates day-to-day operations to the Chief Executive.

Sponsor Department: Department for Transport

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

For Most Designated Funds:

  • Complete the Expression of Interest form available on the National Highways website
  • Submit to the Designated Funds inbox via email
  • Form requires: project location, activities and deliverables, strategic objectives alignment, related projects

For Community and Social Value Funds (Project-Specific):

  • Applications managed through local community foundations (e.g., Cambridgeshire Community Foundation, Essex Community Foundation, Kent Community Foundation)
  • Multiple application windows throughout the year
  • Typically: November-January, May-July, November-January cycles

For Innovation and Research Fund:

  • Submit project ideas through the Working with Us portal
  • Respond to published priority challenges
  • Register via Jaegger portal for immediate notifications following Pre-Market Engagement (PME) notices

For Lorry Parking Facilities Improvements Scheme:

  • Applications through government grants service
  • Must demonstrate 50% match funding
  • Completion deadline: 31 March 2026

Decision Timeline

Application Windows: Multiple rounds throughout the year for community funds

Assessment Process:

  • Varies by fund type
  • Innovation and Research Fund uses three-stage process: Define and prioritize challenges → Assess ideas for fit, value, and feasibility → Approve investment programme
  • Innovation Scorecard assesses desirability, feasibility, and viability at stage gates

Notification: Methods vary by fund; applicants are notified of assessment decisions following evaluation period

Project Completion Requirements: Many current-year projects require completion by 31 March 2026

Success Rates

Specific success rates are not publicly disclosed. However, the programme data shows:

  • Over 5,000 projects funded between 2015-2025
  • Over 2,500 schemes delivered in Roads Period 2 (2020-2025)
  • Lower Thames Crossing Community Fund: 55 projects awarded to date
  • A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet Social Value and Community Funds: Over 80 applications received in first winter window

Historical challenges noted by regulator:

  • Innovation and Modernisation fund underspent by £30 million due to difficulty identifying appropriate projects
  • Air quality designated fund: Only £38.7 million spent of £75 million budget during RIS 1 (2015-20)

Reapplication Policy

Not explicitly stated in available documentation. Contact the Designated Funds team to discuss reapplication opportunities for unsuccessful applicants.

Application Success Factors

Strategic Alignment is Critical:

  • Projects must clearly demonstrate connection to the Strategic Road Network or communities directly affected by major road schemes
  • Alignment with one of the four fund themes (Safety, Environment, Customer and Communities, Innovation and Research) is essential
  • Express how your project responds to National Highways' strategic objectives

Location Matters:

  • Proximity to the Strategic Road Network strengthens applications
  • Project-specific funds (e.g., Lower Thames Crossing, A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet) are limited to defined geographic areas
  • Environmental projects should demonstrate landscape-scale impact where possible

Evidence of Need and Impact:

  • Demonstrate clear community or environmental benefit
  • Provide measurable outcomes and deliverables
  • Show how the project goes “beyond traditional road operations”
  • Include evidence of community support or consultation

Match Funding and Sustainability:

  • Some schemes require match funding (e.g., 50% for Lorry Parking Facilities)
  • Demonstrate project sustainability beyond the funding period
  • Show value for money and efficient use of public funds

Innovation and Research Specific:

  • Must respond to published priority business challenges
  • Assessed using Innovation Scorecard for desirability, feasibility, and viability
  • Technical and commercial viability are equally important
  • Consider whether solution is scalable across the network

Application Quality:

  • Complete Expression of Interest forms thoroughly
  • Provide specific, quantifiable information about deliverables
  • Explain strategic objectives alignment explicitly
  • Include information about related or complementary projects

Timing and Deadlines:

  • Many funds have limited application windows—monitor the website regularly
  • Current year projects typically must complete by 31 March 2026
  • Don't miss application deadlines; funding is often “mostly allocated” by mid-year

Recent Funded Project Examples:

  • Cornwall Wildlife Trust: £785,000 for 16.8 hectares of woodland, orchard, grassland, and heathland restoration
  • Keyn Glas A30: Environmental designated funds for landscape enhancement, natural flood management, wetland/woodland restoration
  • Cricket clubs and community facilities near A428 scheme
  • Solar panels for village halls near major road projects
  • Over £87,000 for 13 community projects near A1 Birtley to Coal House

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Not a Traditional Charity: National Highways is a government-owned company, and Designated Funds are government-allocated budgets to deliver benefits beyond road operations—frame applications accordingly around infrastructure impact.
  • Four Clear Themes: Ensure your project fits squarely within Safety, Environment, Customer and Communities, or Innovation and Research. Don't try to be everything; focus on one clear alignment.
  • Geographic Proximity is Essential: Projects must have a clear connection to England's Strategic Road Network or be in communities directly affected by major road schemes. If you're not near the SRN, these funds likely aren't for you.
  • Watch for Project-Specific Opportunities: Major road construction projects (Lower Thames Crossing, A428, etc.) create dedicated community fund opportunities with lower grant thresholds (£10,000-£15,000) that are more accessible to small community groups.
  • Large Environmental Grants Available: The Environment Fund can provide substantial grants (£400,000+) for landscape-scale biodiversity and habitat projects—don't underestimate the potential grant size if you have ambitious environmental objectives.
  • Multiple Application Windows: Community funds typically operate on fixed cycles (November-January, May-July). Plan ahead and don't miss the windows—funding is often mostly allocated by mid-year.
  • Innovation Requires Strategic Fit: The Innovation and Research Fund operates on a challenge-led model—you must respond to published priority challenges, not pitch general innovation ideas. Register for notifications via their Jaegger portal.
  • Match Funding May Be Required: Some schemes (particularly infrastructure improvements like lorry parking facilities) require 50% match funding. Factor this into your planning and budget.
  • Completion Deadlines Are Firm: Current schemes require completion by 31 March 2026. Only apply if you can realistically deliver within the timeframe—incomplete projects reflect poorly on future applications.
  • Contact the Team Early: National Highways explicitly encourages contacting the Designated Funds team to discuss applications. Pre-application engagement can clarify eligibility and strengthen your proposal.

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.

Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.

✓

Data privacy and security by default

✓

Your organisation's past successful grants and experience

✓

AI analysis of what reviewers want to see

✓

A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours

Get Beta Access NowLearn More

References