The European Research Infrastructure for Heritage Science (E-RIHS) is a pan-European distributed infrastructure aimed to improve the understanding and sustainable preservation of cultural heritage. E-RIHS IP will implement the E-RIHS governance structure and finalise its distributed architecture; (ii) support its management with strategies and related implementation plans regarding HR, procurement, risk management and quality system; (iii) maintain and build upon the established excellence in user access and foster FAIR open access with the design of the DIGILAB platform; (iv) strengthen international cooperation, cultivate synergies and consolidate the HS community, establishing E-RIHS in the landscape of EU RIs and global initiatives; (v) secure the ERIC sustainability and unlock its socioeconomic impact potential by providing E-RIHS with an updated business plan and a marketing strategy tailored for its new lifecycle phase. Coordinated by the Italian Consiglio Nazionale della Ricerca, the project gathers 19 partners from 14 EU countries. Launched on the 1^st of October 2022, the project will run for 36 months.