This is an exciting year of change at The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

In January we set out our vision for how we will support the UK’s heritage over the next five years. We have a new name and a new corporate identity. Later this year we will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the first National Lottery draw, looking back at the enormous transformation made possible by funding for good causes.

This week we reach another milestone - we have changed the way our organisation works to ensure we are in the best possible shape to continue supporting the UK’s rich and diverse heritage.  

In your area

I am delighted to announce that we have reorganised the way we operate across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

In England, we have replaced our former structure of nine regions with three areas:

• London & South, comprising the former South West, South East and London regions
• Midlands & East, comprising the former West Midlands, East Midlands and East of England regions
• North, comprising the former North East, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber regions

The new English areas, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, will all be supported by their own committees, handling grants from £100,000 to £5million. Decisions on grants below £100,000 will be made by local teams.

Our UK-wide Board of Trustees will retain oversight and decision-making for all UK heritage campaigns, joint funds, impact funds and major awards over £5m.

Working locally for heritage

This new structure will give us much greater flexibility in our grant-making. Larger budgets have been made available to the new area and country committees. Decisions on around 80% of our grant money will be made locally (an increase from around 50%).

All our teams will be able to engage in more strategic partnerships and support projects that better meet the needs of the places they serve.  

We will also have a broader network of staff. This means we can be even more connected to communities at local level, as well as retaining our current office locations for at least the next two years.

Making it easier for you

We are also evolving the way The National Lottery Heritage Fund is run internally.

We have restructured ourselves into three departments:

• Business Innovation and Insight (BII)
• Business Delivery
• Business Services

Within that structure is a new Central Investment team and Digital Service Design team, dedicated to improving our investment management system and customer interface.

They are working to ensure that the process of applying for funding for heritage projects is as simple and accessible as possible.

Now and in the future

Twenty-five years on from the first live draw, we are immensely proud of what the National Lottery has achieved. I believe that funding, celebrating, engaging with and learning from our world-class heritage is an essential part of our lives, bringing so many benefits including jobs, prosperity, wellbeing and a sense of identity.

We are now in the best possible shape to embark upon the next 25 years.