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Funding of £10,000 for Heritage Sector in Wales

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“Steps to Sustainability” programme will launch the second round in June 2021 to support the heritage sector in Wales. Organisations can apply for seed and match funding grant of up to £10,000 to develop a new income-generating idea.

The programme is running again across Wales to strengthen strategic leadership and income-generating skills. Made possible thanks to funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the programme will be delivered by the Social Enterprise Academy Wales, which provides transformational learning and development programmes for people and organisations working for social change.

Applications are open to members of staff with a high level of influence within heritage organisations. The programme is aimed at those who are in a position to help increase the sustainability of their organisation and lead in a way that helps to generate and diversify their heritage organisation’s income.

All successful organisations will be eligible to apply for seed and match funding grant of up to £10,000 to create and idea to incentivise increased trading income during and immediately after the programme.

In Round 1, 52 staff, volunteers and board members from 28 heritage organisations across Scotland, England and Wales were successful with their applications and have started on their sustainability journey. When asked about their experience, one current participant said the programme is “a really valuable way in which to invest time for the future of your organisation.”

Another said “All aspects of the programme have been useful, it has been very beneficial to gain insight into other projects which has made us think about our community involvement and engagement much more.”

Donna Petrie, Programme & Delivery Manager at the Social Enterprise Academy said:

“As museums and heritage organisations look to recover from the impact of Covid-19, this responsive programme will help them become more resilient and enterprising. We’re delighted to be collaborating with our sector partners to support organisations across the UK build a sustainable future that supports local economies.”

Eilish McGuinness, Executive Director, Business Delivery, at The National Lottery Heritage Fund said:

“The COVID-19 pandemic has brought with it many uncertainties and challenges, but we are committed to helping the heritage community weather the impact and recover in the future. With our investment in the Social Enterprise Academy’s Steps to Sustainability programme, we aim to ensure that organisations across the UK who work with our all-important heritage are able to unlock their entrepreneurial potential. Through supporting leadership and developing income generation skills, these organisations will become well equipped to face any future challenges that might come their way.”

The exciting new heritage programme will also be supported by sector partners; Museums Galleries Scotland, Association of Independent Museums, Northern Ireland Museums Council and the Federation of Museums and Art Galleries of Wales.

The project will be led and managed by Social Enterprise Academy Scotland and Social Enterprise Academy Wales, in partnership with Wales Co-operative Centre.

To register interest and apply for Steps to Sustainability programme, please visit: Steps to Sustainability – event page

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