Historic resource conservation grants

Updates

First-time users must register to get a GATE Front Office account before applying.

Registration is now open.

Important dates

Overview

The Heritage Preservation Partnership Program 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 work on Alberta's Provincial Historic Resources, Municipal Historic Resources and Indigenous Historic Places
• studies and professional services associated with the conservation of Alberta’s Provincial Historic Resources, Municipal Historic Resources and Indigenous Historic Places. Other undesignated historic resources may also be eligible. Please contact the Heritage Conservation Adviser for your region or the Program Coordinator.

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. These are listed on the Alberta Register of Historic Places.

Indigenous Historic Places are located on reserve land and cannot be designated as Provincial or Municipal Historic Resources but recognized with a Band Council Resolution.

Applicants are expected to contribute at least 50% of the total eligible project cost.

For more information, read the Guidelines for Historic Resource Conservation Grants.

For information on how heritage conservation advisers support the designation program and the grant program for designated properties, read Protecting Alberta’s Historic Places.

Funding

There are 2 separate funding opportunities available to applicants.

Grants for Conservation Work

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:

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 all historic resources regardless of designation.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants

Owners and authorized stewards of Alberta’s historic places may apply.

Applicants include the following:

• individuals
• registered organizations
  • non-profit organizations
  • corporations
  • church organizations
  • schools and other educational institutions
• municipalities
• First Nations and Metis Settlements

Ineligible applicants

The following applicants are not eligible to apply:

• Provincial government departments
• Friends organizations associated with historic sites and interpretive centres owned or operated by the Government of Alberta

Before you apply

• Consult with your heritage conservation adviser.
• Review the updated Guidelines for Historic Resource Conservation Grants.
• Prepare a project budget and schedule.
• Prepare the following for upload to GATE:
  • invoices/receipts of completed work and estimates of proposed work
  • for municipal historic resources, include written approval from the municipality for the conservation work
  • authorization from the legal owner, if the applicant is not the legal owner
  • for organizations, include an incorporation document and a list of executives and Board of Directors

How to apply

Step 1. Register for a GATE Front Office account (first-time users only)

Organizations

Complete the GATE Front Office Registration Form to register up to 3 users. At least one of the users must have legal signing authority.

Email the completed form to [email protected].

Individual applicants

Email your legal name and email address to [email protected].

For all applicants

On your email, state the name and location of your historic resource.

You will receive an email with login credentials and instructions for accessing the GATE Front Office portal.

Step 2. Complete and submit the application in GATE

Complete the application and submit your supporting documents through the GATE Front Office portal.

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
• capacity of the proponent to conduct the work and complete reporting requirements by February 28 of the following year
• funding history of applicant, including outcomes of past projects and compliance with reporting requirements
• grant program’s budget

Applicants are generally notified of the funding decision in May or June.

Grant payments

An interim payment of 50% is released upon project initiation. To request the final payment, applicants must submit project invoices/receipts of cash expenses and report on any in-kind donations to GATE.

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.

Reporting and grant conditions

Grant recipients have until February 28 of the following year to complete their project, access their grant and complete reporting requirements.

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

Contact

Connect with the Program Coordinator:

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-431-2305 (in Alberta)
Toll free: dial 310-0000 before the number (in Alberta)
Email: [email protected]

Related

• Advisory Services
• Heritage programs and activities
• Designation of provincial historic resources