We recognise the amount of work that goes into applying for funding and planning a project. The mandatory Expression of Interest (EOI) stage helps us to filter any projects which are unlikely to receive funding, and saves you time working on a full application unnecessarily.

The EOI word count is deliberately short (maximum 1,000 words) to minimise the time and effort for you to complete this stage.

We will use the information you provide to decide whether to invite you to submit a development phase application. The development phase is when you will develop your project, including creating designs and plans.

If your development phase application is successful, you will receive funding and have up to two years to develop a detailed project proposal for your delivery phase application. The delivery phase is when you will carry out your capital work and project activities.

If your EOI is unsuccessful, you cannot submit a project application. You will need to submit a new EOI first. You must wait three months before you do this.  

Before submitting

Please make sure you have read:  

• what we fund
• the four investment principles we expect heritage projects to take into account
• the full application guidance for National Lottery Heritage Grants £250,000 to £10million

Explore our position and advice on using artificial intelligence (AI) tools in your Expression of Interest.

How to submit

When you are ready, please complete the EOI on our online service.  

You will need to register an account for yourself and your organisation. By doing so, you will become our main contact for your organisation. It is important to make sure you have the authority to complete the EOI and submit any future application on behalf of your organisation, if invited to apply.

There is no deadline to submit an EOI.

Hearing back from us

We aim to respond to your EOI within 20 working days.  

We will let you know via email whether you are successful in being invited to submit a development phase application. You must apply with 12 months of receiving the invitation. 

If we are not inviting you to apply at this time, we will explain our reason.

Some common reasons include:

• not taking into account the two phases – first the development phase and then the delivery phase
• not taking into account all four investment principles
• repeating our list of investment principles rather than telling us how your project will respond to them
• telling us about capital work only  
• not explaining the need/demand for the project nor wider support for it

Expression of Interest questions

You can see the questions on the EOI below.

Have you spoken to anyone at the Heritage Fund about your idea?

If so, tell us their name. If you can, also tell us when and where you spoke to them.

You have 50 words 

Describe what you will do during the project.

Provide an overview of your project and what you will do, including any tasks you have to do to achieve your project.

You have 200 words.

Do you have a title for the project?

Give us a title or name we can refer to your project by. You can change this at any time.

If your application is successful, it will be used in any public posts made about your project and will be published on our website. Make sure you choose a title that you are happy for a wide range of people to see.

Please outline how your project will respond to our four investment principles.

You must take all four investment principles into account in your project. You may focus more on some investment principles than others.

The strength of focus and emphasis on each principle is for you to decide and demonstrate. Our four investment principles will guide all our grant decision making under our strategy, Heritage 2033.

Our investment principles are:

• saving heritage
• protecting the environment
• inclusion, access and participation
• organisational sustainability

You have 300 words.

Tell us about the heritage of the project.

Provide a factual description of the heritage as it is today.

This could include briefly telling us:

• if there is any official recognition
• what is important about the heritage
• who it is important to
• why it is distinct or unique

You have 100 words.

What is the need for this project?

Briefly tell us why your project needs to happen, why it needs to happen now and what opportunities your project will address.

You have 200 words.

How long do you think the project will take?

Tell us an estimated start and end date for your development phase and then your delivery phase.

You can take up to two years to complete your development phase.

After your development phase, you can take up to five years to complete your delivery phase.

Remember, you will need to take into account our quarterly application deadlines and our 12-week assessment period.

You have 50 words.

How much is the project likely to cost?

Tell us the total estimated cost of your project as a whole, and then the separate costs for your development and delivery phases.

Remember to include costs for contingency, inflation and evaluation in both the development and delivery phases.

If you are applying for a grant under £1million, you must contribute at least 5% of your project costs. For grants over £1million, you must contribute at least 10% of your project costs.

If you can, tell us where your contribution may come from. 

You have 200 words.

How much funding are you planning to apply for from us?

Tell us how much you will be applying for from us. This should be the total amount for both your development and delivery phases. It should not include your contribution to your total project costs.

You will need to enter an amount.

When are you likely to submit a funding application, if asked to do so?

If you are invited to submit a development phase application, tell us when you are likely to submit it.

Remember, we aim to respond to your EOI within 20 working days. 

You have 50 words.

Guidance updates

We will regularly review this guidance and respond to user feedback. We reserve the right to make changes as required. We will communicate any changes as quickly as possible via this webpage.