Open Call: Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Grants Program 2025-27 (Australia)

Objectives

• The NSW Government is continuing its responsibility in safeguarding Aboriginal heritage through the 2025-27 Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Grants program. This program aligns with the Government’s broader commitment to ensure Aboriginal cultural heritage is conserved and maintained.

Funding Information

• Value of individual Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Grants:
  • $30,000 (ex GST) for an Aboriginal Place management document, or
  • $80,000 (ex GST) for works to a declared Aboriginal Place.

Eligible Projects

• You can apply for funding if:
  • it is for a heritage management document or works within the boundary of a declared Aboriginal Place
  • there are no active NSW Heritage Act 1977 or National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 compliance issues at the site
  • you have the support of Aboriginal custodians
  • the project will be delivered between July 2025 and May 2027.

Ineligible Projects

• Below are examples of projects not allowed under this grants category:
  • any project works and associated costs, not including pre-planning, that occurs before 1 July 2025
  • activities or works that have high levels of negative impact to the Aboriginal cultural heritage values of the site
  • keeping place: a place where artefacts or remains can be held in a culturally appropriate manner while awaiting repatriation
  • ongoing employee positions or in-house project management by salaried officers as either voluntary or cash contributions
  • construction of new buildings
  • purchase or relocation of cultural items
  • new commemorative monuments, works or headstones
  • purchase of equipment, such as lawn mowers, etc
  • business set-up or operating costs
  • projects that will need to rely on ongoing grant funding
  • routine maintenance, such as gardening, gutter cleaning, carpet cleaning, etc
  • heritage management documents required for statutory or legal purposes. For example, Aboriginal cultural heritage assessments relating to environmental impact assessments
  • projects that are exclusively:
    • to make safe immediately following a disaster that is led by NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) or other emergency services and agencies
    • for revegetation, erosion or land management
    • cultural burning.

Eligibility Criteria

• You are eligible to apply for the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Grants category if you:
  • are the owner, manager, long-term lessee or custodian (or have written support from all custodians/owners) of an Aboriginal Place declared under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 in NSW
  • are a Local Aboriginal Land Council, local council, business, non-government organisation, community group or individual, with your operations and headquarters in NSW (if you are a business or incorporated entity)
  • have legal responsibility for maintenance and repair of the declared Aboriginal Place.

Ineligible Applicants

• Ineligible applicants You are not eligible to apply for the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Grants category if:
  • you are a State or Federal government agency
  • the Aboriginal Place is owned, managed or there is a responsibility for protecting Aboriginal Cultural Heritage on the site by a State or Federal government agency. This includes:
    • Travelling Stock Reserves, where NSW Local Land Services is responsible
    • National Parks and State Conservation Areas, where the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service is responsible.
  • your business or entity is located or incorporated outside of NSW
  • your application is incomplete or does not provide sufficient information to assess against the eligibility criteria.

For more information, visit NSW Government.