The Catalyst grants initiatives form part of a broader partnership initiative between HLF, DCMS and Arts Council England (ACE). It aims to encourage more private giving to culture and heritage, and to build the capacity and skills of cultural and heritage organisations to fundraise from private donors, corporate sources, trusts and foundations.
Through the Heritage Lottery Fund, you can apply to one of three different grants initiatives under Catalyst:
Grants of £3,000 to £10,000
This is a £2million grants initiative for heritage organisations who can apply for funding to support activities that will bring them sustainable financial benefits through access to new sources of private funding, such as individual or corporate donors, trusts and foundations. This will open for applications on 4 February 2013.
Catalyst heritage: Building fundraising capacity - small grants is now open for applications.
Umbrella grants of £100,000 to £500,000
This is a £3million grants initiative for umbrella bodies providing support services for heritage organisations. Projects will deliver a range of capacity building services, learning and networking opportunities to enable heritage organisations to increase the funding they receive from private sources, such as individual and corporate donors, trusts and foundations.
Catalyst heritage: Building fundraising capacity - umbrella grants: This programme closed for applications on 29 March 2013.
This offers eligible heritage organisations in the UK the opportunity to match-fund the creation, or further development, of an endowment fund with the aim of providing a long-term income.
Catalyst: Endowments: This programme closed to applications on 31 December 2012.
During September and October 2012, HLF conducted further consultation on the capacity building needs of heritage organisations when accessing new sources of funding, including private donors, trusts and foundations and corporate supporters. 307 organisations participated in a survey, and 39 organisations participated in one of three focus groups, held in Manchester, London and Cardiff. Findings from this research have helped to shape the Catalyst grants initiatives, and may be helpful to applicants when thinking about their projects.
Access the full report on this research.
Through the Heritage Lottery Fund, you can apply to one of three different grants initiatives under Catalyst:
- Catalyst: Endowments – grants of £500,000 or £1million
- Catalyst heritage: building fundraising capacity - umbrella grants of £100,000 to £500,000
- Catalyst heritage: building fundraising capacity - grants of £3000 to £10,000
If you made an application for a Catalyst: endowments grant in the first funding round (decisions announced in June 2012) and were unsuccessful, you can apply again, but you must choose the grant that you apply for (so, for example, you could not apply for another Catalyst: endowments grant as well as a Catalyst heritage: building fundraising capacity grant of £3000 to £10,000).
Similarly, if you are applying for the first time for a Catalyst grant, you cannot submit two applications simultaneously – you can only apply for one of the grants initiatives listed above.
It is very unlikely that you will qualify for a Catalyst award from both the Arts Council England as well as Heritage Lottery Fund, and you should think carefully about which scheme is most appropriate for your organisation before you apply. If you are unsure about who you should be applying to, contact our information enquiry line for further information: 020 7591 6044, or see the Arts Council’s website.