Heritage Grants Program (HGP)

• The applicant must be a not-for-profit, incorporated community organization, local government, university or First Nation, in existence for at least one year.
• Individuals or unincorporated groups may apply only if endorsed by an eligible organization that provides a formal letter of support.
• The project must identify, protect or interpret Manitoba’s human or natural heritage and result in a non-recurring, time-limited activity.
• The results of the project must be publicly accessible on a not-for-profit basis.
• The applicant must submit a detailed project description, including objectives, timelines, total funding from all sources, and any required specialist advice or development plans, as applicable to the project category.

Who is eligible?

• Not-for-profit incorporated community organizations involved in Manitoba’s human and natural heritage
• Local governments in Manitoba undertaking heritage-related projects
• Universities engaged in Manitoba heritage identification, protection or interpretation
• First Nations organizations working on Manitoba heritage projects
• Individuals or unincorporated groups applying under the endorsement of an eligible not-for-profit organization

Who is not eligible

• Federal government departments.
• Provincial government departments.
• Agencies or organizations whose primary purpose is to provide grants to others.

Eligible expenses

• Materials and supplies required to carry out the approved heritage project.
• Fees and salaries for project staff, including honorariums and contractual/consulting services directly tied to the project.
• Costs for services or equipment required for the project, including the purchase of project-specific equipment when this is more economical than rental.
• Costs of reformatting archival collections (e.g., microfilming or digitization) in line with recognized standards.
• Expenses for developing and producing exhibits, including cases, panels, props, labels, lighting, and conservation or replication of objects for display.
• Printing costs for interpretive leaflets, brochures and posters, including copies for free distribution to public repositories such as schools, libraries or municipal offices.
• Eligible costs related to planning activities such as surveys, inventories of heritage resources, site and planning studies, and development of operational or program plans and conservation guidelines.
• Costs associated with conferences, seminars or workshops, including bringing in outside speakers and other directly related expenses for time-bound training programs leading to a recognized certificate.

Eligible geographic areas

• Organizations located in the province of Manitoba, Canada.

• Overall quality and merit of the proposed heritage project.
• Demonstrated financial need of the applicant and ability to make effective use of the funds.
• Level of volunteer and community commitment to the project.
• Presence of other funding sources, especially confirmed contributions from outside funders.
• Availability of program funds at the time of assessment.

• Application deadlines occur twice per year, on January 31 and June 1, with funding decisions typically communicated about three months after each deadline.
• Grants are approved "up to a maximum amount" and the final payment is adjusted based on actual project expenditures.
• An applicant may appeal the committee’s decision within 30 days of the public release of decisions; an independent Appeals Committee reviews appeals and its decisions are final.
• Preference is given to applications from organizations that cooperate with other groups and that can demonstrate volunteer and community commitment.