FUTURE PARKS ACCELERATOR PROGRAMME EVALUATION

The National Lottery Heritage Fund (The Fund) was set up in 1994 under the National Lottery Act and distributes money raised by the National Lottery to support projects involving the national, regional and local heritage of the United Kingdom.

We operate under the auspices of the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF).

Since January 2019 we have been operating under our current Strategic Framework: 'Inspiring, leading and resourcing the UK's heritage'.

The Fund invests in the full breadth of the UK's natural, cultural and intangible heritage.

Through our funding, our vision is to create positive and lasting change for people and communities now and in the future.

This is reflected in the six outcomes which underpin our grant-making.

The National Trust (NT) was founded in 1895 on the simple and enduring idea that people need historic, beautiful and natural places that offer people perspective, escape, relaxation and a sense of identity.

The natural world also gives people fresh air, clean water and clear seas.

Over the last 120 years the NT has become one of the UK's largest charities, caring for historic properties and areas of beautiful countryside.

The NT welcomes everyone to explore: 780 miles of coastline, Over 248,000 hectares of land and Over 500 historic houses, castles, ancient monuments, gardens and parks and nature reserves.

Looking after the places in NT's care now and in the future is its first responsibility.

But NT's 'Playing our part' strategy to 2025 is also about how NT rises to the big challenges of the 21st century and how they works with others to find solutions.

One of the four main areas that the NT strategy focuses is: Helping look after the places where people live, which has a strong focus on supporting parks and green spaces.

Within this area the NT will:  help find innovative new ways to manage local parks and heritage.  explore and give support to local authorities, charities and communities in how to  manage local heritage and green space.  promote the importance of local heritage and green space, taking a leading role in Heritage Open Days celebrating why these places matter and how people can help look after them.

The Future Parks Accelerator (FPA) is a UK-wide initiative to support local authorities and communities transform the way their urban green space estates are funded and managed.

Need is urgent as most local authority budgets for green space management will be slashed to zero by 2020 as parks are a non-statutory services.

The vision of the FPA is to create a critical mass of public parks and greenspaces in the UK on a path to sustainability and transformation to deliver even greater public benefits for the next generation A FULL DESCRIPTION OF THE REQUIREMENT IN WITHIN THE ATTACHED ITT DOCUMENT.