Seven venues on the Theatres At Risk Register are to receive grants from a new Theatres Trust fund.
The theatres receiving a share of the £60,000 fund are Burnley Empire, Derby Hippodrome, Doncaster Grand, Margate Theatre Royal, Morecambe Winter Gardens, Salford Victoria, and Tameside Hippodrome.
The grants have been awarded through the trust's new Resilient Theatres: Resilient Communities programme.
The programme aims to help progress the restoration of historic venues, with the ultimate aim of them reopening to the public.
Work supported by the first round of grants includes governance reviews, a conditions survey, an audience development strategy, and an oral history project.
Theatres Trust Director Jon Morgan said: "We believe every theatre on our Theatres At Risk list has the potential to be returned for use by their communities, providing performance venues of types currently lacking in their local areas, and bringing much needed footfall to town centres.
"We are pleased to support these theatres with projects that will help each theatre move a step closer to their ultimate goal."