Your Community Heritage grants program now open

Applications for the Federal Government's Your Community Heritage grants program are now open with funding up to $500,000 available for individual projects.In 2012-13, Your Community Heritage is offering more than $7.4 million in funding to facilitate broadening understanding and support of heritage and the organisations, individuals, volunteers and communities, who protect and manage unique heritage places and stories.Your Community Heritage program promotes the importance of heritage to the community and its role in bringing people together, creating community identity and a sense of pride.In 2012-13, Your Community Heritage program funding is available under the following five sub-programs:

• Protecting National Historic Sites*;
• Recovering from Natural Disasters;
• Commemorating Eminent Australians;
• Sharing Community Heritage Stories; and
• Celebrating Community Heritage.

* Applications to the Protecting National Historic Sites sub-program for 2013-14 should also be submitted under this 2012-13 call for applications, with funding being made available in 2013-14 for successful projects.Administrative costs and overheadsIn certain circumstances, the Your Community Heritage will provide up to 15% of the total requested project funding for administrative costs and overheads. However, you will be required to clearly demonstrate that the expenses sought for administrative costs and overheads are additional to the normal day to day running costs of your organisation and relate directly to the specific project objectives.Applications close at 5pm AEDT Thursday 21 March 2013Further information about the 2012-13 Your Community Heritage grants program and application form is avialable at www.environment.gov.au/heritage/programs/ych