In 2011-2012 the Australian Government budget provided for a new place-based heritage grant scheme. An additional $8 million was earmarked for each of 2012 and 2013. In November 2011 applications were invited within the month to the newly named 'Your Community Heritage' Grant Program.
In May $9.8 million in grant money was announced for 2012! Recently the breakdown of the grant awards was made available. Significance International has calculated that $1.668 million has been awarded to projects that relate directly to objects or collections. A significant proportion of these funds have been awarded to State government departments or agencies.
Click here [download] to read descriptions of the grants we find relevant to collections e.g. the description mentions use or interpretation of objects in the preparation of exhibitions, books, brochures, significance assessments, management plans, or retrieval / treatment of endangered objects.
For earlier information about this grant scheme, how it works, and how it articulates with the longer standing, collection focused, Community Heritage Grant Program administered by the National Library of Australia, see Significance International News items 'Double vision' (June 2011) and 'Getting heritage out there!' (November 2011).
In a climate of reduced overt support for Australia's distributed collections it's great that a range of collecting organisations have persuasively positioned their collections in this program. Other organisations are encouraged to apply in the final 2013 round for which applications will be invited shortly.