The Community Heritage Grants program supports community organisations to care for Australian moveable, cultural heritage collections.

The program has a strong focus on supporting local groups with limited funding who would benefit from access to professional cultural heritage expertise. Applications from Indigenous and multicultural organisations are encouraged.

Organisations progress through a three-stage journey, over multiple rounds, to learn about their collection, how to care for it, and plan for its future. Projects also aim to build the knowledge and skills of paid and volunteer staff to increase their capacity to share valuable heritage collections with all Australians.

There are three applicant categories:

• Applications for new applicants: This includes first time applicants and those who have not had a CHG project in the past five years (since 2020), will close on May 8 2025 - see application link here
• Applications for those who have recently completed a Community Heritage Grant project in the past 5 years will close 3 June 2025 - see application link here.
• Applications for training projects will close on 3 June 2025 - see application link here.

Eligible organisations

The Community Heritage Grants program is open to not-for-profit, incorporated organisations and federal, state/territory and local government agencies and university groups, that own or manage a moveable heritage collection of nationally significant material and which is accessible to the general public (either by appointment, via online platforms, or on temporary or permanent exhibition).

An organisation that wishes to apply for funding but which manages, rather than owns, the collection, must provide written permission from the legal owner of the collection with their application. Applicants who have agreements or partnerships with other organisations to store, care for or exhibit the collection, must also provide details and a letter of support.

Examples of not-for-profit, incorporated organisations which are encouraged to apply are:

• Archives 
• Art galleries 
• Community groups that have collection items (including but not limited to sporting clubs, craft and visual arts guilds, design groups, performing arts and literary groups, disability groups, health organisations, ex-service organisations, progress and professional associations, agricultural societies, and environmental groups) 
• Historical societies 
• Indigenous groups 
• Libraries 
• Local government / council 
• Multicultural groups 
• Museums 
• Religious groups 
• Cultural heritage professional associations (for training projects)

• Email: chg@nla.gov.au