Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage — Legacy Fund
Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
Provides capital project grants of up to $500,000 (50% of eligible expenses) to non-profit organizations, Indigenous governing bodies, and municipal administrations undertaking community-initiated capital projects that commemorate local historical events or personalities, involve significant anniversaries (100th or greater in 25-year increments), or restore/transform existing buildings or spaces with local heritage significance intended for community use.
Eligibility Requirements
- Non-profit organizations (incorporated or unincorporated)
- Local band councils, tribal councils, or other local Indigenous governing bodies and organizations (First Nations, Inuit, Métis)
- Municipal administrations and their agencies, boards, and commissions — only with demonstrated active partnership with at least one community-based group for the proposed project
- Organization must have been in existence for at least 2 years
- Organization must plan to continue operating after project completion
- Project must be community-initiated and capital in nature (not programming or events)
- Project must serve community use and be accessible to the general public
- Project must commemorate a significant local historical event/personality, mark a 100th anniversary or greater (in 25-year increments: 100th, 125th, 150th, etc.), or involve restoration/renovation/transformation of a building or exterior space with local heritage significance
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- Up to $500,000 (50% of eligible project expenses)
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Federal
- Co-Funding
- Up to 50% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Ongoing — annual intake; submit at least 12 months before project start (6 months for projects under $200K)
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Everything you need to win Building Communities Through Arts and Heri... — $19
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 8 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- 10-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- 7-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 4-program stacking strategy to combine with compatible funding
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
Applying for Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage? Our Financial Projections Model ($29) covers the cost-share, matching-fund, and cash-flow math reviewers want to see. Or get all 4 templates in the Founder Pack ($59 · saves $27) →
How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipThe anniversary angle is the clearest path to eligibility — if your project is tied to a municipality's centennial (100th, 125th, 150th, etc. ), you have a concrete eligibility hook. Apply a full year ahead of the project since review takes 6-12 months and you cannot incur costs before approval. In-kind contributions count toward the 50% matching requirement — donated professional services, materials, and volunteer labour at market value are eligible as matching contributions. Contact your regional Canadian Heritage office early to discuss your project concept — they can advise on eligibility before you invest in a full application.
Rejection Pitfalls 8
- Project is programming or events (not a capital project)
- Organization has been in existence for less than 2 years
- Project does not have clear community heritage significance or anniversary connection
Success Profile
A local historical society or arts non-profit with 2+ years of operation looking to restore a 100-year-old community hall, install a heritage monument tied to a municipal anniversary, or transform an existing building into a community arts space. Strong applicants have secured community support (letters, municipal partnership), have a clear heritage narrative, and have architectural/engineering plans ready.
Evaluation Criteria
Applications are assessed on: (1) heritage/community significance of the project (local historical event, notable personality, or significant anniversary), (2) community need and public accessibility of the resulting infrastructure, (3) organizational capacity and financial health, (4) clarity and feasibility of the project plan and budget, (5) community support demonstrated through partnerships and endorsements, and (6) sustainability of the project beyond the grant period.
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 10
Eligible Expenses 7
- Planning, design, and architectural/engineering fees directly related to the capital project
- Construction, renovation, and restoration labour and materials
- Acquisition of construction equipment and materials
- Heritage assessments, environmental assessments, and regulatory approvals
- Contingency reserve up to 10% of cash capital expenses
- HST/GST/PST portions not recoverable through federal government tax credits
- In-kind contributions at market value (donated goods, professional services, volunteer labour) — eligible as matching contributions but not reimbursable
Ineligible Expenses 6
- Programming, events, or operational costs (only capital costs eligible)
- Costs incurred before application approval
- Salaries and overhead for day-to-day organizational operations
- Hospitality and entertainment
- New construction of buildings on new sites (restoration/renovation of existing structures prioritized)
- Recoverable taxes (GST/HST that can be claimed back)
Intake Periods
Rolling annual intake — no single national deadline. Applications must be submitted no later than the anniversary date being commemorated. Submit at least 12 months before project start (6 months for sub-$200K total budgets). Decisions typically 6-12 months after submission.
Deadline Notes
No single national deadline — applications must be submitted no later than the date of the anniversary being commemorated. Canadian Heritage strongly recommends submitting at least 12 months before your project start date (or 6 months for projects with total budgets under $200,000). Contact your regional Canadian Heritage office to confirm current intake periods and review timelines.
Ineligible Organizations
- For-profit businesses
- National-scope organizations (this fund is for local community projects)
- Organizations that have been in existence for less than 2 years
- Federal government departments and agencies
- Religious organizations for projects used primarily for religious purposes
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Compatible Programs
Clawback Risk
Medium RiskIneligible costs identified during audit must be repaid. Unused funds at project completion are returned to Canadian Heritage. Failure to complete the approved capital project or achieve the community-use mandate may trigger recovery of funds. Public acknowledgement of federal funding is required.
How Building Communities Through Arts and Heri... Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building Communities Through Arts and... | Up to $500,000 | Moderate | Reimbursement | Ongoing — annual intake;... |
| Canada Cultural Spaces Fund (CCSF) | Up to $15M | Hard | Reimbursement | Ongoing — contact... |
| SSHRC Partnerships | Up to $2.5M | Hard | Advance Payment | Annual two-stage cycle.... |
| Canada Media Fund | up to $250K | Hard | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Ongoing (multiple... |
| Canada Council for the Arts Grants | Varies | Moderate | Milestone-Based | Multiple 2026 cycles:... |
Related Programs
Other programs you might be eligible for
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about Building Communities Through Arts and Heri...