Major shake-up at National Lottery

FUNDING decisions for the National Lottery of up to £5 million are to be decided in Scotland after a shake-up in the way money is distributed.

The Heritage Lottery Fund is changing its name to the The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and has unveiled new strategies for dispersing lottery funds.

There will a new focus on “Scotland’s nature and landscapes, communities, and on ensuring everyone is able to enjoy heritage”.

The lottery money will also be used for loans, as well as grants.

It has also promised greater support for “Scotland’s two most under-funded and disadvantaged regions; North Lanarkshire and Inverclyde.”

Ros Kerslake, chief executive of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Over the next five years, The National Lottery Heritage Fund will inspire, lead and resource the UK’S heritage, distributing more than £1 billion. So we will be making more decisions on funding locally and focusing on the heritage that really matters to people, creating jobs, bringing economic prosperity and improving people’s lives right across the UK.”

Funding offers now include the National Lottery Grants for Heritage, “an open programme for any type of heritage project from £3,000– £5m”.

There will also be “heritage funding campaigns designed to fulfil strategic needs or funding gaps. The first two campaigns will launch in 2019 focusing on: helping organisations build their capacity and organisational resilience; and helping to build digital capabilities”.

There will be two rounds of major grants of over £5m in 2020–21 and 2022–23. www.heritagefund.org.uk