As an innovation agency working with culture and heritage organisations, we’re always excited when new funding emerges to help the sector deal with developing challenges. So, the Heritage Innovation Fund from the National Lottery Heritage Fund looks particularly interesting.

Up to £25,000 is available to organisations to support projects looking at new ways of working across the heritage workforce. It’s a pilot initiative intended to build innovation capacity between different parts of the sector. The funding is designed to cover an organisation’s time and pay for activities during the first phase – Explore which will focus on defining a clear problem statement and help applicants to develop potential solutions to testing in practice in two subsequent phases; Test and Grow.

Key details and dates

  • The money is available to public sector, not for profit organisations or private owners of heritage who have a challenge connected to the future of the heritage workforce.
  • Applications to the fund are open until midday on 27 September and must be made via the National Lottery Heritage Fund website. The interview period will be 16 November - 1 December 2022, with decisions announced in December.

How we can help

So, If you’re considering applying for this fund and think some expert input would help your chances of winning funding, we’re here to help!

  • As an innovation agency we’re skilled in using a range of techniques to deliver transformative solutions, so if you need a theory of change, a business model or a (light-touch) transformation strategy then we can help you define and refine your idea.
  • We can help you map your workforce, either its specific digital maturity or its more general capabilities, using the techniques and insight we generated when creating the Digital Culture Compass.
  • As a research organisation we can help you work out how best to evidence the project you want funding to support, using either qualitative or quantitative techniques.
  • Finally, as an organisation that bids for and wins funding, we can help you with your application.

Or, if you just need a quick chat to bounce some ideas around, please get in touch! Email richard.leeming@theaudienceagency.org