Royal Historical Society

Could Royal Historical Society fund your project? Check fit free. Draft if yes — or shortlist better matches.

Typical grants: £500 – £2,000
Applications: Accepted
How to apply: Online form

Works for Registered charities, CIOs, CICs and community groups.

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About Royal Historical Society

The Royal Historical Society is the UK's leading learned society for historians, established in 1868. Its mission is to advance scholarly historical research and promote public understanding of history. The Society champions intellectual diversity, ethical scholarship, and inclusive practice. It prefers to fund targeted project-based work rather than core operational costs, focusing on nurturing innovative research and public engagement. The Society supports historians at all career stages, from postgraduate students to established researchers, and also welcomes community historians and heritage professionals. Its funding character is that of a small-grants provider combined with a strong advocacy role for the discipline.

What Royal Historical Society funds

The Society funds a range of historical activities, including archival fieldwork, manuscript analysis, conference panels, and public history projects such as exhibitions and outreach events. It supports work on underexplored historical themes, primarily within the United Kingdom but with some international dimensions. For students registered at institutions outside the UK, the Society offers research expenses for travel and research, though it does not normally fund research in the student's own country of permanent residence if that is outside the UK. The Society also supports innovative practice in public history for defined projects. Its grants are intended to nurture innovative research and public engagement with history.

Who can apply

Postgraduate students, early career scholars, and established researchers are eligible to apply. The Society also welcomes community historians and those working in museums, archives, and heritage sectors. Applicants may be individuals or organisations, including registered charities and community groups. The Society prioritises historians at all career stages and those without other funding sources. Note that for students at institutions outside the UK, the Society does not normally fund research conducted in the student's own country of permanent residence if that is outside the United Kingdom.

What Royal Historical Society doesn't fund

The Society does not fund core operational costs, capital projects, or unrestricted organisational support. Retrospective costs are excluded. For students at institutions outside the UK, research in their own country of permanent residence is not normally supported. The Society focuses on targeted project-based work rather than ongoing operational expenses.

How they like to fund

The Society offers small grants for specific projects, preferring project-based funding over core costs. It welcomes unsolicited applications. The Society combines its grant-making with a strong advocacy role for the historical discipline. Grants are typically one-off for defined projects; multi-year funding is not mentioned in the sources.

How much does Royal Historical Society give?

Royal Historical Society runs 3 grant programmes. Every figure below is sourced from their published guidance.

Last verified 8 August 2026 · 19 sourced facts

Research expenses – Guidelines for students registered at institutions outside the UK

£50 – £750

Online application form
Decisions in ~6 weeks

RHS Scouloudi Panel GrantsCurrently closed

Up to £1,500

RHS Scouloudi Public History GrantsCurrently closed

Up to £1,000

Those are the published figures. What your charity could realistically get — and whether you'd clear their rules on income, location and legal structure — is what the free fit check answers.

What Royal Historical Society funds — and what they won't

Costs they'll cover

TravelResearchConference panelsPublic history projects

They don't fund

Retrospective costs

The full exclusions list (1)

the Society does not normally fund students to conduct research in their own country of permanent residence if this is outside the United Kingdom.

Good to know

FaithNo restriction

Focus areas

Arts & cultureEducation

How to apply to Royal Historical Society

Royal Historical Society takes applications via online form.

Published programme route: online application form.
Check whether your charity is in scope before you spend time on a full bid.

How it works

1
Describe your project. Once — used for this funder and others.
2
See if this could be a fit. Honest check on cause, place, size, and rules.
3
Draft if yes. From your real data — or move on if not.

See if Royal Historical Society could be a fit. Draft if yes.

Frequently asked questions

How much funding does Royal Historical Society provide?

Royal Historical Society runs 3 grant programmes — Research expenses – Guidelines for students registered at institutions outside the UK: £50 – £750 · RHS Scouloudi Panel Grants: Up to £1,500 · RHS Scouloudi Public History Grants: Up to £1,000.

Where does Royal Historical Society fund charities?

Royal Historical Society funds charities operating in the UK.

Does Royal Historical Society accept unsolicited applications?

Royal Historical Society accepts unsolicited applications from eligible organisations. Current programme status is on this page — do not assume a round is open.

What does Royal Historical Society not fund?

Their published exclusions include: the Society does not normally fund students to conduct research in their own country of permanent residence if this is outside the United Kingdom.. The full exclusions list is further up this page.

How do I apply for funding from Royal Historical Society?

Royal Historical Society takes applications via online form. Published programme route: online application form.