First World War Centenary activity evaluation, August 2018
As part of the Centenary of the First World War, The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) is undertaking a range of activities through both grant-making and working with Government on the UK-wide Centenary programme.
HLF appointed the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research (CRESR), Sheffield Hallam University, to conduct an evaluation of the extent to which its aims for the First World War Centenary have been met across the span of the commemoration period, from 2014 to 2019.
Grants of £3,000 upwards are being provided for First World War Centenary projects through a number of programmes covering a range of project sizes. The majority of projects so far have been funded through the First World War: then and now programme, which was launched in May 2013 and provides grants of up to £10,000.
The two broad aims of HLF's First World War Centenary-related activity are:
- To fund projects which focus on the heritage of the First World War and collectively:
- create a greater understanding of the First World War and its impact on the range of communities in the UK
- encourage a broad range of perspectives and interpretations of the First World War and its impacts
- enable young people to take an active part in the First World War Centenary commemorations
- leave a UK-wide legacy of First World War community heritage to mark the Centenary
- increase the capacity of community organisations to engage with heritage, and to raise the profile of community heritage
- To use the Centenary projects that HLF funds to communicate the value of heritage, the impact of our funding and the role of HLF.
These three reports are based on the first, second, third and fourth years of evaluation activity. Data is being collected evenly over a number of years rather than an intensive period of collection at any one point. It is important to make clear that, as a result, any presented findings are only indicative.
If you have funding from HLF for a Centenary project, please read our guidance on Evaluating your First World War Centenary project.