1. Mark Wilkinson – November 2014
An aid to developing good HLF bids - with tips from those who have (Part 1)
This guide to developing good HLF bids has been designed to give staff in the EA and our partner organisations insight into HLF grant programmes most suited to funding nature conservation and improvements in river catchments and it contains short videos of two of our most experienced HLF practitioners. If are considering making an HLF bid or have shortly embarked on one then this guide could be for you. It lasts XX, will run automatically and can be paused at any time.
Mark Wilkinson – November 2014

2. Outline of Part 1 Introduction to HLF HLF grant programmes:
Our Heritage
Please see Part 2 for:
Heritage Grants
Landscape Partnership Schemes
More Information

3. If you’re listening to this you probably know something about the Heritage Lottery Fund or HLF. Their commitment to making a lasting difference to heritage and people has made them one of the biggest and most valued funders of nature conservation and biodiversity in the UK. The video on the About Us page of their web site is a good way of getting an overview of the many ways HLF have benefited the UKs heritage through the projects they’ve funded.
HLFs annual budget is currently £375m (set until 2018) which they divide it between a number of funding programmes. The good news for those interested in nature conservation is that HLF has explicitly stated that it wants to fund more natural heritage projects.

4. HLF projects must deliver... Outcomes for Heritage
better managed (w)
in better condition (w)
better interpreted and explained
identified/recorded
Like most funders HLF have a set of outcomes that it wants its applicants to deliver in return for receiving its funding some of which are weighted as being of higher value to HLF (these are shown in red). These divide between outcomes for heritage...

5. Outcomes for People developed skills (w) learnt about heritage (w)
changed their attitudes and/or behaviour
had an enjoyable experience
volunteered time
Outcomes for people....

6. ...and outcomes for Communities
environmental impacts will be reduced (w)
more people and a wider range of people will have engaged with heritage (w)
your local area/community will be a better place to live, work or visit
your local economy will be boosted
your organisation will be more resilient
and outcomes for communities.
At a minimum applicants for grants under £2m must be able to show they will deliver one outcome from each. Applicants for grants over £2m must be able to deliver more outcomes.

7. Other Features Criteria apply so read the guidance
Specific conditions for work taking place on private land
Speak to your grant officer and double check
Government eligible only if work is ‘additional’
HLF regionally structured. Applications over £2m are evaluated nationally.
In addition to their desired outcomes HLF grant programmes come with a number of criteria which you’d be wise to check if applying lest you discover that your project or a part of it is ineligible. For instance if a bid includes work on private land that land must be adjacent to land owned by a not-for-profit, or public body, or be accessible under the Countryside & Rights of Way Act (2000). Always read the guidance carefully and speak to your grant officer so you know everything that’s involved in making an application. Missing important details can cause delays or lead to your application being turned down.
It’s always worth remembering that Lottery funding is money from the general public to the good causes. If the Environment Agency or other government bodies apply f we must be able to prove that the work we want funded is additional to our statutory duties.
HLFs structure is based on the former government regions and their regional teams receive with the majority of applications which come in under £2m. Regional committees made up of a panel of experts meet to decide which projects to fund from the region’s budget every quarter. Awards for grants over £2m are made by a national panel at HLFs Head Office.
Now let’s take a closer look at the three types of funding programme you’re most likely to want to apply to if you have a project aimed at improving habitats, wildlife or river catchments.

8. Our Heritage Grants £10,000 - £100,000 Up to 95% funding
One Stage process (excl. EoI)
Evaluated in 8 weeks
All types of project funded
The smallest funding programme with potential to fund catchment projects is ‘Our Heritage’. It offers funding between £10,000 and £100,000 and will generously fund up to 95 per cent of the project’s total value, though in reality you’ll need to offer much more than 5 per cent match funding in order to be competitive, though all of your match funding can be an in-kind contribution.
Happily bidding for an HG is a one stage process in which HLF are committed to giving you a decision within 8 weeks.
It’s a good potential fund though slightly if more involving than comparably sized funding programmes offered by the Landfill Communities Fund. There are advantages and disadvantages to any grant programme this size so you’re best to compare and contrast the ones you’re interested in before making a decision.

9. This is not a funding programme the EA has much history of applying to since we tend to lead or partner applications to the bigger grant programmes outlined in this guide. To get a flavour of the types of project the HLF has supported through its Our Heritage Programme or any of its programmes for the matter simply go to HLFs website and search its project database.

10. Example ?
There you will find Land & Natural Heritage projects which you can Google to learn about or for inspiration as to what you could develop yourself. Project’s such as Kielder’s Water Vole Heritage...

11. ...Or Wild about Worthing, for example.

12. To continue please see: An aid to developing good HLF bids (Part 2)
Produced by Mark Wilkinson
For more information contact:
Sam Todd, Partnership Funding Advisor Environment Agency Partnership Funding Team