Decisions on around 80% of all funding by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, which is changing its name from the Heritage Lottery Fund, will be made in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and three new English areas.

Our new approach

• A major focus on nature, communities, and on ensuring everyone is able to enjoy heritage – three top priorities for people who responded to the consultation
• new models of investment, moving beyond grants to include loans and partnerships, designed to attract others to invest money alongside the National Lottery
• more support for commercial, sustainable approaches to tackling heritage that’s in danger of being lost
• investment and support to help heritage organisations to be more financially sustainable
• a requirement for every heritage project that receives funding to be environmentally friendly
• simpler, streamlined and more efficient funding
• greater engagement and support to help 13 deprived communities that have in the past been less successful securing funding
• continued support for large-scale, iconic projects over £5million

The National Lottery Heritage Fund has consulted with more than 13,000 people, including National Lottery players and heritage organisations, on its priorities as the UK’s biggest funder of heritage.

Ros Kerslake, CEO of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Over the past 25 years, money raised by people who buy National Lottery tickets has profoundly changed how we view and engage with the UK’s exceptionally varied heritage. By putting people at its heart, it has helped our wonderful buildings, iconic landscapes, cultural memories and traditions and native species not just survive, but thrive.

“Over the next five years, The National Lottery Heritage Fund will inspire, lead and resource the UK’s heritage, distributing more than £1bn.  So we will be making more decisions on funding locally and focusing on the heritage that really matters to people, creating jobs, bringing economic prosperity and improving people’s lives right across the UK.”

Our new, simplified portfolio - open from today...

• National Lottery Grants for Heritage - an open programme for any type of heritage project from £3,000–£5million
• Heritage funding campaigns designed to fulfil strategic needs or funding gaps.  The first two campaigns will launch in 2019, focusing on helping:
  • organisations build their capacity and organisational resilience
  • to build digital capabilities
• Joint funds to deliver strategic initiatives in partnership with other organisations, such as the Future Parks Accelerator partnership with the National Trust
• Social investments such as impact funds and loans
• Two rounds of major grants of over £5m in 2020–21 and 2022–23

National Lottery Grants for Heritage can be applied for immediately – most grants will now have a preliminary “expression of interest” stage. Details on other new funding areas will be rolled out during 2019.