Objectives:
- To fund projects that connect people and communities to the national, regional, and local heritage of the UK.
- To support the care, conservation, and sustainability of heritage for current and future generations.
- To promote inclusion, access, participation, environmental protection, and organizational sustainability in heritage projects.
- To help heritage be valued, cared for, and sustained for everyone’s future, aligned with the Heritage 2033 strategy.
Target Beneficiaries:
- Not-for-profit organizations, private owners of heritage assets, and partnerships.
- Eligible applicants include charities, trusts, community groups, local authorities, faith-based organizations, community interest companies, and private heritage asset owners.
- Projects must demonstrate public benefit, especially for private owners.
- Organizations must have a bank account, governing document, and at least two unrelated members.
Application Process:
- No fixed deadline; applications can be submitted anytime.
- Optional Project Enquiry service available for feedback before applying.
- Applicants must submit an online application with mandatory supporting documents such as a governing document, accounts, project plan, and risk register.
- Assessment aims to be completed within eight weeks after receiving a complete application.
- Grants are paid in three stages: 50% upfront, 30% after spending half the project costs, and 20% upon project completion and reporting.
- Applicants must wait for approval before starting the project.
Key Features:
- Funding range: £10,000 to £250,000.
- Projects must not have started before the grant decision.
- Supports a broad range of heritage activities including volunteer expenses, capital works, professional fees, events, acquisitions, and environmental sustainability efforts.
- Requires consideration of four investment principles: saving heritage, protecting the environment, inclusion/access/participation, and organizational sustainability.
- Encourages partnerships and community involvement.
- Full cost recovery of organizational overheads is possible for voluntary sector organizations.
- Specific guidance for projects in Wales to include Welsh language.
- Requires acknowledgment of National Lottery funding in project promotion.
- Includes provisions for community grants to fund smaller projects within a larger scheme.
- Strict legal and policy requirements on ownership, procurement, staff recruitment, subsidy control, and capital works.
- Emphasizes risk management, evaluation, and reporting throughout the project lifecycle.
This program is designed to support diverse heritage projects that demonstrate clear public benefit, sustainability, and alignment with strategic heritage priorities in the UK. Applicants are encouraged to plan carefully and use available guidance and support services to prepare strong applications.
