Heritage BC Legacy Fund Program 2026

Eligibility Check Form Deadline: July 15, 2026*

Application Deadline: July 31, 2026 (*Eligibility approval must be in place before you can submit your application)

Program Summary:

The Heritage Legacy Fund was established in 2003 with an initial $5 million gift from the Province of British Columbia. Since then, the Province has made regular contributions, most recently in 2022, bringing the fund’s total to over $14 million.

Held by the Vancouver Foundation, the Heritage Legacy Fund operates under the trusted advisement of Heritage BC. The fund supports Heritage BC’s operations, heritage awareness initiatives, and a variety of programs, including the Heritage Legacy Fund grant program, which provides modest grants for heritage projects across British Columbia.

The Heritage Legacy Fund ensures the continued development of BC’s heritage sector. Heritage BC remains committed to advocating for the growth of the Heritage Legacy Fund endowment at the Vancouver Foundation to better support the preservation and promotion of BC’s tangible and intangible heritage.

HLF Funding Streams:

• Heritage Conservation: The Heritage Conservation stream provides grants of up to $50,000, covering up to 50% of eligible project costs for the preservation, rehabilitation, or restoration of the physical fabric of a heritage place, including archaeological sites, that embodies its heritage value.
• Heritage Awareness: The Heritage Awareness stream provides grants of up to $10,000, covering up to 50% of eligible project costs for initiatives that research, document, interpret, present, or share community heritage. These projects enhance public understanding of heritage resources, cultural landscapes, and intangible heritage such as oral histories, language, and cultural practices.
• Heritage Planning: The Heritage Planning stream provides grants of up to $5,000, covering up to 50% of eligible project costs for projects that develop plans and documents to support heritage conservation and awareness initiatives.
• Indigenous Partnership: The Indigenous Partnership stream provides grants of up to $7,500, covering up to 50% of eligible project costs for collaborative initiatives that contribute to reconciliation by supporting the inclusion of Indigenous perspectives, histories, languages, heritage values, and ways of knowing.

Eligible Applicants:

• Registered societies including non-profits and charities, local governments, First Nations governments and organizations, and school boards may apply for funding. Religious organizations that own heritage assets may be considered if they can demonstrate an active role in regular, broad-based, and inclusive community supported programs or services. Financial contributions are not made to individuals, unregistered organizations, private businesses or BC Government Agencies.
• Applicants must be current members of Heritage BC (corporate, government, or group) to apply. Successful applicants are encouraged to maintain a membership with Heritage BC for the duration of the funded work.
• Applicants must be up to date with all grant reporting to Heritage BC.
• Applicants must demonstrate that they have appropriate approvals to undertake the proposed work from the property owner and any governing board at the time of application.