The British Council has officially opened the 2026 funding round for its Cultural Protection Fund (CPF), inviting eligible organisations to apply for grants of up to £500,000 to safeguard cultural heritage at risk from conflict and climate change.
The fund is available for projects in 17 countries across South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and East Africa, with Bangladesh specifically listed as a priority country in the South Asia region alongside Nepal and Pakistan, reads a press release.
Now entering its tenth year, the Cultural Protection Fund has a history of supporting initiatives in Bangladesh that empower local communities and protect heritage connecting people to their history and identity.
A notable recent project involved modernising collections care and celebrating local history at the Varendra Research Museum, where staff received comprehensive training in collections management and oral tradition safeguarding to protect irreplaceable artefacts.
Stephen Forbes, British Council Country Director Bangladesh, expressed his satisfaction with the progress made by Bangladeshi and UK partners through the fund.
He said the latest funding round marks a renewed commitment to safeguard endangered heritage by empowering the communities situated alongside it.
Forbes also said the grants will enable local practitioners to sharpen their expertise, forge international networks, and lead the future of cultural protection within their own communities.
Eligibility for the funding extends to projects in several other regions, including Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen in the MENA region, as well as Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda in East Africa.
Prospective applicants are required to submit Expressions of Interest by 20 July 2026, at 23:59 Bangladesh time.
To assist with the process, the British Council hosted an online information session on Wednesday from 10am to 11am Bangladesh time to help regional applicants navigate criteria and develop competitive applications.
Interested organisations are strongly advised to review the official 2026 application guidance and FAQs on the Cultural Protection Fund website before submission.
