Applications are now open for the 2025 Community Heritage Grants (CHG) program. The CHG program offers cash grants of up to $20,000 to community organisations. The grants support organisations to preserve and manage collections that have Australian cultural and historical significance.

Since 1994, the CHG program has provided over $9.3 million in funding to over 900 organisations for more than 1,700 projects nationally. 

Last year, $443,787 was shared between 55 regional and community groups, including the Robin Boyd Foundation, Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand, Woorabinda Aboriginal Council, Fort Street Foundation, Royal Agricultural & Horticultural Archives of South Australia, Albany Historic Whaling Station, and many others.

Historical societies, regional museums, archives and galleries are invited to apply, including Indigenous and multicultural organisations. The grants enable groups to work with consultants to undertake significance assessments and preservation needs assessments and based on these reports, deliver preservation and conservation, collection management, and digitisation activities. Funding is also available for training workshops. Included at the end of this release are two case studies of how previous CHG recipients utilised their funding.

New applications close midnight (AEST) on Thursday 8 May 2025. Previous CHG program recipients and proposals for training projects have an extended deadline, with applications closing on Tuesday 3 June 2025. 

Find out more and apply.

CHG is funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts; National Library of Australia; the National Archives of Australia; the National Film and Sound Archive and the National Museum of Australia.

CHG Contact

Email: chg@nla.gov.au

Additional information

Images for media use are available for download via Dropbox.

Contact

Lauren Conron, Media Liaison, National Library of Australia

Phone: 0401 226 697 

Email: media@nla.gov.au 

Case studies

Woolmers Foundation

Located on the land of the Panniher people, Woolmers Estate was established by the Archer family in 1817, becoming one of the earliest pastoral estates in Van Diemen’s Land.  The estate’s intact and preserved structures offer a rare window into Australia’s early colonial era and convict history. 

While the collection has received international recognition (it is one of eleven sites in the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage Property), Woolmers Foundation has limited resources and no paid collection management staff.  The collection is also stored in situ, across the homestead and outbuildings, bringing major management challenges.  With the support of CHG funding, the organisation recently completed a preservation needs assessment.  The report has prompted immediate action in some areas and importantly is now informing future activities and funding proposals.

Braidwood and District Historical Society

This small, local historical history was established by volunteers in 1969 and has been an important and active part of the community.  The group has an impressive mixed collection documenting the region, including highly significant artefacts and photographs representing the history of a harmonious bi-cultural European-Chinese community from the late nineteenth century. These unique items include the iconic Nomchong family collection of costumes, games and personal artefacts.  The Historical Society has completed three CHG projects and is currently delivering a conservation activity after securing funding in the 2024 Round.