The Country Houses Foundation (CHF) is a charitable grant-giving foundation which was set up in 2005. The objects of the Foundation are:

• to advance the preservation, for the public benefit, of buildings of sufficient historic or architectural significance or importance to merit preservation together with their gardens and grounds, and
• to protect and augment the amenities and furnishings of any such buildings, gardens and grounds.

The priorities and criteria for grant aid have been agreed by the Trustees as follows.

The CHF gives grants for the repair and conservation of rural historic buildings and structures located in England, including where appropriate their gardens, grounds and outbuildings. We would normally expect your building or structure to be listed, scheduled, or in the case of a garden included in the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens. However, we may also make grants to projects that involve an unlisted building in a conservation area which we judge to be of sufficient historic or architectural significance or importance.

Our definition of "rural" includes all buildings and structures in the countryside and other rural buildings which have subsequently been overtaken by, and embedded in, urban and suburban development.

In addition, to qualify for any grant you must be able to show that:

• there is a compelling need for the work you want to undertake to be done within the next 2 to 3 years;
• the project will enhance our historic environment;
• there will be appropriate public access;
• the project will have a sustainable future;
• there is a financial need for the grant;
• the project can proceed within a reasonable time frame (i.e. 1-2 years).

We aim to make grants for projects which are ready to proceed (i.e. can be started within 1-2 years) but which either do not qualify for funding from any of the mainstream sources or have been awarded only partial funding and require significant further funds to complete the resource package.

We will also consider making grants to "kick start" a project but will expect your other funding to be in place within 1-2 years.

To see examples of work:

Click here for a copy of the current newsletter. (PDF format, 737Kb.)*

Click on images opposite to see our previous newsletters. (PDF format, Autumn 2006 792Kb, Autumn 2008 364Kb.)*

The type of work we do not fund

• Buildings and structures which have been the subject of recent purchase and where the cost of works for which grant is sought should have been recognized in the purchase price paid.
• Projects which do not principally involve the repair or conservation of a historic building or structure
• Churches and chapels unless now or previously linked to a country house or estate
• Alterations and improvements, and repairs to non historic fabric or services.
• Routine maintenance and minor repairs.
• General running costs.
• Demolition unless agreed as part of a repair and conservation programme.
• Rent, loan or mortgage payments.
• Conservation of furniture, fittings and equipment except where they are themselves of historic or architectural significance, have a historic relationship with the site, are relevant to the project, and can be secured long term from sale or disposal.
• Work carried out before a grant offer has been made in writing and accepted.

Applicants should be aware that CHF's resources are limited and even where an application is judged to be eligible, this does not guarantee a grant offer.

* To access and print PDF documents, you will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader program. This free software is available, along with instructions on installation and use, from Adobe's Web site: http://www.adobe.com/acrobat/readstep.html