FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Applications to the 2012-13 Your Community Heritage Program, have now closed and applications have
been assessed.
All applicants will be advised regarding the outcome of applications following a funding approval decision
by the Minister. Details of successful applications are also published on this website. The department asks
for your patience during this period.
YOUR COMMUNITY HERITAGE
Your Community Heritage program supports and protects Australia's heritage enabling local communities
around Australia to celebrate their local heritage.
The program recognises that our heritage is not just about 'big' heritage such as places on the World and
National Heritage Lists, it is also about the heritage of individual communities, be they in regional Australia
or small towns or in dispersed multicultural communities. The Your Community Heritage program is about
broadening our understanding and support of heritage and the organisations, individuals, volunteers and
communities, who protect and manage so many of our unique heritage places and stories.
Your Community Heritage promotes the importance of heritage to the community and its role in bringing
people together, creating community identity and a sense of pride.
ASSESSMENTS
How were applications assessed under the 2012-13 round of the program?
Applications under the 2012-13 round of the Your Community Heritage program were assessed on eligibility
and merit.
The assessment process took into account an applicant’s contribution to achieving the Your Community
Heritage outcomes, demonstrated capacity of the community group to deliver the project and value for
money.
More information on the assessment process is available in Part 8 of the Your Community Heritage Guide
for Applicants 2012-13.
Assessment of applications was undertaken by Australian Government staff. Individual assessors include
people with the necessary expertise and technical specialisations as required for the projects being
considered.
What were the assessment criteria?
Applications are assessed for eligibility against the general eligibility criteria and then against the relevant
sub-program specific eligibility criteria, and then undergo a selection process.
All general eligibility criteria must be met in order for the application to be considered eligible and
progressed to the next assessment phase for the specific eligibility criteria of the relevant sub-program.
How was multiple applications assessed?
Multiple applications from one organisation were assessed just like single applications as detailed above.
Where an applicant has submitted multiple applications under the Your Community Heritage program, the
priority or preference of submitted projects, as well as the capacity of the applicant to deliver projects within
the required time frame, was taken into consideration during the selection process.
SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS
Our project was successful, what are the next stages?
Successful applicants will be sent a Funding Agreement. The official contact person for the application will
be required to sign and return to the department for execution. Funding Agreements must be signed and
returned to the department by 31 May 2013.
Funding Agreements will be emailed to the official contact person provided in the application for funding.
The applicant will be required to provide two signed copies of the Funding Agreement to the department.
One copy of the Funding Agreement will then be returned to the applicant following execution by the
department.
PAYMENTS
When will grant funding be received?
If you are successful in your application for funding under the Recovering from Natural Disasters,
Commemorating Eminent Australians, Sharing Community Heritage Stories, or Celebrating Community
Heritage sub-programs, you will receive a one-off payment for your project following execution of the
Funding Agreement. Payments will be made prior to 30 June 2013.
For projects funded under the Protecting National Historic Sites, payments will be made upon execution of
the Funding Agreement and upon meeting agreed project milestones, as detailed within the executed
Funding Agreement. The first payment will be made prior to 30 June 2013.
How will payments be made?
Payments will be made electronically to your nominated bank account. The department will generate a
Recipient Created Tax Invoice (RCTI) on your behalf, in accordance with the details provided by you in
your Personal Particulars form. A copy of the RCTI will be provided to you for your records once the
payment has been processed.
Will I receive a GST payment on top of the total costs of the project?
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Grants are subject to normal taxation treatment and no special arrangements will apply. Applicants should
seek independent advice on the taxation implications of receiving a grant.
Depending on you or your organisation’s GST registration status, the total project costs will be the minimum
amount you or your organisation will be paid.
For clarification on any tax related issues, please contact the Australian Taxation Office directly.
FUNDING AGREEMENT
Who can sign the Funding Agreement?
The Funding Agreement must be signed by the Designated Person, as identified in the application form.
When can I start my project?
The project commencement date is the date that the Funding Agreement; signed by the grant recipient; and
is countersigned by the departmental delegate (that is, the Funding Agreement is ‘executed'). A copy of the
executed Funding Agreement will be returned to you for your records. You must not start your project
until you have received the executed copy of the Funding Agreement back from the department.
How long do I have to complete my project?
You are required to complete your project in the timeline agreed to in the executed Funding Agreement.
This timeframe aligns with the schedule specified by you in the application and can be found in section 4 of
the Funding Agreement.
What is a Statement by a Supplier form?
If you do not have a current ABN you will be required to complete a ‘Statement by a Supplier’ form
(available from the Australian Taxation Office) before entering into any funding agreement with the
Australian Government.

Statement by a Supplier form
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
What are the reporting requirements for my project?
The department places a high priority on reporting on Your Community Heritage projects. Depending on the
sub-program for which you have received funding for, you may be required to submit milestone progress
reports throughout the delivery of your project. Please refer to your Funding Agreement for specific
reporting requirements.
For all funded projects, you will be required to provide an audited financial statement as described within
the relevant sections of your executed Funding Agreement.
What happens if I can’t meet my contractual obligations?
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For failure to meet your obligations as described within the Funding Agreement, penalties may be applied.
Penalties could include reduction in project scope, delayed or reduced progress payments, or termination and
consequential return of funds may be applied.
Please contact the department as soon as possible if you have any concerns regarding the progress of your
project.
I may need an extension of time to complete my project or reporting requirements,
what should I do?
If you require an extension of time to complete your project or reporting requirements, please contact the
department as soon as possible to discuss. If the department agrees to the request for an extension of time, a
formal variation to the Funding Agreement may need to be put in place.
Am I required to submit an Audited Financial Statement?
Yes. Every project is required to submit and Audited Financial Statement as part of the project reporting
requirements. Unless your organisation is audited by a State or Territory Auditor General, all projects are
required to be audited by an external independent auditor (e.g. a qualified accountant).
If your organisation is audited by a State or Territory Auditor General, you will be required to provide a
financial statement of income of expenditure certified by your organisation’s Chief Financial Officer.
How do I acquit our and any third party co-contributions (cash and in-kind) for the
project?
Along with the funding received from the Commonwealth, all cash contributions made to the project from
your organisation and any third party will be required to be acquitted. All cash contributions (including
Commonwealth funding, applicant funding and any third party funding) will be required to be audited by an
external independent auditor (qualified accountant) unless your organisation is audited by a State or
Territory Auditor General.
If your organisation is audited by a State or Territory Auditor General, you will be required to provide a
financial statement of income of expenditure certified by your organisation’s Chief Financial Officer.
Please refer to your Funding Agreement for specific reporting requirements.
For all in-kind contributions made and/or a third party, a signed Statutory Declaration must be provided to
the department as part of your reporting requirements.
CHANGES TO DETAILS
I have changed my bank account details after submitting my application or during
the project, do I need to notify the department?
Yes. If your bank account details have changed after initially providing the details to the department, you
must notify the department as soon as possible and provide us with the new account details. If you do not
notify the department of changes to your account details, your payment may be paid into the wrong account.
Contacts have changed for the project, how can I update the contact details for the
project?
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We are only able to discuss the project details with authorised contacts. If contact details or a contact person
has changed, you will need to notify us in writing. The official contact person for the project must provide
authorisation to us that a contact person has changed and advise us of the new contact details so that we can
keep our records up to date.
I would like to withdraw from funding, how can I do this?
Requests to withdraw your project from funding must be made in writing. Only the Designated Person as
specified in the application form can withdraw a project.
Requests can be emailed to: heritage.grants@environment.gov.au.
Or posted to:
Your Community Heritage Program
Grant Services Section
Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
GPO Box 787
Canberra ACT 2601
Please include the application receipt number (e.g. YCH-12345-012), the name of your organisation and the
project name as part of your written request.
UNSUCCESSFUL PROJECTS
My application was unsuccessful, can I appeal the Minister's decision?
No. The Minister’s decision is final. There is no right of appeal, however the department may, at its
discretion, revisit the assessment process in exceptional circumstances.
If I am unsuccessful, will feedback be provided?
All unsuccessful applicants will be given the opportunity to request feedback on their application following
the announcement of successful projects.
Feedback will be provided to applicants who submit a request for feedback to the department by
30 August 2013. Only written requests for feedback will be accepted. Please note the department will
provide any requested feedback from 1 July 2013 up to and inclusive of 30 August 2013.
Requests can be emailed to: heritage.grants@environment.gov.au.
Or posted to:
Your Community Heritage Program
Grant Services Section
Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
GPO Box 787
Canberra ACT 2601
Please include the application receipt number (e.g. YCH-12345-012), the name of your organisation and the
project name as part of your written request.
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FUTURE FUNDING
Will funding for Your Community Heritage be available in 2013-14?
As part of the 2011 Budget, supplementary funding of up to $4 million per year over two years was made
available for 2011-12 and 2012-13 under the Your Community Heritage program. This funding was in
addition to annual funding for Protecting National Historic Sites of up to $4.2 million each year.
From 2013-14 onwards, The Protecting National Historic Sites program will continue. The 2012-13 call for
applications for the Your Community Heritage program also included the call for applications for funding
under the 2013-14 round of the Protecting National Historic Sites program.
FURTHER INFORMATION
If my proposed project does not fit the Your Community Heritage program, where
else can I find out about other possible funding opportunities?
A comprehensive database of all government (Commonwealth, State/Territory, Local) grants available can
be found on the GrantsLINK website. This website is updated regularly as new funding opportunities
become available

GrantsLINK
Where can I find out about other Australian Government disaster relief assistance?
Australian Government disaster relief assistance may be available through:


Australian Government Disaster Assistance
Attorney-General’s Department
You may also wish to contact your State/Territory heritage agency for possible funding opportunities.
Where can I go for further information?
If you have any further questions, please contact the department.
Emails will be checked daily and your question will either be responded to directly, or your question and a
response added to the FAQs as soon as possible.
The department can be contacted by:
Email: heritagegrants@environment.gov.au
Phone: (freecall) 1800 653 004
Post:
Your Community Heritage Program
Grants Services Section
Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
GPO Box 787
CANBERRA ACT 2601
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