Heritage Forward has a wide focus. The process is open to organisations working with any form of heritage, with an annual unrestricted income of less than £1m.

Eligible organisations include:

• Museums – independent and accredited museums across Wales, many of which are volunteer-led and serve rural or post-industrial communities.
• Galleries – visual arts venues that care for and display collections of historic and contemporary significance.
• Historic buildings which are performance venues – architecturally and historically significant buildings that have been adapted as cultural spaces.
• Historic buildings and sites that are providing a community resource – these include former industrial or civic buildings now used for community benefit, providing a venue for activities and services that are greatly valued.
• Organisations that work to engage people with heritage in all its forms, for example, those seeking to protect and nurture wildlife and nature or groups working to preserve and share non-physical heritage, including language, oral history, traditions, crafts and music.

These organisations are all united in their vital role to safeguard Wales’s rich and distinctive heritage — both tangible and intangible — and their need for strengthened organisational resilience to continue their work.

Consultation

Before making an application, interested organisations are required to undertake a short consultation meeting with A&B Cymru to explore support needs and determine suitability for Heritage Forward.

A 4-Step Journey

Stage 1: Application

Should A&B Cymru deem the organisation eligible for support, an application form will be emailed. This must be submitted to the allocated Project Manager no later than Friday 30 January 2026.

Stage 2: Assessment

The Project Manager will conduct an in-depth diagnostic interview with each successful organisation to understand their strengths and areas for development across key functions. This assessment will be used to co-create a tailored action plan for each organisation.

Stage 3: Action

Some organisations may require intensive one-to-one support; others may benefit more from facilitated workshops. Support areas could include:

Core Business Skills:

• Training courses covering a wide range of business skills, led by experts from our network, including marketing, digital engagement, engaging under-represented groups and strategy.
• Skills Bank will match the specialist expertise of business managers with the needs of organisations. In a short-term, part-time placement, the adviser transfers their skills in areas such as business planning, marketing or finance.
• Mentor Bank will match senior business executives with senior heritage staff to encourage their personal and professional development.

Fundraising & Income Generation:

• Training courses covering topics including strategy, sponsorship, trusts and foundations, individual giving and trading activity (e.g. café, or retail offer).
• Fundraising mentoring will be delivered by experienced, professional fundraisers.

Strengthening Governance

• On Board, a training course aimed at Trustees and senior staff responsible for reporting to a Board. It provides a focused approach to good governance, exploring what truly makes an effective Board.
• Board Bank will place business managers with specialist skills onto the Boards of heritage organisations to aid their health and sustainability.
• Diversity in Governance will place professionals from underrepresented backgrounds onto the Boards of heritage organisations to influence decision making and change.
• Young Professionals on Boards will give business leaders of the future, aged between 21-35, the opportunity to secure their first Trustee roles on the boards of heritage organisations.

Throughout the project, we will develop and publish a range of practical resources, such as case studies and templates, for recipients’ use.

Stage 4: Follow up

On completion of the action plan, the recipient will submit a short evaluation to gauge the initial success of the project and identify any further skills needs. The level of after-care will depend on the individual needs of the organisation.

1. What does Heritage Forward do?

Heritage Forward offers bespoke advice, one to one support and practical tools to help organisations strengthen their leadership, governance, financial planning, fundraising and day-to-day operations.

Support is tailored to each organisation and may include:

• An organisational assessment, identifying strengths and areas for development.
• One-to-one strategic advice, addressing specific issues and concerns you may have.
• Mentoring and expert support.
• Relevant training courses.
• Access to our comprehensive toolkits and guidance.
• Opportunities to connect with other heritage organisations and access business expertise.
• Free membership of A&B Cymru

2. Is Heritage Forward a grant-giving scheme?

Heritage Forward does not provide grant funding. It offers expertise and practical support to address key issues.

3. Who is Heritage Forward for?

Heritage Forward is open to organisations working with any form of heritage.  Eligible organisations include:

• Museums
• Galleries
• Historic buildings which are performance venues
• Historic buildings and sites that are providing a community resource
• Organisations that work to engage people with heritage in all it’s forms

To be eligible to apply, organisations should:

• Have an annual unrestricted income of under £1 million pounds.
• Have a clear heritage or cultural engagement focus and remit.
• Have the capacity to participate fully in the process.

4. What is the application process?

The process has two stages:

Stage 1 – Initial conversation
This is an informal, structured conversation with the Project Manager. We will ask questions covering areas such as governance, finance, strategic planning and community engagement. The aim is to understand your organisation and check that Heritage Forward is the right fit for your organisation.

Stage 2 – Assessment and planning
Organisations invited to progress will be asked to submit a formal application and participate in a more detailed organisational assessment. This stage is essential to ensure that the support offered is appropriate, relevant, tailored and useful.

5. What is the selection criteria?

Organisations are assessed on:

• How well they align with the aims of Heritage Forward.
• Size of organisation, capacity and current challenges.
• Readiness to engage in strategic development work.
• Commitment to acting on recommendations and making changes where needed.

6. How long does the support last?

Heritage Forward is a bespoke support programme, so the length of time will vary, depending on needs and circumstances. Some organisations may need short, focused interventions, while others will benefit from longer-term input and development support.

7. What is expected from participating organisations?

Organisations taking part are expected to:

• Engage openly and honestly with the assessment process.
• Share relevant governance, strategic and financial information.
• Commit to agreed actions and development priorities.
• Take part fully in mentoring, workshops and peer-learning activities.