In our Strategic Funding Framework we made a commitment to support heritage organisations to be more robust, enterprising and forward looking.

As the sector emerges from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, this support is especially important.

We have invested over £4million in business support and enterprise development training programmes across the UK. By boosting skills and improving leadership and management, these programmes are helping organisations to increase their confidence, capacity and resilience. 

Rebuilding Heritage

Rebuilding Heritage helps UK-wide organisations to improve their resilience. Building skills across a range of core disciplines – leadership, communications, business planning, finance and fundraising – ensures stability and sustainability through crises. 

Programme participants access tailored support on a one-to-one or small group basis. Consultants work with participants on tangible outcomes, developing plans and strategies that can be directly put into action. 

Vanessa Moore, Rebuilding Heritage Project Engagement Officer, says: 
“The past year has pushed the sector to its limits and most organisations and businesses are now more aware than ever of their own unique strengths and weaknesses. The Rebuilding Heritage programme provides rapid response support to address these weaknesses before they begin to pose a risk.” 

There are two more rounds left on the programme: applications for Round 5 close on 1 June and applications for Round 6 close on 27 July 2021. The types of support on offer will change across rounds. 

Rebuilding Heritage also offers a programme of resources and webinars available to all. Find out more and apply.

Heritage Compass

Heritage Compass is a business support programme for small to medium heritage organisations in England. Delivered by Cause4 with consortium partners, the programme has recently been awarded additional funding by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and DCMS to expand from 150 to 300 participating organisations.

Those taking part will benefit from a range of training, mentoring and peer learning. Each organisation will develop a clear business plan, a developed income strategy and the tools and knowledge to respond to their specific needs and challenges. 

The 18-month project is free to take part in. Grants to access the programme are available to ensure that all organisations are able to engage fully.

Applications to join the programme are open until 12pm on 30 June 2021. Find out more and download a recruitment pack.

Steps to Sustainability

Steps to Sustainability will support organisations from across the UK to strengthen their strategic leadership and income-generating skills. The 15-month enterprise development programme is being delivered by the Social Enterprise Academy.

Organisations taking part will learn to be ambitious and forward-thinking, and how to deliver exciting new projects. The programme will provide:

• help for organisations to prepare for and build sustainability
• funding up to £10,000 to help shape and launch business ideas
• post-programme coaching or business mentoring
• resources and toolkits for success

Applications are open until 23 July 2021. Find out more and download an application pack.

There’s more to come

Applications for further business support and enterprise development will open later in 2021.

Sign up to our newsletter and follow us on social media to hear more about these opportunities as details become available.