Impact and Evaluation Strategy

AHF Impact Report

Our Impact Report analyses the data we gather from grant and loan recipients to understand the difference AHF funding and support makes in the development of their projects, and the difference their projects make within their communities. We use this analysis to refine and strengthen our activities to ensure we are having the greatest positive impact on the heritage-regeneration sector. Where broader lessons may be helpful to other funders and sector partners in designing their own programmes, we have picked these out in our report.

Download our 2023/24 Impact Report.

Download our 2020/23 Impact Report.

Download an interim report on the delivery of our Strategy.

Download our 2021/22 Impact Report. 

Download our 2020/21 Impact Report.

Programme Reports

Scotland Programmes, 2019-24

Made possible with funding from Historic Environment Scotland, the William Grant Foundation, and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the AHF provides grants, loans and other non-financial elements of support for sustainable community-led heritage regeneration projects in Scotland.

During the spring and summer of 2024, we appointed RF Associates to assess our grants and loan programmes in Scotland during the five-year period from April 2019 to March 2024. Our Scotland Programmes 2019-24 Evaluation Report summarises the findings of this evaluation, along with data collected via our 2020-2023 Evaluation Framework. This evaluation indicates sector stakeholders and project beneficiaries believe if AHF support did not exist, less regeneration activity would be happening in Scotland, and many more important buildings would remain disused or be lost entirely.

Download our Scotland Programmes 2019-24 Evaluation Report.

Download an Evaluation of AHF Scotland Programmes by RF Associates.

Heritage Development Trusts

The pilot Heritage Development Trusts (HDTs) initiative was one strand of the Transforming Places through Heritage programme delivered by the Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) from 2019-23. Funded by the UK Government’s Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) as part of the Future High Streets Fund, the programme supported projects led by charities and social enterprises with the potential to contribute to the transformation of high streets and town centres in England. The HDTs initiative supported seven organisations taking a multi-project approach to restoring and managing historic buildings, helping them develop a portfolio of income-generating assets. 

A Case Study Report, prepared by The Audience Agency, offers valuable insights from three HDTs, which will help shape a new HDT programme funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The executive summary is now available and provides key recommendations for the future of heritage-led regeneration.

Download the Case Study Report for the Heritage Development Trusts Pilot Funding Programme.

Transforming Places Through Heritage, 2019-23

2019 saw the launch of the Architectural Heritage Fund’s Transforming Places Through Heritage, a new grants programme funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, with the aim of supporting charities and social enterprises to save and find new uses for historic buildings located on high streets and in town centres. We are delighted to be able to share the final report, documenting the achievements and lessons learned from the programme.

Download our TPTH Final Report.

Download an External Evaluation Report of TPTH by ERS Research & Consultancy. 

Download our TPTH Impact Report Year 2.

Download our TPTH Impact Report Year 1.

Heritage Transformed in Wales and Northern Ireland, 2020-23

April 2020 saw the launch of the Architectural Heritage Fund's Heritage Transformed in Wales and Northern Ireland programme, made possible thanks to the generous support of our funding partners, The Pilgrim Trust, Garfield Weston Foundation, Cadw and the Department for Communities. The programme was designed to offer advice, guidance and grants to communities throughout Wales and Northern Ireland to save and find sustainable uses for historic buildings they love.

In the three years since the programme launched, we have made 124 grant offers to 94 heritage building projects totalling over £1.7m. Despite the significant impact of COVID during the three years, our End of Programme Report: 2020-23 shows the importance of historic buildings in addressing the needs of communities across Wales and Northern Ireland.

Ddownload our Heritage Transformed in Wales and Northern Ireland End of Programme Report: 2020-23.