News from the AHF

2010-11 Annual Review
The fully illustrated Annual Review (8MB) contains details of all the projects the AHF is currently supporting, and those which were completed with the AHF’s help during the financial year.

Deadlines for Applications in 2012
Any charity wishing to apply for loans and grants in 2012 should note the application deadlines for the quarterly meetings which are as follows: 8 February, 9 May, 15 August and 24 October.

The Architectural Heritage Fund to manage major new fund to save historic buildings at risk in England

The Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation is contributing £1million over five years to a new 'Challenge Fund for Historic Buildings At Risk in England'. The Foundation's contribution is being matched by English Heritage and the total fund of £2million will be managed by The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF).

The Challenge Fund is targeted at the most important buildings at risk in England, those listed at Grade I and Grade II* and which appear on the Heritage At Risk register. Support from the Fund, which is only open to registered charities, will be primarily for capital grants. It is expected that funding from the Challenge Fund will act as 'pump-priming' support to encourage organisations that have been inactive for some years or have not previously tackled a project involving Grade I and Grade II* buildings and promote financial support from other public and charitable sector funding bodies. Applications will also be considered for projects which have 'stalled' and where an investment such as this could lead to it being re-started.

For full application details please see Guidance for Applicants.

For a press release on the new Fund please see English Heritage press release.

New guidance for local authorities and public sector bodies looking to transfer the ownership and management of historic buildings, monuments or landscapes to community-based organisations is now available on the English Heritage website http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/caring/get-involved/take-ownership/.

This guidance, which has been compiled in partnership with the Heritage Lottery Fund, National Trust, Architectural Heritage Fund, Prince’s Regeneration Trust and the Development Trust Association’s Asset Transfer Unit, comes at a time when the Government is encouraging communities to play a bigger role in improving their local areas. In addition, the Localism Bill proposes that local people are given first refusal on buying assets of community value.

Community ownership can help prevent a building or open space that has historic significance from falling into disrepair. It can also provide an alternative means of providing a local service or amenity, such as a community hall.

The guidance covers a range of issues from the viewpoint of the local authority and the community respectively. These include taking stock of heritage assets, formulating transfer strategies, developing support for the project, assessing options for new uses, managing the risks, agreeing terms for transfer, raising finance and maintaining long-term viability. The guidance offers tips and checklists and provides numerous links to sources of further advice and support.

Guidance on the transfer of historic assets launched
English Heritage, along with partners in the Heritage Lottery Fund, the National Trust, the Architectural Heritage Fund, the Prince's Regeneration Trust and the Development Trust Association's Asset Transfer Unit have come together to commission a new guidance note and summary.

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