Deadline: 25-Jun-2026
The Community War Memorials Fund 2026/27 is a heritage preservation grant program in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. It supports organisations responsible for maintaining war memorials by funding conservation, repair, and maintenance activities.
The program is administered by the Office for Veterans Affairs and focuses on protecting the cultural and historical significance of war memorials while ensuring they remain safe, accessible, and meaningful for communities.
Key Objectives of the Program
The fund aims to:
- Support conservation, repair, and long-term protection of war memorials in NSW
- Strengthen community commemoration and heritage recognition
- Ensure adherence to best-practice conservation standards
- Improve accessibility and safety of memorial sites
- Encourage ongoing community engagement with war memorials
The program ensures that memorials remain structurally sound and culturally significant for future generations.
Eligible Applicants
A wide range of organisations can apply for funding, including:
- Incorporated not-for-profit community organisations
- NSW local councils
- Registered not-for-profit organisations
- Companies limited by guarantee (properly registered)
- Indigenous Corporations
- Local Aboriginal Land Councils
- Religious organisations
- Non-government organisations established under legislation
- NSW Government agencies responsible for memorials
- Non-Council Crown Land Managers
Applicants must either own the memorial or have formal approval from the owner or land manager.
Funding Categories
Category A: Reports and Assessments
This category supports professional evaluations required for planning conservation work.
It includes funding for:
- Heritage condition assessments
- Conservation management plans
- Structural engineering reports
- Arborist assessments for memorial trees
- Expert technical advice for preservation planning
This stage ensures that restoration work is properly planned and compliant with conservation standards.
Category B: Physical Conservation Works
This category supports actual restoration, repair, and maintenance work.
It includes funding for:
- Structural repairs and restoration of memorials
- Treatment of corrosion and deterioration
- Regilding inscriptions and lettering
- Repainting memorial structures or halls
- Masonry cleaning and preservation works
- Relocation of memorials (only as a last resort and when safety is at risk)
All works must be carried out by qualified conservation specialists.
Additional Eligible Works
Funding may also support improvements that enhance accessibility and public engagement, including:
- Installation of ramps and handrails
- Upgrades to fencing and boundary structures
- Repair or replacement of paving and pathways
- Installation or improvement of signage
- Landscaping and restoration of surrounding precincts
- Lighting upgrades to improve visibility and safety
These improvements help ensure memorials are inclusive and accessible to all community members.
Funding Amount and Scope
- Maximum grant per project: up to $15,000
- Funding is project-based and targeted toward specific conservation needs
- Projects must align with heritage preservation and conservation principles
Key Assessment Principles
Applications are evaluated based on:
- Heritage significance and conservation value
- Urgency and necessity of repair or protection
- Compliance with conservation best practices
- Community benefit and commemorative value
- Safety and accessibility improvements
- Quality and feasibility of proposed works
- Appropriateness of budget and scope
Program Requirements
Applicants must ensure:
- Projects follow recognised heritage conservation standards
- Works are carried out by qualified professionals
- Proper approvals are obtained from memorial owners or land managers
- Proposals clearly define scope, timeline, and methodology
- Safety risks are addressed where applicable
Why the Program Matters
The Community War Memorials Fund is important because it:
- Preserves historical and cultural heritage in NSW
- Protects war memorials from deterioration and damage
- Ensures safe and accessible public spaces for remembrance
- Supports community identity and collective memory
- Encourages local participation in heritage conservation
- Maintains long-term integrity of memorial sites
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting applications without owner or land manager consent
- Proposing works without professional conservation input
- Lack of clear distinction between Category A and B activities
- Ignoring heritage conservation standards
- Incomplete or unclear project scope and documentation
- Overestimating project scale beyond grant limits
Tips for a Strong Application
- Obtain early professional heritage or engineering advice
- Clearly justify conservation need and urgency
- Demonstrate community significance and engagement
- Provide detailed and realistic cost breakdowns
- Ensure compliance with conservation best practices
- Include accessibility and safety improvements where possible
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the maximum funding available?
Up to $15,000 per project.
Who administers the program?
The Office for Veterans Affairs in New South Wales.
Who can apply?
Not-for-profit organisations, local councils, Indigenous corporations, government agencies, and other eligible entities.
Do applicants need to own the memorial?
Yes, or they must have formal endorsement from the owner or land manager.
What types of projects are funded?
Conservation reports, structural repairs, restoration, maintenance, and accessibility upgrades.
Can memorial relocation be funded?
Yes, but only as a last resort and with expert advice due to safety concerns.
Are professional services required?
Yes, works must follow best-practice conservation standards and use qualified specialists.
Conclusion
The Community War Memorials Fund 2026/27 plays a vital role in preserving New South Wales’ war memorial heritage. By funding expert-led conservation, repair, and accessibility improvements, the program ensures that memorials remain safe, meaningful, and accessible spaces for remembrance while protecting their historical and cultural significance for future generations.
For more information, visit NSW Government.
