The National Lottery Heritage Fund

National Lottery Heritage Grants £10,000 to £250,000

The National Lottery Heritage Fund's main open programme for heritage projects of all kinds anywhere in the UK, offering grants of £10,000 to £250,000 for projects lasting up to five years. Heritage is broadly defined, from buildings and nature to collections, cultures, traditions and memories, and every project must take account of the Fund's four investment principles: saving heritage, protecting the environment, inclusion, access and participation, and organisational sustainability. There is no deadline, an optional Project Enquiry gives feedback within 10 working days, and the Fund aims to decide within eight weeks of having everything it needs.

Apply on the funder’s site

You could get: £10,000 – £250,000; no fixed round
Deadline: Rolling; apply any time
Effort: Heavy; budgets, references, often several stages

Who can apply

Not-for-profit organisations, private owners of a heritage asset, and partnerships, anywhere in the UK
Examples: charities, trusts and CIOs; community and voluntary groups; community and parish councils; CICs; faith-based or church organisations; local authorities; other public sector organisations; and private owners of a heritage building, land, object or collection, who must show the public benefit outweighs any private gain (and, for capital work, that it will significantly increase public access and has clear public support)
Organisations need a bank account in the organisation's exact name, a governing document, and at least two board or committee members who are not related by blood or marriage or living at the same address
The governing document must give the legal name and aims, prevent income or property being distributed to members, pass assets to another charitable or not-for-profit body on dissolution, and be dated and signed; registered charities, public bodies and private owners need not send it
Land or buildings bought with the grant must be freehold or on a lease with at least 99 years left
Partners integral to delivery need a signed partnership agreement, and projects in Wales must include the Welsh language

What it funds

Projects that value, care for and sustain national, regional or local UK heritage, take into account all four investment principles, have a clear plan with a defined start, middle and end, have not already started, and can demonstrate the need for National Lottery investment. Costs can include:

Volunteer expenses, new staff posts and training costs
Capital works, repair, maintenance and conservation
Professional fees, event costs and activities to strengthen your organisation
Acquisition of heritage and costs associated with the purchase
Costs to join Fit for the Future, a UK-wide environmental sustainability network
Publicity and acknowledgement of the grant, evaluation and reporting, and skills development for staff and volunteers

Voluntary-sector organisations can include a proportionate share of their overheads through full cost recovery. The Fund can cover total project costs, but you must explain why you cannot raise cash or non-cash contributions if you have none.

What it will not fund

Existing costs, or any activity that has taken place before the grant is awarded
Anything that promotes the cause or beliefs of political or faith organisations
Installing artificial grass or plants (specialist play safety surfacing and professional sports surfaces are allowed)
For private owners of heritage: works that can reasonably be considered the statutory duty of the owner, the purchase of buildings or any heritage assets, and construction of new buildings
Private individuals or for-profit organisations using the grant to acquire buildings, land or heritage items
Purchases the Fund thinks are above market value, and seller's fees
Full cost recovery for public sector organisations, such as government-funded museums, local authorities or universities
Organisations whose governing document lacks the required clauses on non-distribution and dissolution

How to apply

Read the application guidance, application questions and terms and conditions, and check the project fits: UK heritage, all four investment principles, no more than five years, £10,000 to £250,000
Optionally submit a Project Enquiry and get feedback on your idea within 10 working days
Draw up a budget and plan, prepare the mandatory supporting documents and any that apply, and obtain any permissions or licences you need (for example a bat licence or listed building consent)
Apply through the online service whenever you are ready; there is no deadline
The Fund checks everything is in place, tells you when to expect a decision, and assesses the application; decisions are made monthly by senior staff in your nation or area
If successful, wait for permission to start: submit the online form with bank details and any other information requested, and sign up to the terms and conditions

Grants are paid 50% up front, 30% once half the eligible costs are spent, and 20% on completion after a final report, evaluation and proof you have acknowledged the grant. Acquisitions are paid in a single payment.

If unsuccessful, you must talk to the Fund before reapplying.

Have ready

Governing document (not needed for public organisations, private owners of heritage or registered charities)
Most recently audited or accountant-verified accounts, or the last three bank statements or a signed bank letter if accounts are older than 18 months or the organisation is under 14 months old
Project plan and risk register (template available)
Job descriptions with salary and hours for any new posts (if applicable)
Briefs for commissioned work (if applicable)
Calculation of full cost recovery based on recent published accounts (if applicable)
Up to six project images (if applicable)
Up to six pieces of evidence of support (if applicable)
Signed partnership agreement (mandatory if working with partners)
Condition survey (if the project involves conservation)
Evidence of cash contributions from other sources, including your own (if applicable)
Ownership documents such as Land Registry title, a lease or heads of terms (for capital works)

Acquisitions need further evidence, including an independent valuation, proof of provenance and title, and a conservator's report. Do not send extra documents; they will not be used in assessment.

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