Only 12% of companies have been involved so far in applications for Lottery funding and just 6% have been part of joint applications. The findings come from a survey of 160 member companies of BITC, the Per Cent Club and the Professional Firms Group carried out by KPMG in November and published at the BITC AGM on December 7. The biggest barriers seem to be lack of knowledge of the process, cited by 64%, while 41% said the Lottery will change or actually increase the approaches they receive for help.
Speaking at the BITC AGM, heritage secretary, Virginia Bottomley MP, urged business to maximise their impact in the local community by supporting projects bidding for Lottery money. Contact James Froomberg, KPMG, on 0171 311 2440
WIDER FUNDING CRITERIA
The Department for National Heritage is consulting on proposed changes to funding criteria which would allow Lottery money to develop individual young people with artistic and sporting talent, revenue funding of certain arts projects and major sporting events. By the time of the announcement on January 22, some 4,800 awards worth £1 billion had been made to the ‘good causes’ from the various Lottery funds. Contact DNH Public Enquiries on 0171 211 6200
FUNDS DISTRIBUTED
On December 19, the Charities Board made a final distribution from its first round of grants, which focused on poverty and low income. Over 1,200 organisations received £80 million, bringing the total to £160 million.
On December 20, the Heritage Fund made awards to 34 organisations worth £25 million, the largest to the National Gallery in London. So far 170 grants have been made totalling £95.8 million.
On January 18, the Sports Council made its tenth distribution with £16.5 million to 112 sports clubs. Contact Charities Board on 0171 747 5299; Heritage Fund on 0171 930 0963; Sports Council on 0345 649649
NEW PUBLICATIONS
NCVO published in December a factual briefing paper on the workings of the National Lottery and other lottery schemes in Britain (ISBN 0 7199 1488 4 £5). The Charities Aid Foundation and Centurion Press has launched a new quarterly magazine for Lottery grant seekers, imaginatively entitled Lottery. (ISSN 1361 844X £30 pa). Contact NCVO on 0171 713 6161 or Lottery Subscriptions on 0199 252 3943
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