Michael Murray

Development Manager – London Heritage Lottery Fund

HLF has £402.5 million to spend in 2013/14, £375 m in 2014/15

Collecting Cultures launched £5 million available to MLA sector; Grants between £50,000 £500,000; Application deadline 2 May

The Black Gardener Garden Museum £60,000

What can weaken museum projects?

1. Under-estimating resources required to develop and complete the project – Development phase too short to achieve ambitious fundraising targets – Insufficient staff resources during development phase. Projects under-estimate time required for project management and fundraising/project oversight – generally two separate roles.

– Insufficient contingency for historic building conservation, or insufficient survey work (e.g. Honeywood) 2. Planning for sustainability – How will you encourage people to come back after first visit/first year?

– – – On-going funding (e.g. commitments from local authority, ACE) Governance issues Business planning

What can weaken museum projects?

3. Insufficient consultation – – – Planning permission EH and amenity societies Not embedded with wider community, voluntary sector (e.g. volunteer recruitment, partnerships with non-heritage organisations)

What can weaken museum projects?

4. Other issues – Impact of changes in staff on project development and design (e.g. new curator with different ideas on interpretation) – Lack of ambition related to new audiences development, capital or activity programmes – Not considering the wider museum context (e.g. external landscaping) – Unsatisfactory building design – Poor accessibility – Insufficient digital infrastructure and licences – Insufficient information on significance of the collection – Budgeting errors/value for money

How do we assess applications?

• Heritage importance • Need or opportunity • Why now / why lottery funding?

• What outcomes will the project achieve?

• Value for money • Project well planned?

• Financially realistic?

• Sustainability

How can the development team help?

Provide advice and support before you apply Project enquiry form/ expression of interest forms available on our website

Project enquiry stage – some common themes:

• Uncertainty about HLF grant process, confusion about timescales • Focus on the ‘physical’ and people can be neglected • Lack of overall strategy and why this project should happen now • Speak to the sector, those who’ve been through a similar process • Capacity of the organisation to deliver project, and sustainability in the long term, and being realistic • Not reading HLF’s guidance!

Contact Us London

Michael Murray 020 7591 6183 [email protected]

Norma Pearson 020 7591 6190 [email protected]

Helen Greer 020 7591 6174 [email protected]

Gillian Goode 020 7591 6265 [email protected]