Heritage 2033 delivery plan: 2026–2029

Evidencing our impact

Heritage 2033 describes the changes we want to achieve by 2033 across our four investment principles.

We’re committed to understanding our impact so we can demonstrate progress towards our vision for heritage and adapt to challenges and opportunities during the 10-year life of the strategy. Our impact framework helps us measure and collect evidence about the difference our funding makes.

The framework evaluates impact on pride in place, revived heritage and the economy, linked to our four investment principles:

• Saving heritage: heritage is revitalised and its condition is improved.
• Protecting the environment: natural heritage is in recovery.
• Inclusion, access and participation: more people can access and connect to heritage.
• Organisational sustainability: organisations we fund are more skilled and financially secure.

We’ll continue to introduce qualitative and quantitative measures to understand if we’re delivering against each of these statements and report and respond accordingly. We’re particularly interested in demonstrating how National Lottery investment is impacting pride in place, revived heritage and the economy. Evidence and reports on our impact will be published on our website. 

We also review our work in relation to the Policy directions for the UK, England and the devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Measuring our performance 

We’ll report to our sponsor department, DCMS, on key performance indicators (KPIs) which are linked to the DCMS strategy and sit alongside our Heritage 2033 impact framework and internal operational reporting. Those KPIs are:

• A reduction in heritage assets considered to be ‘at risk’ as a direct result of Heritage Fund investment.
• The proportion of applications a) under £250,000 and b) over £250,000 which are processed within our published timeframes. 
• The proportion of the public in England who engage with heritage, museums and galleries.
• The number of volunteers directly supported through Heritage Fund investment.
• The number of new a) jobs and b) apprenticeships directly supported by Heritage Fund investment.
• The proportion of awards and funding to the 20% most deprived local authority areas in the UK.
• The proportion of awards and funding to the 20% most ‘doubly disadvantaged’ local authority areas in England.
• The number of projects supported by the Heritage Fund serving children and young people.
• The proportion of local authorities with Heritage Fund funding (under Heritage 2033).

Our service standards 

We have set targets for the delivery of services to our applicants and grantees.

Application decisions 

Decisions will normally be taken at the next available decision meeting following assessment as follows –

National Lottery Heritage Grants over £250,000: 

• Expression of Interest response: 20 days 
• development/delivery grant application: 12 weeks 

National Lottery Heritage Grants up to £250,000:

• from application: eight weeks 

Grant payments

Grant payments will be made to the grantee within 10 working days from our receipt of the payment request.

Explore our previous delivery plan for 2023–2026.