This funding supports communities to understand, celebrate and promote heritage and culture in NSW. Applications are sought for heritage projects that actively engage or reach a large number of participants.
Key information
- Status: Closed
- Grant amount: Up to $50,000
- Application opened: 10 September 2022
- Application closed: 2 December 2022, 12:00 pm
Program objective
The NSW Government is looking for innovative ideas to engage people in our heritage stories, boost public access to state’s most significant heritage places and stimulate local economies across NSW.
Through this Community Heritage Grants program, Heritage NSW is seeking ideas which actively promote heritage through meaningful engagement with the community. This program encourages innovative thinkers to utilise modern technologies to connect younger generations to NSW heritage.
This is a competitive funding round, eligible applicants can apply for up to $50,000 to engage local and broader communities.
Successful projects must be delivered between July 2023 and May 2025.
This program is funded and administered by Heritage NSW.
Eligibility
Who can apply
You can apply for the Community Heritage Grants category if you:
- are a local council, Local Aboriginal Land Council, business, non-government organisation, community group or individual with your operations and headquarters in NSW (if you are a business or incorporated entity)
- have an ABN.
Things to note
You will need to prove in your application that you can complete the project. We’ll look at past success in delivering projects, how you have planned your project and budget, and the level of support, collaboration or partnerships you have with others.
Who can’t apply
You cannot apply for funding under the Community Heritage Grants category if:
- you do not have an ABN
- you are a State or Federal Government agency
- your business or entity is located or incorporated outside of NSW.
What you can apply for
This grant can be used for a range of services, programs, products, projects and activities that:
- actively engage people in understanding, celebrating and promoting NSW heritage and culture.
- where Aboriginal cultural heritage is included, can demonstrate consultation with, and support of, the local Aboriginal custodians.
Projects we allow:
- cultural or interpretative performances, festivals and events
- educational events
- oral histories and film projects
- promotional material
- digital and web-based products and services
- trails, tours and tourism promotions
- interactive displays and exhibitions
- cultural workshops
- commemorative events.
Things to note
Think about how you can actively engage a broad range of people. We want you to consider things like; including people of all ages, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, or people who come from different geographical locations.
The project must have a NSW heritage focus, and you can engage with people beyond NSW. Also think about how you will accurately collect information and who will be involved in the delivery of the project.
What can’t you apply for
An outline of the types of activities that will not funded are show below in Table 3.
Projects we do not allow
- Aboriginal cultural heritage projects that do not demonstrate satisfactory engagement or consultation with local Aboriginal communities.
- Any project work and associated costs, not including pre-planning, that occurs before 1 July 2023.
- If you have already developed and promoted the project (such as events or festivals) before you applied for funding.;
- Duplication of an existing ongoing service or product to the same participant group.
- In-house project management by salaried officers as either voluntary or cash contributions.
- Business set up or operating costs.
- Projects that will need to rely on ongoing grant funding.
- Projects that are part of a university degree or designed to obtain qualifications at other educational institutions.
- Purchase of or relocation of heritage items.
- Works to commemorative monuments or headstones.
- Purchase of equipment for example lawn mowers, digital equipment etc.
- Routine maintenance such as gardening, gutter cleaning, carpet cleaning etc.
- Projects related exclusively to either research, celebrations, publications, CD’s, DVD’s, applications or similar that are not part of a broader community engagement project.
- Projects that have a negative impact on heritage values or to community cohesion and wellbeing.
In exceptional circumstances, Heritage NSW reserve the right to recommend funding for activities that may not fully meet the eligibility criteria or transfer your application to another funding program if deemed appropriate.
Most recent recipients
What was approved
Approved for Albury City Council
$36,615 was approved by
Director Customer Services Heritage NSWDate approved
July 2023Location of the recipient
Albury CityAbout the grant
Applications approved
16
Applications received
72
Community Heritage Grants
Agency funding this grant
Heritage NSWProgram term
Two yearsWhat was approved
Approved for Carnivore Films
$32,000 was approved by
Director Customer Services Heritage NSWDate approved
July 2023Location of the recipient
NewcastleAbout the grant
Applications approved
16
Applications received
72
Community Heritage Grants
Agency funding this grant
Heritage NSWProgram term
Two yearsWhat was approved
Approved for Central Darling Shire Council
$45,455 was approved by
Director Customer Services Heritage NSWDate approved
July 2023Location of the recipient
Central DarlingAbout the grant
Applications approved
16
Applications received
72
Community Heritage Grants
Agency funding this grant
Heritage NSWProgram term
Two yearsWhat was approved
Approved for City of Ryde Council
$8,000 was approved by
Director Customer Services Heritage NSWDate approved
July 2023Location of the recipient
RydeAbout the grant
Applications approved
16
Applications received
72
Community Heritage Grants
Agency funding this grant
Heritage NSWProgram term
Two yearsWhat was approved
Approved for Curious Legends
$50,000 was approved by
Director Customer Services Heritage NSWDate approved
July 2023Location of the project
Port StephensLocation of the recipient
NewcastleAbout the grant
Applications approved
16
Applications received
72
Community Heritage Grants
Agency funding this grant
Heritage NSWProgram term
Two yearsWhat your application needs to include
Next steps in the application process
The next steps in the process have been outlined below in Table 6.
| Step | The process |
|---|---|
Step 1:
| Read these guidelines. Get your supporting documents ready such as quotes, plans and any letters of support from relevant groups. Contact us if you have any questions about your project eligibility or using SmartyGrants. |
| Step 2: Send in your application | Complete the online application form in SmartyGrants. You will be asked how your project meets the eligibility and assessment criteria. You will need to provide all the information requested. You will receive an email acknowledging receipt of your completed application. Applications open 10 September and must be in by 2 December 2022. |
| Step 3: Eligibility check | Heritage NSW will do a completeness check and determine if your application is eligible. Refer to Eligibility criteria on Page 8. Only applications considered complete and eligible will progress to steps 4 and 5. |
| Step 4: Suitability check | A group of heritage experts will review your projects to make sure that it does not have a negative impact on heritage values, or to community cohesion and wellbeing. If not considered suitable your application will be deemed ineligible and will not go through Step 5. |
| Step 5: Prioritisation | The Grants and Sponsorship Advisory Committee will review your project against the assessment criteria and rank all applications. Recommendations will be made to the Director Customer Services Heritage NSW |
| Step 6: Decision | The Director Customer Services, Heritage NSW will decide:
|
| Step 7: Notification | We’ll let you know the outcome of your application by 30 June 2023. There is no appeal process and the decision on applications is final. The Heritage Grants Team can provide feedback on your application. |
| Step 8: Funding agreements | If you are successful, we’ll send you a funding agreement to sign |
| Step 9 Project commencement | Projects can start from 1 July 2023. |
| Step 10: Reporting and acquittal | You must send in regular progress reports throughout the project. Your final report on the project’s outcomes and expenditure is due by May 2025. |
Address the eligibility criteria
Your application will be reviewed by Heritage NSW to check if it meets the eligibility criteria. Table 4 below set out the key eligibility criteria that you must address during the application process.
What we will review
- You are an eligible applicant operating in NSW with an ABN
- Your project will actively engage people in understanding, celebrating and promoting NSW heritage and culture.
Address the assessment criteria
The assessment criteria outlined below in Table 5 is used to rank and decide which projects will be funded. Your application will only be assessed if it is eligible and complete.
Heritage NSW will consider cultural sensitivities and conflicts of interest throughout the process.
Funding is limited so you are not guaranteed a grant even if you meet all the eligibility and assessment criteria.
| Criterion | What we will assess | We will consider |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Long-term quality heritage benefits and outcomes | The significance of the heritage issue in NSW. How the project will have an enduring impact and benefit on a heritage site, issue or on tourism. The risk to heritage knowledge if the project is not done. |
| 2 | Project reach and participants | How the project introduces heritage to new participants, with particular focus on the diversity of people (i.e. age, culturally & linguistically diverse backgrounds, geographic locations) The number of participants engaged in total. |
| 3 | Method of engagement | The methods used to actively engage the audience and how it encourages the long-term transfer of heritage knowledge or ongoing participation in heritage. The distribution pathways of any materials produced. |
| 4 | Diversity and inclusion | How the project involves an item listed on the State Heritage Register, First Nations, LGBTQI+, or migrant heritage themes. We will prioritise projects that involve one or more of these themes. We will also consider if the project considers accessibility issues. |
| 5 | Value for money | We will review any detailed budgets and project scope, as well as any supporting documents, to ensure the good use of public funds by prioritising cost-effective projects. |
| 6 | Quality of the project and proof of concept | How well you have planned the project, including planning for risk. How the project uses appropriate sources or consultants to ensure the quality and accuracy of heritage information. |
| 7 | Capacity and commitment to deliver the project | How likely is the project to be successfully completed. We may also consider:
|
| 8 | Availability of alternate funding | Whether other funding sources are available and the likelihood of the project proceeding without this program’s grant funding |
Heritage NSW reserves the right to consider any other relevant information that emerges following receipt of applications.
After the application is submitted
Successful applications will be decided by: Director Customer Services, Heritage NSW,
For full details read the Community Heritage Grants Program guidelines. (PDF 422.62KB)
We’ll let you know the outcome of your application by 30 June 2023.
There is no appeal process and the decision on applications is final. The Heritage Grants Team can provide feedback on your application.
If your project application is successful:
- your name, details of your project and amount of funding provided will published.
- you will have to sign a funding agreement with terms and conditions.
- you must acknowledge NSW government funding.
- you will need to regularly report back on key measures of success.
- you must ensure that information is accurate and seek the advice of a heritage specialist
- where appropriate.
Heritage NSW will ask permission to use materials for media and publicity such as photos, videos, documents etc.
Things to note
Once the funding agreement is signed, you will receive payments in stages against the agreed milestones and 50% of the funding will be paid up-front.
At least 10% of the grant will be held until after the project is finished. Heritage NSW will check the quality of the project, and that all requirements have been met, before making the final payment. The payment amount will be based on actual project costs.
Full conditions for payment will be outlined in the funding agreement and payment schedule.
If you are registered for GST, it will be added to funding amount except for local government grant recipients.
Grants under this program may result in financial, taxation, legal or other impacts. We recommended that you seek independent financial advice on receiving a grant.
You might also want to get advice from the Australian Tax Office if you have questions about your individual situation.
Support and contact
Contact Heritage NSW if you have any questions
- Phone: 02 9873 8500
- Email: heritagemailbox@environment.nsw.gov.au