Guidance

Maximising your HLF potential

Heritage Lottery Fund Grants

A grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund can herald a very bright future for many not-for profit organisations.

A grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund can herald a very bright future for many not-for profit organisations. It can provide substantial funding for a planned capital project - or an award for a matched-giving endowment, aimed at building additional philanthropic support and a more sustainable financial future. Where so many organisations lose out, no matter how worthwhile their heritage endeavour, is in choosing the wrong grant programme or failing to seek professional advice when preparing their application.

There are many HLF programmes to choose from, with varying levels of grant available. Here is an at-a-glance guide to the some of the new HLF programmes, available to organisations in the UK, that have recently been launched.

HLF Resilient Heritage – These grants are available to organisations who want to improve their operations with the development of new skills and knowledge, or fresh models of governance, leadership, business and income. Grants range between £3,000 and £250,000 and are awarded to a wide range of projects designed to boost organisational resilience.

Heritage Endowments – these are intended to match-fund the creation or development of an endowment fund that will provide a lasting source of financial support. Applicants can opt for a specified sum of £250,000, £500,000 or £1 million, to be matched pound for pound by private donations. As well as the match funding element, up to 10% of the grant can be used to resource campaigns. So, if you were applying for £250,000 in match funding you could apply for an additional amount of up to £25,000 to support the expected costs of running a dedicated fundraising campaign.

Kick the Dust – This is a £10 million grants programme for ambitious and innovative projects that aim to transform how heritage organisations engage with young people. Applications are invited from consortiums of three or more organisations, at least one of which must demonstrate a credible track record of working with young people. Successful bids will receive amounts ranging from £500,000 to £1million, for projects that make heritage more relevant, dynamic and enduring for a greater diversity of young people.

Gifted Philanthropy’s team of advisers are amongst the most experienced in their field when it comes partnering clients in preparing successful HLF applications. Our recent workshops on guiding not-for profits through the HLF process were very well received and provided delegates with the know-how they needed to take the next steps. If you are also considering making a heritage grant application and would like to attend one of our workshops or simply talk through the options, please contact Amy Stevens or Chris Goldie for a no-obligation, initial discussion.