Announcing more details about the Heritage Emergency Fund
Last updated: 23 June 2020
Since my blog announcing our response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, we’ve been working hard on shaping the finer points of how we are supporting the heritage community.
Today we publish our guidance around applying for money through the Heritage Emergency Fund.
The key thing to know is that applicants must be:
- a not-for-profit organisation, and
- a current or previous recipient of a grant directly from us, and
- an owner, manager or representative of heritage, or have an evidenced track record in delivering participatory heritage activity
You can read the guidance in full on our website. We will keep it under review and update it regularly.
When to apply
Please note that applications do not open for another week – 2pm on Wednesday 15 April – and you can apply any time up to Friday 31 July.
We know that this period has been stressful and many of you will be feeling the need to rush to make an application. However, please do take time to really think about what support you need to get your organisation through the next few months.
"We want this Emergency Fund to help as many organisations in the heritage sector as possible through this crisis."
We recognise that we won’t be able to help everyone. We want this Emergency Fund to help as many organisations in the heritage sector as possible through this crisis.
To do that we need your help by asking you to request only what you require for immediate needs, so that our support can help our heritage family across the UK.
So what's next?
Please read the new guidance and make sure that, if you wish to apply for funding, you are eligible.
Have a look at our updated FAQs as they will help guide your understanding of the Heritage Emergency Fund and support your application.
If you have any further questions, please contact your local teams who are ready to help you as far as possible.
There will be more details to follow, not only about funding but about the rest of our support for the heritage sector, including our Digital Skills for Heritage initiative.
Ensure you don’t miss out on any further announcements by signing up to our newsletter and following us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
And of course, please keep talking with us – we are listening.
Stay safe.
Eilish
You might also be interested in...
How we will be helping the heritage community during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
We are all, in every aspect of our lives, living in an unprecedented time of uncertainty and challenge as we face the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and its short and long-term impacts.
I know that this is very strongly felt within the heritage community. Just weeks ago, we were looking forward to continuing to fund, support, and celebrate the achievements of thousands of projects in every community across the UK.
Now, every place, every person and every project we work with is facing a very different and uncertain future.
Our treasured heritage
The vital social distancing measures that have been put in place across the UK have seen beloved heritage sites close, volunteering and projects halted and access to our natural world greatly restricted.
However, we have also seen some really creative responses starting to emerge through digital channels as heritage organisations explore how they can share their heritage online and give people access in a different way.
Another positive we can take from this is the resulting outpouring of emotions as people suddenly become distant from their heritage. People are sharing their love for their favourite sites, their favourite wildlife, their favourite groups and much more. It has shown just how treasured our heritage is and just how important it is to our wellbeing and our communities.
"It has shown just how treasured our heritage is and just how important it is to our wellbeing and our communities."
These shared responses are a clear demonstration of the passion and dedication of everyone involved in the sector. And this commitment is going to be vital as we all face the difficult decisions and hard work of navigating this crisis. We are proud to work with you all.
Responding to your concerns
Last week, we received over 1,250 responses to our survey asking for your views and concerns on the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. Thank you, this has really helped inform how we can help.
And, in working through our response, we are working side by side with the UK and devolved governments, other funders and heritage organisations so that the help and support we offer provides the best possible outcome for heritage. We want heritage organisations to access the most appropriate emergency help and avoid duplicating any support.
Here is what we are going to do
First and foremost, we will continue to support the thousands of projects (over 2,500) we already have in delivery and development across the UK. As a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis we will help those projects review and understand their needs, discuss changes of scope or cost and, wherever possible, be flexible on payments, grant conditions and reporting requirements.
Heritage Emergency Fund
In addition, to help respond to the immediate crisis and the impact of temporary closures of many heritage sites and loss of revenue, we are launching a £50million Heritage Emergency Fund. This emergency short-term funding will help address pressures over the next three-six months for those most in need.
"This emergency short-term funding will help address pressures over the next three-six months for those most in need."
And, responding to direct feedback from the sector, we will be accelerating our provision of digital expertise and support for heritage, increasing our investment to provide technical knowhow in areas such as online fund-raising, use of social media, technical infrastructure and use of devices. We are committed to supporting heritage organisations develop new digital and technical skills that will help navigate through this difficult period.
We believe however, that we must prioritise our emergency funding towards our existing grantees, safeguarding the investments we have already made in heritage. We must help where there is limited or no access to other sources of support; where heritage is most at risk; and where an organisation is at risk of failure due to the crisis. When we emerge from this crisis we want our precious heritage to once again be accessible to all communities, across the UK.
For the next few months therefore, all our support at The National Lottery Heritage Fund is going to be focused on supporting heritage organisations through this crisis. As part of this approach and to create the Heritage Emergency Fund, we have taken the decision to pause awarding any new grants through our open programmes for the next six months. We are also delaying our Heritage Horizon Awards until 2021/22.
We will be publishing further details about the Heritage Emergency Fund criteria over the next few days – please keep an eye on our website for news.
Working together
We are also working with heritage partners throughout the UK, joining forces so that we can support you in the best way possible. We will keep sharing any further details and changes with you.
"Across all our local teams, we want to work with you to ensure that we return our heritage back to our communities in the best state possible for us all to enjoy once this crisis is over."
Across all our local teams, we want to work with you to ensure that we return our heritage back to our communities in the best state possible for us all to enjoy once this crisis is over.
This will be a tough journey. We recognise that we are not going to be able to help everybody in every way, but we are working as hard as we can to help as much as we possibly can. Please keep talking with us – we are all listening.
Stay safe.
Eilish
You might also be interested in...
Heritage Emergency Fund launches to help sector (updated)
Last updated: 23 June 2020
The UK-wide fund - money raised from The National Lottery - will address immediate pressures over the next few months for those organisations most in need. It is now open for applications until 31 July.
We will continue to support more than 2,500 projects that we have already committed to - an investment of more than £1billion.
“We know that circumstances are incredibly challenging for our heritage community right now and we want to do everything we can to support them."
Eilish McGuinness, The National Lottery Heritage Fund Executive Director, Business Delivery
Eilish McGuinness, The National Lottery Heritage Fund Executive Director, Business Delivery, said: “We know that circumstances are incredibly challenging for our heritage community right now and we want to do everything we can to support them. We hope this new fund will be a lifeline and a beacon of hope for organisations affected.
“Heritage has an essential role to play in making communities better places to live, creating economic prosperity and supporting personal wellbeing. All of these are going to be vitally important as we emerge from this current crisis.”
Heritage Minister Nigel Huddleston said: “It is important that we do all we can to ensure our nation’s remarkable heritage landscapes, buildings and monuments - and the hardworking organisations that protect them - are supported at this difficult time.
“Heritage plays an important role in our communities by supporting jobs and economic growth as well as helping us to understand our shared past. This new £50 million package from the National Lottery Heritage Fund will help to protect our most at risk heritage throughout this unprecedented period.”
Heritage Emergency Fund
The £50m fund is available for grants of between £3,000 and £50,000.
It is available to organisations across the full breadth of heritage, including historic sites, industrial and maritime heritage, museums, libraries and archives, parks and gardens, landscapes and nature.
Organisations which have received funding in the past or are either a current grantee, or still under contract following a previous grant, can apply.
Priority will be given where:
- there is limited or no access to other sources of support
- where heritage is most at risk
- where an organisation is at risk of severe financial crisis due to coronavirus (COVID-19)
Guidance:
Our guidance sets out the criteria for applying for the Heritage Emergency Fund.
Applicants must be:
- a not-for-profit organisation, and
- a current or previous recipient of a grant directly from us, and
- an owner, manager or representative of heritage, or be able to show you have delivered participatory heritage activity
Before applying, please take time to read the guidance and think about what support you need to get your organisation through the next few months. Applications will be accepted until 31 July 2020.
Application process:
Applying for a Heritage Emergency Fund grant is different from the usual way of applying for a grant.
The application form must be completed in one go, as it cannot be saved. It is important that you prepare your application material before you start.
Before you apply:
- Find your previous grant reference number.
- Locate your organisation’s current financial information.
- Read the Heritage Emergency Fund guidance.
- Prepare your answers to the application questions.
- Prepare any supporting documents.
- Complete and submit the application form.
After you apply:
- We will email you to let you know that your application has been submitted.
- As part of this email, we will send you instructions on how to upload your supporting documents.
- Submit any supporting documents by replying to the email. We recommend you do this as soon as you receive instructions, to help us process your application.
- We will check your application details are correct.
- We will consider your application and give you a decision within two to four weeks.
A raft of extra support
We know that the majority of heritage organisations are facing temporary closure, severe impact on their revenue and staff shortages. Many face threats to their long-term futures. A small percentage fear they will not be able to last into the summer.
This is why we are taking a short, medium and long-term approach to our support for your immediate challenges and longer-term resilience and recovery.
As well as the Heritage Emergency Fund, we will also support the sector in the following ways:
- Accelerating the provision of our £1.2m Digital Skills for Heritage initiative to help the sector through the crisis and beyond.
- By continuing to support the 2,500 projects we have already committed to funding.
- By being as flexible as possible for our existing grantees.
- By providing bespoke advice and support.
- A £2m commitment to our network of ROSS consultants in the new financial year. We will direct that support to organisations in need. In doing so we are also helping several hundred freelancers and self-employed people.
- Working closely with the Government, other funders and heritage organisations to bring together support for the sector.
- In the longer term, we have invested £4m in two enterprise development programmes across the UK for heritage leaders, and business support programmes in all four countries. More information on this soon.
Pausing new grants
In order to address the crisis, we have taken the decision to halt all new grant applications with immediate effect.
The Heritage Emergency Fund consists of money diverted from new grants.
Heritage Horizon Awards
Decisions on funding for the Heritage Horizon Awards have been deferred from March 2020 into the 2021-2022 financial year.
We will not be opening a further round of funding for Heritage Horizon Awards.
Our response
Our response was based on consultation across the sector, including more than 1,250 respondents to our survey. We found:
- 82% of respondents reported a high or moderate risk to their organisation’s long-term viability
- 46% of organisations can survive for no more than six months
- 75% respondents wanted greater flexibility for existing projects/grants
- 53% asked for emergency funding
Thank you to everyone who responded to our survey and to all those who have been in touch. We will continue to listen to you, and keep you up to date with developments.
You might also be interested in...
How the coronavirus (COVID-19) is affecting the heritage sector
The coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis has already had a seismic impact on all elements of our lives.
First of all on the people whose health – and that of their families, friends and colleagues – has been affected. And to anyone who has felt anxiety or fear or general discomfort at our worlds closing in due to the government’s advice to stay at home.
"How can we survive this crisis, and indeed possibly thrive in the future?"
The secondary impact is on our sector, as part of the wider economy – in short, how can we survive this crisis, and ensure that our heritage assets and organisations are able to thrive in the future?
Tomorrow (Wednesday 1 April) we will be releasing the details of our Heritage Emergency Fund. It was the result of swift work behind the scenes – and two surveys which have helped us find out more about how applicants, grantees and people across the sector are feeling.
I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who responded to the surveys and took time to tell us about the impact on your organisation. We received an overwhelming response and your feedback has played a really important role in the design of the Heritage Emergency Fund.
Our survey of heritage organisations
We began to gather anecdotal evidence of the impact on some of the organisations we support as the initial social distancing measures were announced. But it quickly became clear we needed to hear from more of our friends and colleagues in the sector. One of our first reactions to the crisis was therefore to initiate research with grantees and heritage organisations to really understand the impact the virus and the associated measures were having.
The survey opened on Friday 20 March and closed at 5pm on Friday 27 March. On 24 March, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced compulsory ‘stay at home’ measures for the UK's population.
We sent the survey to 1,424 grantees who had received a grant of over £250,000 within the last 10 years. We also published the link on our website and shared it on social media.
We received 1,253 replies, of which 479 returned from the email. The replies came from across the UK, cross sector and size of organisation.
The research took place during a period of rapid change and we received responses throughout the week that it was live. That means that the restrictions in place and support available may have varied for different respondents. This is something to bear in mind as you read the findings, but we believe the responses still provide invaluable insight.
The key findings:
The impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is UK-wide. We saw that 98% of heritage organisations were impacted within the first three weeks and the remaining 2% expected some impact in the future. There were no significant differences across the country, nor across the sector.
The financial impact is likely to be high:
- 91% of respondents said they’ve had to cancel events
- 69% are being affected by loss of revenue
- 82% of organisations reported high or moderate risk to their long-term viability. That figure rises to 90% of charity, third sector or private organisations.
The impact on organisations in our sector was also clear from the survey responses:
- 71% expected they would have to close to the public
- 55% are being affected by lack of available volunteers
- 49% are being affected by staff absence
- 49% are seeing reduced visitor numbers
The next half year will be crucial to the survival of many of our heritage organisations. If the current situation continues, 37% of organisations who responded told us they can survive for no more than six months, with 11% expecting to keep going for no more than two months.
"Around a third of charity/third-sector organisations and around a third of community and voluntary groups said they could not exist beyond July."
Around a third of charity/third-sector organisations and around a third of community and voluntary groups said they could not exist beyond July.
What should we be doing?
Many of our respondents weren’t sure if they were eligible to apply for wider government support, which reflects the fact that many policies are only in their early stages of delivery, or indeed were being announced during the period the survey was live.
The majority of respondents wanted greater flexibility for existing projects/grants, 58% wanted replacement funding due to loss of revenue, while 52% wanted emergency funding.
This feedback has been crucial in recent days as the Heritage Fund took decisions about how best to respond.
Survey of wildlife and countryside bodies
We also commissioned a parallel survey via Wildlife and Countryside Links, which ran from 20–24 March, so the results relate to the period before the compulsory ‘stay home’ announcement by the Prime Minister. The survey was sent to their 100+ members across the UK and 60 responses came back.
The effect of the crisis was the same as in our first survey – with 98% of organisations affected, and 2% expecting an impact.
Again, the financial and organisational impact is expected to be sharp:
- 61% are being affected by loss of revenue
- 56% are being affected by staff absence
- 58% are being affected by lack of available volunteers
Our next steps
We have used these responses to help us direct our next steps, which we will publish tomorrow. Our expert staff are working together – virtually – to help the sector as much as we can, as we’re sure yours are too. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with any concerns.
"The threat is not just to our sector, but to the wonderful heritage we look after for the next generation."
The crisis is showing that while the heritage sector is tenacious and run by passionate, capable people – it is also part of a delicate ecosystem. The research showed that both small and large organisations face a significant challenge ahead
The threat is not just to our sector, but to the wonderful heritage we look after for the next generation.
We have therefore used the research findings to tailor our emergency funding to the organisations that are at greatest risk.
We will now also be analysing the detailed survey findings with government departments and our partners in the sector to assess the options for a wider joint response. Finally, the survey also showed us that we need to help ensure that heritage organisations are able to make full use of the significant Treasury and HMRC initiatives already announced.
Thank you again if you took the time to respond to our call for evidence.
A sign of hope
A sign of hope is that heritage organisations and their staff, volunteers and fans are sharing collections and ideas online from their homes. While with one rationed walk a day, parks and our outside world have never been so beloved.
Perhaps after the lockdown is over, we will have a chance to celebrate and cherish all that we have missed these past months.
You might also be interested in...
Economic insight into the impact of COVID-19
Since 1994, The National Lottery has raised more than £40billion for good causes in the areas of heritage, arts, sport, and community. In practice this means The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest dedicated grant funder of the UK’s heritage. Since 1994, £8bn has funded more than 44,000 projects across the UK. We support the full breadth of heritage, from historic sites and areas, industrial and maritime, museums, libraries and archives and parks and gardens, landscapes and nature.
Heritage-based tourism is worth £20.2bn to the UK economy per annum. Overseas visitors to UK cultural, historic and natural heritage attractions spend more than double per visit (an average of £560) compared with their domestic overnight counterparts (an average of £210 per trip) (our research, 2016).
On 20 March we emailed a short questionnaire to understand the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the organisations we support who have received a grant of £250,000 or more in the last 10 years. This survey was also issued externally to the sector through our communication activity. The survey closed on 27 March and we received 1,253 responses.
We also commissioned a parallel survey via Wildlife and Countryside Link and their sister LINKS across the UK. The survey was sent to their 100+ members and generated 60 responses.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Economic Impact of Coronovirus March 2020 | 304.21 KB |
eNGO Coronavirus Impact Survey Report
The aim of the survey was to help DEFRA, the statutory agencies, devolved administrations, and grant funders, like the National Lottery Heritage Fund, to assess the effect that the coronavirus is currently having, and is expected to have, on the funding and operations of environment organisations across the UK. We also gathered input from the environment sector on the support and funding that would be most valuable from Defra and grant providers at this critical time.
Key findings
Our finding are clear. The outbreak poses a threat to:
- frontline functions: conservation, access and animal welfare;
- scientific and policy work; and
- the short-term and long-term viability of a significant proportion of the environment sector.
Several of the organisations surveyed said they were already at a particularly vulnerable time financially before the coronavirus pandemic, due to extra costs from dealing with recent storm and flooding crises. Many organisations with visitor attraction sites are highly reliant on the income they generate, and they see their reserves being quickly consumed with no revenue coming in from these venues.
In the short-term, significant redundancies may need to be made, unless adequate support is provided quickly. There is a high level of concern among environmental and conservation charities about whether and how the government-funded 80% staff furlough scheme, and other support offered to businesses, will apply to charities.
There is a clear need for emergency and replacement funding, and flexibility on grant deadlines and targets, from environmental.
Heritage Emergency Fund launches to help sector (updated)
Last updated: 23 June 2020
The UK-wide fund - money raised from The National Lottery - will address immediate pressures over the next few months for those organisations most in need. It is now open for applications until 31 July.
We will continue to support more than 2,500 projects that we have already committed to - an investment of more than £1billion.
“We know that circumstances are incredibly challenging for our heritage community right now and we want to do everything we can to support them."
Eilish McGuinness, The National Lottery Heritage Fund Executive Director, Business Delivery
Eilish McGuinness, The National Lottery Heritage Fund Executive Director, Business Delivery, said: “We know that circumstances are incredibly challenging for our heritage community right now and we want to do everything we can to support them. We hope this new fund will be a lifeline and a beacon of hope for organisations affected.
“Heritage has an essential role to play in making communities better places to live, creating economic prosperity and supporting personal wellbeing. All of these are going to be vitally important as we emerge from this current crisis.”
Heritage Minister Nigel Huddleston said: “It is important that we do all we can to ensure our nation’s remarkable heritage landscapes, buildings and monuments - and the hardworking organisations that protect them - are supported at this difficult time.
“Heritage plays an important role in our communities by supporting jobs and economic growth as well as helping us to understand our shared past. This new £50 million package from the National Lottery Heritage Fund will help to protect our most at risk heritage throughout this unprecedented period.”
Heritage Emergency Fund
The £50m fund is available for grants of between £3,000 and £50,000.
It is available to organisations across the full breadth of heritage, including historic sites, industrial and maritime heritage, museums, libraries and archives, parks and gardens, landscapes and nature.
Organisations which have received funding in the past or are either a current grantee, or still under contract following a previous grant, can apply.
Priority will be given where:
- there is limited or no access to other sources of support
- where heritage is most at risk
- where an organisation is at risk of severe financial crisis due to coronavirus (COVID-19)
Guidance:
Our guidance sets out the criteria for applying for the Heritage Emergency Fund.
Applicants must be:
- a not-for-profit organisation, and
- a current or previous recipient of a grant directly from us, and
- an owner, manager or representative of heritage, or be able to show you have delivered participatory heritage activity
Before applying, please take time to read the guidance and think about what support you need to get your organisation through the next few months. Applications will be accepted until 31 July 2020.
Application process:
Applying for a Heritage Emergency Fund grant is different from the usual way of applying for a grant.
The application form must be completed in one go, as it cannot be saved. It is important that you prepare your application material before you start.
Before you apply:
- Find your previous grant reference number.
- Locate your organisation’s current financial information.
- Read the Heritage Emergency Fund guidance.
- Prepare your answers to the application questions.
- Prepare any supporting documents.
- Complete and submit the application form.
After you apply:
- We will email you to let you know that your application has been submitted.
- As part of this email, we will send you instructions on how to upload your supporting documents.
- Submit any supporting documents by replying to the email. We recommend you do this as soon as you receive instructions, to help us process your application.
- We will check your application details are correct.
- We will consider your application and give you a decision within two to four weeks.
A raft of extra support
We know that the majority of heritage organisations are facing temporary closure, severe impact on their revenue and staff shortages. Many face threats to their long-term futures. A small percentage fear they will not be able to last into the summer.
This is why we are taking a short, medium and long-term approach to our support for your immediate challenges and longer-term resilience and recovery.
As well as the Heritage Emergency Fund, we will also support the sector in the following ways:
- Accelerating the provision of our £1.2m Digital Skills for Heritage initiative to help the sector through the crisis and beyond.
- By continuing to support the 2,500 projects we have already committed to funding.
- By being as flexible as possible for our existing grantees.
- By providing bespoke advice and support.
- A £2m commitment to our network of ROSS consultants in the new financial year. We will direct that support to organisations in need. In doing so we are also helping several hundred freelancers and self-employed people.
- Working closely with the Government, other funders and heritage organisations to bring together support for the sector.
- In the longer term, we have invested £4m in two enterprise development programmes across the UK for heritage leaders, and business support programmes in all four countries. More information on this soon.
Pausing new grants
In order to address the crisis, we have taken the decision to halt all new grant applications with immediate effect.
The Heritage Emergency Fund consists of money diverted from new grants.
Heritage Horizon Awards
Decisions on funding for the Heritage Horizon Awards have been deferred from March 2020 into the 2021-2022 financial year.
We will not be opening a further round of funding for Heritage Horizon Awards.
Our response
Our response was based on consultation across the sector, including more than 1,250 respondents to our survey. We found:
- 82% of respondents reported a high or moderate risk to their organisation’s long-term viability
- 46% of organisations can survive for no more than six months
- 75% respondents wanted greater flexibility for existing projects/grants
- 53% asked for emergency funding
Thank you to everyone who responded to our survey and to all those who have been in touch. We will continue to listen to you, and keep you up to date with developments.
You might also be interested in...
Our support for the heritage sector in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis
Last updated: 15 April 2020
The coronavirus (COVID-19) virus is a worrying time for all of us and having a significant impact on the people and organisations we work with. We want to reassure everyone we fund that we will be as flexible and supportive as we can be during this very challenging time.
If you are concerned about the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) on your heritage project or organisation, please don’t hesitate to contact your Investment Manager/Senior Investment Manager in the first instance. Or, if you have a general enquiry, contact our Customer Service team.
Please check our website regularly to get the latest news and updates.
Our Heritage Emergency Fund
We have made £50million available for a Heritage Emergency Fund to support the UK heritage sector as an immediate response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.
We will be investing the £50m where it is needed most, by providing short-term funding for organisations delivering heritage projects or running previously funded projects, and safeguarding heritage sites we have previously invested in to ensure they are not lost to the public.
The Heritage Emergency Fund is available as:
- A fund that organisations can access over the next few months as short-term funding to stabilise operations and manage unforeseen risks. Grants of between £3,000-£50,000 will be available.
- A select number of key strategic investments where heritage is identified as at greatest risk. This could include grant increases to funded projects that are currently underway.
In addition, we are also supporting the heritage sector by:
- Enabling organisations that have received grant funding and are currently delivering projects to delay or change the way the projects are delivered. This can include changes to approved purposes, flexibility on costs within a project, early drawdown of grant payment, a relaxation of some conditions of the grant, and flexible use of contingency funding.
- Providing bespoke advice and support via our local teams and in some cases, via our specialist network of mentors.
- Accelerating the provision of our £1.2m Digital Skills for Heritage initiative to help the sector through the crisis and beyond. This will include support for organisations to run activities and events, reach audiences, engage volunteers, share content and fundraise online.
- For the longer term, to help with recovery from the current crisis, we have invested £4m in two enterprise development programmes for heritage leaders across the UK, and business support programmes in all four countries. More information will be available in due course.
Decisions on awards under the Heritage Emergency Fund will be made as quickly as possible to support those in the sector with the greatest need.
Find out more in our Heritage Emergency Fund news story. Hear from our Executive Director of Business Delivery, Eilish McGuinness.
Heritage Emergency Fund guidance published
Our guidance sets out eligibility and prioritisation criteria for the Heritage Emergency Fund, as well as examples of what the funding can be used for. The key thing to know is that applicants must be:
- a not-for-profit organisation, and
- a current or previous recipient of a grant directly from us, and
- an owner, manager or representative of heritage, or be able to show you have delivered participatory heritage activity
Read the guidance in full. Hear more from our Executive Director of Business Delivery, Eilish McGuinness. Read our updated FAQs.
Before you apply, please do take time to really think about what support you need to get your organisation through the next few months. Applications will be accepted until 30 June 2020.
Heritage Emergency Fund applications are now open
Applying for a Heritage Emergency Fund grant is different from the usual way of applying for a grant.
The application form must be completed in one go, as it cannot be saved. It is important that you prepare your application material before you start.
Before you apply:
- Find your previous grant reference number.
- Locate your organisation’s current financial information.
- Read the Heritage Emergency Fund guidance.
- Prepare your answers to the application form questions. Important – please ensure that you are drafting your application within the stated word count of 1,500 words as this will help us assess your application in a timely way.
- Prepare any supporting documents.
- Save a copy of your prepared answers and supporting documents for your own records
- Complete and submit the application form.
After you apply:
- We will email you to let you know that your application has been submitted.
- As part of this email, we will send you instructions on how to upload your supporting documents.
- Submit any supporting documents by replying to the email. We recommend you do this as soon as you receive instructions, to help us process your application.
- We will check your application details are correct.
- We will consider your application and give you a decision within two to four weeks.
Halting new applications
In order to meet the immediate needs of the organisations we support, we’ve made some changes so we can focus our efforts on support for the heritage sector:
- We have halted all new Committee-level grants (£250,000-£5m) and single-stage delegated grants (£3,000-£250,000) until at least October 2020.
- Organisations that have been selected to apply for Heritage Horizon Awards (grants over £5m) will be given more time and deferred until the 2021/22 financial year. We will not be opening a further round of funding for Heritage Horizon Awards.
Please note: if we have already made a commitment of funding to you, we will continue to work with you and offer our support. This applies to more than 2,500 projects in development and delivery where our investment commitments total over £1billion. We recognise that you may need to change the scope and timetable of your project, and we will offer advice to help make those decisions. For those in development, we still expect to make decisions on delivery grants (although these remain competitive, as previously).
If you are already delivering a project we’re funding, we will be as flexible as we can be, relaxing reporting requirements where possible, bringing forward payments if necessary, and discussing with you changes of scope or cost due to coronavirus (COVID-19) impact.
Other support available
Please check those that might be relevant to you and your organisation. We will update this list with more information as it becomes available.
- Government guidance for employees, employers and businesses
-
guidance on the Job Retention Scheme for employers and employees
-
guidance on the eligibility of Public Bodies for the Job Retention Scheme
-
guidance on the Small Business Grant Fund (SBGF) / Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF) (England only)
- information on claiming a grant through the Government's Self-employment Income Support Scheme
- advice and support for businesses from the Scottish Government
- support for the cultural and creative sector from the Scottish Government
- a round-up of support for Welsh organisations from Business Wales
- support for business and employers in Northern Ireland from NIDirect
In addition, a number of bodies and organisations across the heritage and wider voluntary and community sector have put together sources of guidance and information:
- Historic England
- Arts Council England
- Heritage Alliance
- NCVO for charities, voluntary organisations and volunteers
- Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations
- WCVA for the voluntary and third sectors in Wales
- Heritage Funding Directory
Your response to our survey
Thank you to the 1,200 people – 79% of whom are current or previous grantees – who responded to our urgent call for evidence from the heritage sector.
Your input was invaluable in helping us shape the details of our Heritage Emergency Fund.
Some of the survey’s key findings included:
- The impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is universal: 98% of organisations have been impacted within the first three weeks and the remaining 2% expect some impact in the future.
- coronavirus (COVID-19) is expected to impact on organisational survival: 82% of organisations report high or moderate risk to the long-term viability of their organisation.
- Financial reserves are limited: 46% of organisations can survive for no more than six months.
- Flexible support required: In terms of support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and our partners, you asked for greater flexibility for existing projects/grants (75%) and emergency funding (53%).
Read more in the blog by Tom Walters, our Head of Research, Data & Insight.
Download full analysis of our survey, and the parallel survey we commissioned with Wildlife and Countryside Link.
We remain open for business
We are fully operational and open for business, but we are conducting much of our day to day business remotely. We are doing everything we can to ensure we maintain business as usual.
Our Area and Country teams are contactable should you need any advice or further guidance.
Contact us
We are supportive of what you feel are necessary judgments and/or appropriate decisions to maintain the health and wellbeing of your employees and the people you engage through your work. We advise you to follow the NHS and Government advice.
NHS and Government advice
We are following the Chief Medical Officer’s advice. The NHS has published information about the symptoms, essential hygiene and what action people should be taking to reduce the virus spreading.
This is a changing environment, so it is important to keep abreast of these important updates. Information from the Government is being updated daily.
- For Northern Ireland: https://www.publichealth.hscni.net/
- For Scotland: https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/
- For Wales: https://gov.wales/coronavirus
You might also be interested in...
Heritage Emergency Fund FAQs
Last updated: 18 June 2020
These FAQs are designed to help organisations understand the Heritage Emergency Fund. Applicants should also read the full application guidance.
The FAQs are divided into three sections:
- Heritage Emergency Fund
- Application process
- Existing grantees and our open programmes
Heritage Emergency Fund
Yes. You can contact your local team and they will be able to give you advice about whether or not your organisation should apply to the Heritage Emergency Fund. They will also be able to give you advice about the types of things we can support through the fund and which strand of funding might be most appropriate to help your organisation and heritage.
Yes, the Heritage Emergency Fund can cover some of the costs to help you begin to think about recovery. This could include trialling new ways of working to improve the stability of your organisation.
We also have a wider package of support for the heritage sector including our Digital Skills for Heritage initiative and business support training.
No. If you accrue costs between the submission of your application and our decision to award funding, we will cover that period.
We cannot fund any costs incurred from the time before you submit your application.
Yes. These are emergency grants and we will pay them as quickly as possible.
We expect you to use your unrestricted reserves as far as is reasonable to help your organisation through the current difficulties. By large unrestricted reserves we mean those organisations that have reserves to support at least six months of operations. The guidance for the Heritage Emergency Fund sets out who can apply and how we will prioritise applications. If you do apply, you should explain your approach to your use of unrestricted reserves in your application.
Places of worship can apply to the fund for emergency costs associated with the protection of their heritage. Please be sure to review all of the guidance before proceeding with an application. You should explore whether your needs can be supported through other emergency funds before submitting an application to us. If you are interested in accessing funds to support community coronavirus (COVID-19) response you should contact relevant community support funds.
Other sources of funding are available within the sector. Prospective applicants may want to explore the opportunities for support offered by Historic England and the National Churches Trust. For Church of England applicants, parishes should be in touch with their diocese to explore any support that might be available in advance of applying to the Heritage Emergency Fund. Those from other faiths and denominations should likewise contact their regional or national bodies first.
No. We expect organisations to make a single application to the Heritage Emergency Fund. The fund is to help organisations to stabilise operations, manage unforeseen risks and reopen/recover. You should only apply to us for essential costs but these can be made up of costs across several heritage sites/assets.
Yes, you can apply but organisations that completed their last National Lottery Heritage Fund project over 10 years ago will be a lower priority for support.
Please review the Heritage Emergency Fund guidance and contact your local team to discuss your options. We will be working collaboratively with partners across the sector to try to secure the best outcomes for people and heritage.
We are working on providing support and advice to help organisations improve their resilience and increase digital skills. Our Digital Skills for Heritage initiative is available to our existing grantees and the wider heritage sector, including non-grantees.
Other sources of funding available are listed on our website.
The Heritage Emergency Fund can be used to support essential IT equipment and connectivity costs to support homeworking and public facing activity.
For example, where the organisation does not own any IT equipment and/or staff members do not have access to broadband, the costs of laptops and data plans can be included in bids for support. Only essential costs should be submitted here, and any equipment costs should be as competitive as possible.
By ‘public facing’ we mean activities that enable the organisation to put information about itself online and interact with its community. For example, sending out email newsletters, updating a website or blog, posting information to social media sites or taking part in video conference calls.
Our Digital Skills for Heritage initiative supports organisations to develop their digital practice during the current crisis and beyond.
Yes. From 1 July the scheme becomes more flexible. The flexibility is available to employers currently using the scheme to furlough staff. Employees can return to work part time from furlough as part of this flexibility. Individual organisations can decide the hours and shift patterns their employees will work on their return, so that they can decide on the best approach for their organisations - and will be responsible for paying their wages while in work. The CJRS will continue to pay the a proportion of the costs for the furloughed part of their salary.
We can pay for the costs of part time staff returning to work from furlough, providing the employer can make the case that the staff are needed to meet the outcomes of our funding and will manage the heritage or recovery/reopening work.
We will allow current Heritage Emergency Fund grantees to reprofile their existing grants based on this updated advice. We advise current Heritage Emergency Fund grantees to contact their Investment Manager to discuss.
Application process
The software the form has been built with does not allow this for data and privacy reasons. We have deliberately kept the application form short and focused so it can all be completed in one go.
We recommend that you read the guidance carefully and prepare your answers in advance of starting to complete the form.
We will send you an email response when it has been received. Please remember to check all your inboxes, including your spam/junk inbox.
If you have not heard from us within three working days of submitting your application please contact us.
You cannot proceed with an application to the Heritage Emergency Fund without this number.
The reference number will have been used on all correspondence with your organisation about your previous grant(s) and this information will still be available via the application portal. You can log on to the application portal via any computer as long as you have your log in details.
You can also contact your local office and request your grant reference number.
We are not able to do this so it is important that you save a copy of the information you plan to submit in your application.
Please check your spam. If you have not heard from us within three days of submitting your application please contact us.
You can use a non-work email for this application form.
You will need to get this information or you cannot proceed with an application to the Heritage Emergency Fund. You need current financial information to be able to complete the application and supporting materials.
Once we have a complete application (form and supporting information) we will pass your application for assessment. We will make a decision on your application within two to four weeks.
A panel made up of members of our senior management team will meet every two weeks to make decisions.
This will include representatives from the four nations. We will ensure that projects across the UK that are in most need are able to access funding. We will monitor the spread of funding (eg by geography and sector) to ensure that all parts of the UK and all types of heritage are benefiting.
The Heritage Emergency Fund is designed to help with essential running and reopening costs for your organisation over the next four months. We are not accepting repeat applications to the Heritage Emergency Fund.
If your circumstances have changed or if you now need reopening/recovery costs which have arisen since your application, please contact your Investment Manager for advice.
No. If your application was not successful at the £3,000 - £50,000 strand then we do not recommend you apply to the £50,000 - £250,000 strand.
No. If our decision panel decides that you need support but are not in a position to award the level of grant requested, they will offer you the amount they are prepared to award. If your application was not successful then you should not make any further applications to the Heritage Emergency Fund.
No. There is no provision for appeal or reapplications.
We understand that you may be disappointed with a decision. You can make a complaint about how we have dealt with your application after it has been assessed by the decision panel but we will only be able to consider and investigate the complaint if:
- We did not follow the published procedures for assessing your application.
- You can show that we have misunderstood a significant part of your application.
- You can show that we did not take notice of relevant information.
A complaint must be made in writing by emailing enquire@heritagefund.org.uk within 10 working days of receiving your application decision. We aim to acknowledge your complaint within three working days.
Your complaint will be reviewed by a Complaints Panel, who are independent of the Heritage Emergency Fund Decision Panel. We aim to communicate a decision within 15 working days from when you submitted your complaint.
This is a single stage process and there is no right to review this response. If your complaint is upheld, your application will be re-submitted for assessment.
Contact our Customer Services Team on 020 7591 6044 or email enquire@heritagefund.org.uk.
Existing grantees and applicants
We are committed to supporting our existing grantees and will be discussing with you how the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis affects your current project/s. We want to be as flexible as possible in supporting you through this.
We will try to be as flexible as possible with the terms of your grant/delivery of your project.
If you need to delay your project, you should speak to your Investment Manager or Senior Investment Manager in your local office.
We have paused our grants so we can focus on our emergency response and support heritage organisations most at risk.
We know this is very tough if you are preparing an application or awaiting a funding decision. We will publish more details about future grants in due course.
We will not be reopening the normal funding programmes until at least October 2020. We are keeping the situation under constant review as we gather insight into the changing needs of heritage and the heritage sector.
You should only restart your funded project if it is safe to do. You should continue to follow the government’s guidance on coronavirus (COVID-19). If you feel that it is safe to restart your funded project, you should contact your Investment Manager for further advice about your next steps.
We are continuing to support the thousands of projects we already have in delivery and development across the UK. We are helping projects review and understand their needs, discuss changes of scope or cost and, wherever possible, we are being flexible on payments, grant conditions and reporting requirements. All projects need to appraise their options before seeking additional funding.
We advise grantees to contact their Investment Manager as early as possible to discuss their situation and for further information about the range of support we can offer. We will consider requests to increase the amount of funding that we have awarded to a project following a review of the options available and will advise you of the process to follow.
Please note that we have limited funds and will not be able to support every request.
No. We are accepting requests at any time.
Yes
Please contact your Investment Manager if your project is experiencing difficulties as early as possible so we can discuss how we may help. As part of the options available to you, we would expect you to have a conversation with all of your funders to establish whether they can also provide increases to their grant awards.
No. We expect projects in development to complete without further increases to our initial grant award. You should discuss the options with your Investment Manager should you encounter problems delivering all of the approved purposes within your available budget.
We would strongly advise you to sign up to our newsletter and follow our social media channels:
All updated information will appear on our website.
You might also be interested in...
Heritage Emergency Fund launches to help sector (updated)
Last updated: 23 June 2020
The UK-wide fund - money raised from The National Lottery - will address immediate pressures over the next few months for those organisations most in need. It is now open for applications until 31 July.
We will continue to support more than 2,500 projects that we have already committed to - an investment of more than £1billion.
“We know that circumstances are incredibly challenging for our heritage community right now and we want to do everything we can to support them."
Eilish McGuinness, The National Lottery Heritage Fund Executive Director, Business Delivery
Eilish McGuinness, The National Lottery Heritage Fund Executive Director, Business Delivery, said: “We know that circumstances are incredibly challenging for our heritage community right now and we want to do everything we can to support them. We hope this new fund will be a lifeline and a beacon of hope for organisations affected.
“Heritage has an essential role to play in making communities better places to live, creating economic prosperity and supporting personal wellbeing. All of these are going to be vitally important as we emerge from this current crisis.”
Heritage Minister Nigel Huddleston said: “It is important that we do all we can to ensure our nation’s remarkable heritage landscapes, buildings and monuments - and the hardworking organisations that protect them - are supported at this difficult time.
“Heritage plays an important role in our communities by supporting jobs and economic growth as well as helping us to understand our shared past. This new £50 million package from the National Lottery Heritage Fund will help to protect our most at risk heritage throughout this unprecedented period.”
Heritage Emergency Fund
The £50m fund is available for grants of between £3,000 and £50,000.
It is available to organisations across the full breadth of heritage, including historic sites, industrial and maritime heritage, museums, libraries and archives, parks and gardens, landscapes and nature.
Organisations which have received funding in the past or are either a current grantee, or still under contract following a previous grant, can apply.
Priority will be given where:
- there is limited or no access to other sources of support
- where heritage is most at risk
- where an organisation is at risk of severe financial crisis due to coronavirus (COVID-19)
Guidance:
Our guidance sets out the criteria for applying for the Heritage Emergency Fund.
Applicants must be:
- a not-for-profit organisation, and
- a current or previous recipient of a grant directly from us, and
- an owner, manager or representative of heritage, or be able to show you have delivered participatory heritage activity
Before applying, please take time to read the guidance and think about what support you need to get your organisation through the next few months. Applications will be accepted until 31 July 2020.
Application process:
Applying for a Heritage Emergency Fund grant is different from the usual way of applying for a grant.
The application form must be completed in one go, as it cannot be saved. It is important that you prepare your application material before you start.
Before you apply:
- Find your previous grant reference number.
- Locate your organisation’s current financial information.
- Read the Heritage Emergency Fund guidance.
- Prepare your answers to the application questions.
- Prepare any supporting documents.
- Complete and submit the application form.
After you apply:
- We will email you to let you know that your application has been submitted.
- As part of this email, we will send you instructions on how to upload your supporting documents.
- Submit any supporting documents by replying to the email. We recommend you do this as soon as you receive instructions, to help us process your application.
- We will check your application details are correct.
- We will consider your application and give you a decision within two to four weeks.
A raft of extra support
We know that the majority of heritage organisations are facing temporary closure, severe impact on their revenue and staff shortages. Many face threats to their long-term futures. A small percentage fear they will not be able to last into the summer.
This is why we are taking a short, medium and long-term approach to our support for your immediate challenges and longer-term resilience and recovery.
As well as the Heritage Emergency Fund, we will also support the sector in the following ways:
- Accelerating the provision of our £1.2m Digital Skills for Heritage initiative to help the sector through the crisis and beyond.
- By continuing to support the 2,500 projects we have already committed to funding.
- By being as flexible as possible for our existing grantees.
- By providing bespoke advice and support.
- A £2m commitment to our network of ROSS consultants in the new financial year. We will direct that support to organisations in need. In doing so we are also helping several hundred freelancers and self-employed people.
- Working closely with the Government, other funders and heritage organisations to bring together support for the sector.
- In the longer term, we have invested £4m in two enterprise development programmes across the UK for heritage leaders, and business support programmes in all four countries. More information on this soon.
Pausing new grants
In order to address the crisis, we have taken the decision to halt all new grant applications with immediate effect.
The Heritage Emergency Fund consists of money diverted from new grants.
Heritage Horizon Awards
Decisions on funding for the Heritage Horizon Awards have been deferred from March 2020 into the 2021-2022 financial year.
We will not be opening a further round of funding for Heritage Horizon Awards.
Our response
Our response was based on consultation across the sector, including more than 1,250 respondents to our survey. We found:
- 82% of respondents reported a high or moderate risk to their organisation’s long-term viability
- 46% of organisations can survive for no more than six months
- 75% respondents wanted greater flexibility for existing projects/grants
- 53% asked for emergency funding
Thank you to everyone who responded to our survey and to all those who have been in touch. We will continue to listen to you, and keep you up to date with developments.
You might also be interested in...
How the coronavirus (COVID-19) is affecting the heritage sector
The coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis has already had a seismic impact on all elements of our lives.
First of all on the people whose health – and that of their families, friends and colleagues – has been affected. And to anyone who has felt anxiety or fear or general discomfort at our worlds closing in due to the government’s advice to stay at home.
"How can we survive this crisis, and indeed possibly thrive in the future?"
The secondary impact is on our sector, as part of the wider economy – in short, how can we survive this crisis, and ensure that our heritage assets and organisations are able to thrive in the future?
Tomorrow (Wednesday 1 April) we will be releasing the details of our Heritage Emergency Fund. It was the result of swift work behind the scenes – and two surveys which have helped us find out more about how applicants, grantees and people across the sector are feeling.
I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who responded to the surveys and took time to tell us about the impact on your organisation. We received an overwhelming response and your feedback has played a really important role in the design of the Heritage Emergency Fund.
Our survey of heritage organisations
We began to gather anecdotal evidence of the impact on some of the organisations we support as the initial social distancing measures were announced. But it quickly became clear we needed to hear from more of our friends and colleagues in the sector. One of our first reactions to the crisis was therefore to initiate research with grantees and heritage organisations to really understand the impact the virus and the associated measures were having.
The survey opened on Friday 20 March and closed at 5pm on Friday 27 March. On 24 March, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced compulsory ‘stay at home’ measures for the UK's population.
We sent the survey to 1,424 grantees who had received a grant of over £250,000 within the last 10 years. We also published the link on our website and shared it on social media.
We received 1,253 replies, of which 479 returned from the email. The replies came from across the UK, cross sector and size of organisation.
The research took place during a period of rapid change and we received responses throughout the week that it was live. That means that the restrictions in place and support available may have varied for different respondents. This is something to bear in mind as you read the findings, but we believe the responses still provide invaluable insight.
The key findings:
The impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is UK-wide. We saw that 98% of heritage organisations were impacted within the first three weeks and the remaining 2% expected some impact in the future. There were no significant differences across the country, nor across the sector.
The financial impact is likely to be high:
- 91% of respondents said they’ve had to cancel events
- 69% are being affected by loss of revenue
- 82% of organisations reported high or moderate risk to their long-term viability. That figure rises to 90% of charity, third sector or private organisations.
The impact on organisations in our sector was also clear from the survey responses:
- 71% expected they would have to close to the public
- 55% are being affected by lack of available volunteers
- 49% are being affected by staff absence
- 49% are seeing reduced visitor numbers
The next half year will be crucial to the survival of many of our heritage organisations. If the current situation continues, 37% of organisations who responded told us they can survive for no more than six months, with 11% expecting to keep going for no more than two months.
"Around a third of charity/third-sector organisations and around a third of community and voluntary groups said they could not exist beyond July."
Around a third of charity/third-sector organisations and around a third of community and voluntary groups said they could not exist beyond July.
What should we be doing?
Many of our respondents weren’t sure if they were eligible to apply for wider government support, which reflects the fact that many policies are only in their early stages of delivery, or indeed were being announced during the period the survey was live.
The majority of respondents wanted greater flexibility for existing projects/grants, 58% wanted replacement funding due to loss of revenue, while 52% wanted emergency funding.
This feedback has been crucial in recent days as the Heritage Fund took decisions about how best to respond.
Survey of wildlife and countryside bodies
We also commissioned a parallel survey via Wildlife and Countryside Links, which ran from 20–24 March, so the results relate to the period before the compulsory ‘stay home’ announcement by the Prime Minister. The survey was sent to their 100+ members across the UK and 60 responses came back.
The effect of the crisis was the same as in our first survey – with 98% of organisations affected, and 2% expecting an impact.
Again, the financial and organisational impact is expected to be sharp:
- 61% are being affected by loss of revenue
- 56% are being affected by staff absence
- 58% are being affected by lack of available volunteers
Our next steps
We have used these responses to help us direct our next steps, which we will publish tomorrow. Our expert staff are working together – virtually – to help the sector as much as we can, as we’re sure yours are too. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with any concerns.
"The threat is not just to our sector, but to the wonderful heritage we look after for the next generation."
The crisis is showing that while the heritage sector is tenacious and run by passionate, capable people – it is also part of a delicate ecosystem. The research showed that both small and large organisations face a significant challenge ahead
The threat is not just to our sector, but to the wonderful heritage we look after for the next generation.
We have therefore used the research findings to tailor our emergency funding to the organisations that are at greatest risk.
We will now also be analysing the detailed survey findings with government departments and our partners in the sector to assess the options for a wider joint response. Finally, the survey also showed us that we need to help ensure that heritage organisations are able to make full use of the significant Treasury and HMRC initiatives already announced.
Thank you again if you took the time to respond to our call for evidence.
A sign of hope
A sign of hope is that heritage organisations and their staff, volunteers and fans are sharing collections and ideas online from their homes. While with one rationed walk a day, parks and our outside world have never been so beloved.
Perhaps after the lockdown is over, we will have a chance to celebrate and cherish all that we have missed these past months.
You might also be interested in...
Economic insight into the impact of COVID-19
Since 1994, The National Lottery has raised more than £40billion for good causes in the areas of heritage, arts, sport, and community. In practice this means The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest dedicated grant funder of the UK’s heritage. Since 1994, £8bn has funded more than 44,000 projects across the UK. We support the full breadth of heritage, from historic sites and areas, industrial and maritime, museums, libraries and archives and parks and gardens, landscapes and nature.
Heritage-based tourism is worth £20.2bn to the UK economy per annum. Overseas visitors to UK cultural, historic and natural heritage attractions spend more than double per visit (an average of £560) compared with their domestic overnight counterparts (an average of £210 per trip) (our research, 2016).
On 20 March we emailed a short questionnaire to understand the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the organisations we support who have received a grant of £250,000 or more in the last 10 years. This survey was also issued externally to the sector through our communication activity. The survey closed on 27 March and we received 1,253 responses.
We also commissioned a parallel survey via Wildlife and Countryside Link and their sister LINKS across the UK. The survey was sent to their 100+ members and generated 60 responses.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Economic Impact of Coronovirus March 2020 | 304.21 KB |
eNGO Coronavirus Impact Survey Report
The aim of the survey was to help DEFRA, the statutory agencies, devolved administrations, and grant funders, like the National Lottery Heritage Fund, to assess the effect that the coronavirus is currently having, and is expected to have, on the funding and operations of environment organisations across the UK. We also gathered input from the environment sector on the support and funding that would be most valuable from Defra and grant providers at this critical time.
Key findings
Our finding are clear. The outbreak poses a threat to:
- frontline functions: conservation, access and animal welfare;
- scientific and policy work; and
- the short-term and long-term viability of a significant proportion of the environment sector.
Several of the organisations surveyed said they were already at a particularly vulnerable time financially before the coronavirus pandemic, due to extra costs from dealing with recent storm and flooding crises. Many organisations with visitor attraction sites are highly reliant on the income they generate, and they see their reserves being quickly consumed with no revenue coming in from these venues.
In the short-term, significant redundancies may need to be made, unless adequate support is provided quickly. There is a high level of concern among environmental and conservation charities about whether and how the government-funded 80% staff furlough scheme, and other support offered to businesses, will apply to charities.
There is a clear need for emergency and replacement funding, and flexibility on grant deadlines and targets, from environmental.
Heritage Emergency Fund launches to help sector (updated)
Last updated: 23 June 2020
The UK-wide fund - money raised from The National Lottery - will address immediate pressures over the next few months for those organisations most in need. It is now open for applications until 31 July.
We will continue to support more than 2,500 projects that we have already committed to - an investment of more than £1billion.
“We know that circumstances are incredibly challenging for our heritage community right now and we want to do everything we can to support them."
Eilish McGuinness, The National Lottery Heritage Fund Executive Director, Business Delivery
Eilish McGuinness, The National Lottery Heritage Fund Executive Director, Business Delivery, said: “We know that circumstances are incredibly challenging for our heritage community right now and we want to do everything we can to support them. We hope this new fund will be a lifeline and a beacon of hope for organisations affected.
“Heritage has an essential role to play in making communities better places to live, creating economic prosperity and supporting personal wellbeing. All of these are going to be vitally important as we emerge from this current crisis.”
Heritage Minister Nigel Huddleston said: “It is important that we do all we can to ensure our nation’s remarkable heritage landscapes, buildings and monuments - and the hardworking organisations that protect them - are supported at this difficult time.
“Heritage plays an important role in our communities by supporting jobs and economic growth as well as helping us to understand our shared past. This new £50 million package from the National Lottery Heritage Fund will help to protect our most at risk heritage throughout this unprecedented period.”
Heritage Emergency Fund
The £50m fund is available for grants of between £3,000 and £50,000.
It is available to organisations across the full breadth of heritage, including historic sites, industrial and maritime heritage, museums, libraries and archives, parks and gardens, landscapes and nature.
Organisations which have received funding in the past or are either a current grantee, or still under contract following a previous grant, can apply.
Priority will be given where:
- there is limited or no access to other sources of support
- where heritage is most at risk
- where an organisation is at risk of severe financial crisis due to coronavirus (COVID-19)
Guidance:
Our guidance sets out the criteria for applying for the Heritage Emergency Fund.
Applicants must be:
- a not-for-profit organisation, and
- a current or previous recipient of a grant directly from us, and
- an owner, manager or representative of heritage, or be able to show you have delivered participatory heritage activity
Before applying, please take time to read the guidance and think about what support you need to get your organisation through the next few months. Applications will be accepted until 31 July 2020.
Application process:
Applying for a Heritage Emergency Fund grant is different from the usual way of applying for a grant.
The application form must be completed in one go, as it cannot be saved. It is important that you prepare your application material before you start.
Before you apply:
- Find your previous grant reference number.
- Locate your organisation’s current financial information.
- Read the Heritage Emergency Fund guidance.
- Prepare your answers to the application questions.
- Prepare any supporting documents.
- Complete and submit the application form.
After you apply:
- We will email you to let you know that your application has been submitted.
- As part of this email, we will send you instructions on how to upload your supporting documents.
- Submit any supporting documents by replying to the email. We recommend you do this as soon as you receive instructions, to help us process your application.
- We will check your application details are correct.
- We will consider your application and give you a decision within two to four weeks.
A raft of extra support
We know that the majority of heritage organisations are facing temporary closure, severe impact on their revenue and staff shortages. Many face threats to their long-term futures. A small percentage fear they will not be able to last into the summer.
This is why we are taking a short, medium and long-term approach to our support for your immediate challenges and longer-term resilience and recovery.
As well as the Heritage Emergency Fund, we will also support the sector in the following ways:
- Accelerating the provision of our £1.2m Digital Skills for Heritage initiative to help the sector through the crisis and beyond.
- By continuing to support the 2,500 projects we have already committed to funding.
- By being as flexible as possible for our existing grantees.
- By providing bespoke advice and support.
- A £2m commitment to our network of ROSS consultants in the new financial year. We will direct that support to organisations in need. In doing so we are also helping several hundred freelancers and self-employed people.
- Working closely with the Government, other funders and heritage organisations to bring together support for the sector.
- In the longer term, we have invested £4m in two enterprise development programmes across the UK for heritage leaders, and business support programmes in all four countries. More information on this soon.
Pausing new grants
In order to address the crisis, we have taken the decision to halt all new grant applications with immediate effect.
The Heritage Emergency Fund consists of money diverted from new grants.
Heritage Horizon Awards
Decisions on funding for the Heritage Horizon Awards have been deferred from March 2020 into the 2021-2022 financial year.
We will not be opening a further round of funding for Heritage Horizon Awards.
Our response
Our response was based on consultation across the sector, including more than 1,250 respondents to our survey. We found:
- 82% of respondents reported a high or moderate risk to their organisation’s long-term viability
- 46% of organisations can survive for no more than six months
- 75% respondents wanted greater flexibility for existing projects/grants
- 53% asked for emergency funding
Thank you to everyone who responded to our survey and to all those who have been in touch. We will continue to listen to you, and keep you up to date with developments.