The Heritage Alliance, a coalition of 89 heritage organisations in England, has won a development grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. This allows it to develop its bid for a major fundraising initiative, Giving to Heritage, to the final submission stage in September this year.

Giving to Heritage will be a three-year project to develop the fundraising skills of people responsible for heritage projects and associated social and educational programmes. It will build their capacity to access public funding as well as donations from philanthropists and corporate sponsorship. It will be run in partnership with the Institute of Fundraising and cover a range of techniques including on-site fundraising, supporter giving, membership and friends schemes and digital giving.

Heritage Alliance Chair Loyd Grossman said: “We are delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund has approved further development work on this important project. The Heritage Alliance recognises the importance of boosting the fundraising expertise of heritage groups and local communities. Our heritage requires care and investment in order to continue to contribute to our national wellbeing and prosperity.”

The proposal is central to the Heritage Alliance’s response to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s 10-point Philanthropy Plan, particularly section four, which specifies “developing fundraising skills and capacity across the culture sector”. If the proposal wins the final round of bidding, the UK-wide programme will begin in January 2014.

www.theheritagealliance.org.uk