Historic Resource Conservation Grants

Important dates

Overview

The Alberta Historical Resources Foundation is the principal heritage support agency of the Government of Alberta. The Foundation’s Heritage Preservation Partnership Program (HPPP) provides matching grants and scholarship funds to support initiatives that preserve and interpret Alberta's heritage.

Historic Resource Conservation Grants provide matching grants to individuals and organizations for the following:

• conservation of Alberta's historic places
• studies and professional services for the conservation of historic places

The same application form is used to apply for these grants.

Applicants are expected to contribute at least 50% of eligible project value.

For more information, read the HPPP Guidelines for Conservation Projects (PDF, 154 KB).

Funding

There are 3 separate funding opportunities available to applicants.

Conservation grants

Conservation includes actions or processes that safeguard the character-defining elements of a historic place to retain its heritage value and extend its physical life.

This may involve one or more conservation treatments:

• preservation
• rehabilitation
• restoration

The maximum matching grants are as follows:

Provincial Historic Resources and Municipal Historic Resources are historic places that are formally recognized and legally protected through the process of designation. Provincial Historic Resources are designated by the province and Municipal Historic Resources are designated by municipalities.

Historic places with a grant ceiling of $5,000 are the least priority for funding.

Studies and professional services grants

In addition to a grant for conservation work, a matching of grant of $25,000 is also available for studies, reports, plans and professional services for architects, engineers and other professional consultants associated with the conservation of a historic place. The same maximum grant applies to the 4 types of historic places listed above.

Conservation and studies/professional services grants for non-designated cemeteries and burial grounds

Non-designated cemeteries or burial grounds may qualify for a one-time matching grant for conservation work or studies and professional services of up to $5,000 if it meets one of the following requirements:

• Site is associated with a significant historic event or theme, such as cemeteries or burial grounds associated with residential schools, former settlements or epidemic outbreaks.
• Site contains the graves of historically significant individuals.
• Site contains distinctive historic landscapes or grave architecture. Distinctive features could include spirit houses or cairns.
• Site demonstrates culturally distinctive mortuary or burial practices.

Eligible work includes the following:

• studies undertaken to confirm the presence of graves in a particular location
• site surveying, including mapping and marking
• grave architecture restoration, including features like spirit houses and cairns
• restoration of historic fencing, gates and signage
• sympathetic modern fencing to protect historic portion of cemeteries

Ineligible work includes regular maintenance and site beautification.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants

The following applicants may apply for the grant:

• individuals that reside in Alberta or have a permanent Alberta address
• registered organizations in Alberta:
  • non-profit organizations
  • corporations
  • municipalities
  • churches
  • schools and other educational institutions
  • First Nations
  • Metis Settlements

Ineligible applicants

The following applicants are not eligible to apply:

• Provincial government departments
• Members of the Foundation’s Board of Directors
• Friends organizations associated with government owned and operated historic sites and interpretive centres

How to apply

Step 1. Consult with a heritage conservation adviser or program coordinator

Consult with us before applying to ensure eligibility and compliance with the Standard and Guidelines of Historic Places in Canada.

Email the Program Coordinator or call 780-431-2305 to get started.

Step 2. Review the guidelines

HPPP Guidelines for Conservation Projects (PDF, 154 KB)

Step 3. Complete the application form and gather all supporting documents.

Fill out the Historic Resource Conservation Grants Application Form (PDF, 241 KB).

When preparing the budget, you may use the template for Cash Expenses (Excel, 11 KB) and In-kind donations (Excel, 11 KB)

The application must include the following:

• project plan
• project budget
• contractor's estimates for proposed work
• other supporting documents listed in the application form

Step 5. Submit your application package

Drop off, mail or send by courier to:

Alberta Historical Resources Foundation
Old St. Stephen’s College Building
8820-112 Street
Edmonton, Alberta T5T 5W2

Application deadlines are the first working day of February and September.

After you apply

Grant applications are evaluated using a number of factors including, but not limited to:

• the size or scale of the historic place
• scope of the project
• conservation priorities
• ability of proponent to conduct the work
• status of previous projects/grants
• grant program’s budget

The board of the Alberta Historical Resources Foundation will make the funding decision.

Applicants will be notified about the results during the following times:

• June/July for the February grant cycle
• December/January for the September grant cycle

How to claim the grant

Grant recipients shall access the grant by submitting full or partial claims.
The grant claim includes the following:

• record of cash expenditures form (PDF, 105 KB)
• donated labour, services, materials, equipment form (PDF, 91 KB)
• invoices and/or receipts of cash expenditures

Work will be inspected by the Heritage Conservation Adviser and must comply with the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada.

Grant recipients will be asked to sign a Grant Funding Agreement. The Agreement will identify the terms and conditions of the grant.

Reporting and grant conditions

Grant recipients have 3 years to claim the grant, complete the project and complete reporting requirements.

Grant recipients must publicly acknowledge the Foundation’s financial support. Recognition may be on print, online, through media outlets or event opportunities.

Contact

To contact the Program Coordinator:
Phone: 780-431-2305 (in Alberta)
Toll free: dial 310-0000 before the number
Email: carina.naranjilla@gov.ab.ca

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)