Objectives:
- To care for and sustain heritage across the UK.
- To ensure heritage is valued, cared for, and sustained for future generations.
- To support projects that align with four investment principles: saving heritage, protecting the environment, inclusion/access/participation, and organisational sustainability.
Target Beneficiaries:
- Not-for-profit organisations or partnerships led by not-for-profit organisations.
- Eligible applicants include charities, trusts, community groups, parish councils, community interest companies, faith-based organisations, local authorities, and other public sector bodies.
- Projects must focus on UK heritage and require grants between £250,000 and £10 million.
Key Features:
- Projects can cover a wide range of heritage types including nature, historic buildings, cultures, traditions, and memories.
- Funding supports activities such as volunteer expenses, staff posts, training, capital works, professional fees, events, acquisitions, and environmental sustainability initiatives.
- Projects must not start before grant approval.
- Applications usually involve two phases: a development phase (up to 2 years) to refine the project and a delivery phase (up to 5 years) to implement it.
- Applicants must submit an Expression of Interest first; successful applicants are invited to apply.
- Partnership funding is required: minimum 5% contribution for grants under £1 million, and 10% for grants over £1 million.
- Full cost recovery of organisational overheads is possible for voluntary sector organisations.
- Community grants can be managed within projects to fund smaller heritage activities.
- Welsh language inclusion is mandatory for projects in Wales.
- Projects involving acquisition of heritage assets must demonstrate long-term care and public access.
- Quarterly application deadlines with assessment within 12 weeks.
- Grants are paid in stages, with development grants under £250,000 paid in three instalments and larger grants paid in arrears.
- Applicants must provide detailed supporting documents including governing documents, accounts, risk registers, business plans, cost breakdowns, and project timetables.
- Emphasis on evaluation, reporting, and public acknowledgement of National Lottery funding.
Application Process:
- Submit an Expression of Interest to outline the project idea.
- If invited, submit a full application with detailed project plans and supporting documents.
- Projects are assessed competitively against heritage relevance, investment principles, impact, and risk management.
- Decisions are made quarterly by regional committees or the Board of Trustees.
- Successful applicants must comply with terms of grant, including project start approval, reporting, and grant acknowledgement.
This programme is designed to support significant heritage projects that demonstrate clear benefits to heritage conservation, community engagement, and sustainability across the UK.
