The primary purposes for which the Hampshire Archives Trust is established are to promote the conservation and preservation of archives for the benefit of the public and to advance public education on matters connected with archives. One of the main ways in which we do this is by providing funds by way of grants so that local history projects can be progressed. The success rate for applications has been high so don’t hesitate to contact us about a project that you would like our support for. We will help guide you on any application.
Small grant applications are considered by the Grants Committee every two to three weeks and Main Grants are considered every six months although there is scope for an extraordinary meeting to consider an ’emergency’ application. Main grant deadlines are 30 June and 30 December each year.
Grant applications are judged on the extent to which they meet one or more of the following five eligibility criteria although considerably more detail is expected for main and emergency grants (between £500 and £10,000) than for Small Grants (up to £500).
The HAT has funded local groups and individual projects as well as projects set up by larger organisations, do note that it can only fund groups or organisations. Perhaps you’ve found recorded materials, photographs or legal documents with great local historical value or maybe you’d like to create an educational resource for young people. There are lots of examples of projects that the HAT has funded shown below and which could help to give you some ideas. You can download the main grants application form and the small grants application form. If you are not at that stage yet but would like some feedback on an idea/proposal then by all means complete our Grants Enquiry form and we’ll give you the guidance you need to make an application.
Watch this short film to find out about some of the grants Hampshire Archives Trust has recently given to help preserve and use valuable archives in Hampshire, and what that has meant to the organisations, large and small, who have benefited from the grants, then click on the links below. In the film films below, some of our many grant recipients talk about the process of applying for a grant and how they were able to use their grant: from helping to purchase important archives to preserve them and make them available for future generations, to helping to publish local history books and even the early history of skateboarding. Full-length video also available.
A Home of Letters and Learning: Launching a Community Archive at Overton Community Centre. Overton Community Association (OCA) applied for funding towards this project. HAT is delighted to grant £870...
In May 2026 HAT was able to grant £454 for equipment to furnish the Somborne and District Society’s archives storage facility. It is so good to see community group’s committed...
In 2025 HAT awarded Grayshott Heritage a grant for their book ‘Grayshott’s Wartime Memories’. It has proved to be a great success. The 600 copies printed have all been taken...
This Heritage Fair was organised by a subcommittee of the Southampton Heritage Federation which has not held this annual fair since 2019 because of the Covid Pandemic and the ill...
HAT is delighted to support the Watercress Line with a £5000 grant for their project Powering the Past; Steam, Science and Stories from the Watercress Line This project will develop...
HAT has awarded £100 for a project based at Swelling Hill Pond, situated between Ropley and Four Marks, a beautiful hill-top pond surrounded by idyllic nature and fed by an...
