Heritage Fund gives green light for the use of AI in grant applications

The National Lottery Heritage Fund has released new guidance on using AI for applicants to its different grants programmes – and published a statement on how it will use machine learning itself.

The funder says that applicants can use AI tools such as ChatGPT or Claude to help complete project enquiries, expressions of interests and applications.

“We will not reject an application just because AI was used,” the guidance states. “We understand AI can support you to develop funding applications, especially if you don’t have much experience bidding for grants or have access needs. Many organisations find that using AI helps them write applications faster and with less effort.”

The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s tips for using AI in grant applications:

• Be specific about the heritage you want the funder to support.
• Provide detailed evidence rather than generic content.
• Double-check all information for accuracy.
• Avoid using AI for budget planning.
• Consider data privacy and environmental impacts.

But it also urged caution around the limitations of machine learning – including its tendency to produce generic content, buzzwords and incorrect information.

“AI can provide a useful starting point but won’t be able tell the unique story of the heritage project you want us to fund and may include plans that are not practical or suited to your requirements,” it says. “It’s your responsibility to ensure your application isn’t misleading or inaccurate.”

The guidance highlights the risks of using AI, such as data protection, as well as its impact on the environment. Estimates suggest that ChatGPT uses between 50 and 90 times more energy per query than a conventional online search.

In conclusion, the guidance suggests applicants “only use AI where it will clearly help you apply or significantly improve the quality of your application”.

Eilish McGuinness, the chief executive of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, said its approach to AI was in alignment with government guidance and would support grant applicants to use AI tools “safely and effectively”.

 “AI can support innovation, inclusion and storytelling – but your heritage, your voice and your community must remain at the heart of every application,” she added.

McGuinness said the funding body is also exploring how AI could help deliver its Heritage 2033 strategy – describing the technology as a “catalyst for creativity, accessibility and smarter decision-making”.

The funder's new statement outlining how its own use of AI promises transparency and efforts to balance the negative environmental impact of using AI tools with the benefits they offer.

“Our use of AI will be accompanied by effective and proportionate human oversight, which considers the different perspectives and lived experiences of our staff and stakeholders,” the statement explains.

“Where we choose to use AI, we’ll do so in a way that is ethical, secure, robust and safe for everyone. We’ll look for opportunities to use AI to increase inclusion and accessibility. And we’ll assess the accuracy, reliability and consistency of AI tools we use and encounter.

“We’ll be conscious that biases and inequalities exist in the development or use of AI tools and we’ll be active in identifying, communicating and addressing these.”

The guidance follows a statement released by Arts Council England (ACE) earlier this month, urging applicants to use generative AI “cautiously”.

ACE said that while it might use AI to manage the “operational processing of applications”, decisions about funding applications would always be made by people to ensure the process is fair, equitable and transparent.