Evaluation
We undertake evaluation to understand the outcomes and impacts of our past investment. Evaluation helps us to learn and improve.
Through evaluation, we can understand:
- if our strategy is heading in the right direction
- whether our programmes are achieving their objectives
- what improvements can be made through changes
We evaluate our grant programmes using methods such as grantee insights and surveys. These reports can provide evidence for the value of investing in certain types of heritage. For example, parks and their positive impact on mental health.
Explore how we evaluate our work below, you might find inspiration for your heritage project.
Publications
Great Place Scheme (England & Nations) – final evaluation reports
We compare and contrast the findings of our two £22m place-based schemes and look at the lessons learned.
Publications
Areas of Focus - Year 2 evaluation report
We look at the key learnings and recommendations from the first 24 months of our Areas of Focus initiative.
Publications
Interim evaluation report for the Green Recovery Challenge Fund – Round One
This report examines the delivery of the Green Recovery Challenge Fund at its mid-stage point, presenting findings on the impact of its funded projects.
Publications
Grants for Places of Worship programme evaluation
An evaluation of sixty projects from the Grants for Places of Worship programme demonstrates the role these buildings continue to play in the daily lives of their communities.
Publications
Making real changes in collections development
Understanding the impact of our Collecting Cultures programme, and a look ahead to our new campaign, Dynamic Collections.

Alexandra Park
Publications
Parks for People: why should we invest in parks?
Evidence from the Parks for People programme and six case studies uncovers the importance of our parks and how we can support them in future.
Publications
Heritage Emergency Fund Evaluation Final Report
This report evaluates how heritage organisations across the UK used the emergency funding which The National Lottery Heritage Fund provided at speed in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and the positive impact which it has had on the sector.

Publications
Great Place Scheme Nations interim report, November 2020
Between December 2017 and March 2018, The Fund awarded through Great Place Scheme Nations (GPS Nations), grants ranging between £150,000 to £500,000 to 18 places in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Publications
Year of Young People evaluation: young people rise to the challenge
‘Let young people shine’ was the theme of Scotland’s Year of Young People 2018, and shine they did, our evaluation report found.
Publications
Heritage Endowments evaluation, October 2020
This is the second interim report from our evaluation of the Heritage Endowments Programme. The findings in this report are divided into two sections: early findings and interim findings.
Publications
Resilient Heritage programme evaluation, September 2020
To discover if our funding enabled grantees to increase their organisational resilience, increase their capacity or achieve significant strategic change.
Publications
Great Place Scheme evaluation (England), October 2019
BOP Consulting evaluation of the Great Place Scheme, an initiative which is piloting new approaches to putting culture at the heart of communities and local policy-making.