War Memorials Trust
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The Trust funds the repair and conservation of existing war memorials and prioritises those in greatest need, with condition and any specific threats weighing most in competitive assessment.
- Grants range from £125 to £20,000, are usually a proportion of eligible costs (normally 50%), and funding is not guaranteed, so you will need to find the rest of the money yourself.
- Do not apply for new memorials, maintenance, work that has already started or been completed (including where a contractor has been appointed), works to graves, Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials, or memorials to those affected by Covid-19, as these are not funded.
- Send a Grants Pre-application form first, then a full Application Form against a regular deadline, though you need not wait for a deadline; the Trust says it decides within 2 months of the deadline date.
- If you are not responsible for the memorial, include written proof of the custodian's consent, along with two or three quotes and good quality, current colour photographs.
Overview
War Memorials Trust is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1201442).
War Memorials Trust works to protect and conserve war memorials in the UK, and it gives free advice to anyone as well as running grant schemes for repair and conservation projects. It manages a number of grant schemes across the UK, and it estimates that there are over 100,000 war memorials across the country. The annual report records £69,180 awarded in its most recent financial year. Grants are normally awarded at 50% of eligible costs depending on the priority level of a project, and may be considered up to £5,000 for non-freestanding memorials or up to £20,000 for freestanding, non-beneficiary memorials.
What they fund
Priority Areas
War Memorials Trust funds projects that repair and conserve war memorials, with the aim of protecting them and following best conservation practice. Its grants are available for war memorials across the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man. Individuals and organisations, including councils, may apply; where the applicant is not responsible for the memorial, written evidence of the custodian’s consent is required. Grants are usually a proportion of eligible costs, and the contribution may be greater for projects involving memorials in worse condition. The Trust prioritises memorials in greatest need, considering their condition and any specific concerns or threats. Funding is not guaranteed: awards depend on the money available, and the works must follow best conservation practice.
Themes
- War memorial conservation
Geographic Focus
UK; Channel Islands; Isle of Man.
What they don't fund
- New war memorials
- Maintenance
- Inappropriate work or methods
- Relocation, unless the memorial is ‘at risk’ or inaccessible - this needs to be a choice of last resort
- Works to graves of any type
- Applications to multiple schemes administered by the Trust for the same work
- Work that has already started or been completed, including where a contractor has been appointed
- Additions to gravestones are not eligible for funding from schemes administered by the Trust
- Memorials to those impacted by Covid-19
- Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials
How to apply
Applicants submit a Grants Pre-application form first, then prepare and submit a full Application Form for assessment against a regular deadline.
Deadlines: Full applications are assessed against regular deadlines, but applicants need not wait for a deadline to submit.
Who can apply:
- Open to anyone to apply; individuals or organisations, including councils.
- If you are not responsible for the war memorial you must provide written proof that you have the custodian’s consent to carry out the proposed works
What to send:
- Written proof that you have the custodian’s consent to carry out the proposed works
- Two or three quotes/tenders will be required depending on the size of your project
- Good quality, current, colour photographs of the war memorial
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- The Trust prioritises memorials in greatest need.
- The condition of the memorial is the primary consideration in competitive grant assessment.
- The Trust considers specific concerns or threats to a memorial.
- The Trust assesses the need and urgency of works alongside the memorial’s condition.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
- Guernsey
- Isle of Man
- Jersey
- United Kingdom
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to War Memorials Trust.
Grants
Not included above: 1 line covering other, unnamed recipients (£69,180).
3 years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 March 2024 | £416,612 | £505,801 | — | Accounts for year to 31 March 2024 |
| year to 31 March 2025 | £339,411 | £341,630 | — | Accounts for year to 31 March 2025 |
| year to 31 March 2026 | — | — | £69,180 | Accounts for year to 31 March 2026 |
- Grants paid, year to 31 March 2026: grants awarded in the year, as reported in the accounts.
Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
- warmemorials.org/grants · read on 31 October 2026
- warmemorials.org/funding · read on 31 October 2026
- warmemorials.org/faqs · read on 31 October 2026
- warmemorials.org/submit · read on 31 October 2026
- warmemorials.org/contact-us · read on 31 October 2026
- warmemorials.org/about-the-trust · read on 31 October 2026
- warmemorials.org · read on 31 October 2026
- warmemorials.org/apply · read on 31 October 2026
- Annual report (year to 31 March 2026)
This profile draws on the funder’s own website as well as its filed accounts.
Sources last checked on 31 October 2026.
🎯 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
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to War Memorials Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Applying to War Memorials Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required