all Heritage grants
The FPCC Heritage Stewardship Program (HSP) provides funding to First Nations organizations in B.C. to address climate change, safeguard cultural sites, digitize cultural resources and record oral histories.
This program provides funding for training and support for B.C. First Nations people to act as stewards and experts of their cultures and heritage. It supports projects that reflect four key priority areas that support Indigenous heritage stewardship: Climate Change, Digitization and Archiving, Oral History and Protocols, Sense of Place.
Applicants are encouraged to incorporate aspects from several of the priority areas into their project. This offers the opportunity to train and support members in stewarding, protecting and documenting their community’s heritage in ways best suited to their needs. Recipients can receive up to $25,000 per priority area, for a maximum of $75,000.
Eligibility
FPCC’s Heritage Program supports projects by the 204 B.C. First Nations communities and B.C.-based First Nations-led organizations whose mandate or focus includes the revitalization of First Nations’ heritage and arts.
FPCC respects the rights of all First Nations to deliver services to their communities. To align with this, FPCC requires at least 65% of an organization’s board members/directors be individuals who are members of, or have ancestral connections to, a B.C. First Nation as they are the rightful stewards of their cultural heritage and are best equipped to lead the important work of protecting, sharing and revitalizing B.C. First Nations Heritage on these lands.
Eligible applicants include:
- Recognized B.C. First Nations bands or Tribal Councils
- Not-for-profit societies registered in B.C. in good standing and governed by B.C. First Nations individuals where at least 65% of directors are from recognized B.C. First Nations
- B.C. First Nations-led museums and cultural spaces where at least 65% of directors are from recognized B.C. First Nations
- Urban and off-reserve B.C. First Nations organizations where at least 65% of directors are from recognized B.C. First Nations
Additional heritage funding may be accessed through Heritage BC, Department of Canadian Heritage, Vancouver Foundation, Telus Foundation and the Mastercard Foundation. If you have any questions about your eligibility, please contact hsp@fpcc.ca.
If you have questions about registering your organization as a society, please see this resource with information on how to form a society in B.C. (Please note: This document is for reference only, FPCC is not able to provide advice on setting up a society.)
How to Apply
Update: The application period for this grant is now closed. All grants currently open are listed here.To receive updates on grants and when they open, please sign up for our newsletter.
Applications are received through the FPCC Grant Portal. Prior to applying, please read the two sets of guidelines below. The guidelines are optimized for accessibility purposes.
If you are unsure if your community or heritage organization is eligible or have questions about accessing heritage stewardship funding, please contact us at hsp@fpcc.ca.
UPDATES TO THE 2026-27 HSP APPLICATION:
To simplify the application process, HSP applicants can combine priority areas into a single project. This means that regardless of how many priority areas are included, applicants will only submit ONE project description, ONE workplan, and ONE budget as part of their 2026-27 HSP application.
To be eligible for the full $75,000, applicants must combine three or more priority areas into a single project.
Applications may be submitted until 4:30 p.m. PT, February 18, 2026.
Info Session
View the info session below to help answer any questions you may have about the program, eligibility and how to apply.
Click on each priority area below for descriptions and project examples.
Climate Change
The climate change priority area provides funding to explore how communities are experiencing and responding to climate change. Activities may include the development of mitigation measures for heritage sites and places that are impacted by climate change.
Project examples:
- Document the impact of climate change on local fisheries and other food sources
- Assess the impacts of climate change on cultural sites
- Develop strategies to reduce the impact of coastal erosion
- Document and share information about communities and landscapes that experience climate change impacts
Please review the guidelines for more information on eligibility and how to apply.
Digitization and Archiving
This priority area provides funding to assist First Nations communities and organizations with work to digitize and archive heritage records. This may include maps, audio and video recordings, transcripts, photos, illustrations, books and other important materials.
Project examples:
- Community training about how to digitize and archive materials
- Create an inventory of cultural heritage materials to digitize
- Transfer audio and video cassettes to digital format
- Document and share heritage through new technologies
Please review the guidelines for more information on eligibility and how to apply.
Oral Histories and Protocol
This priority area contributes to documenting First Nations laws, protocols and ways of knowing and engages Elders and Knowledge Keepers in sharing their stories.
Project examples:
- Holding focus groups to draw out legal protocols to be integrated into community processes and bylaws
- Audio and/or video recording interviews of Elders and Knowledge Keepers
- Translating and transcribing oral histories
FPCC provides access to an online course for recording oral histories. It includes information about conducting oral history interviews, data management and technology recommendations.
Please review the guidelines for more information on eligibility and how to apply.
Sense of Place
This priority area provides funding to safeguard cultural landscapes, places and sites. Projects should include a mentorship or training component so the youth learn traditional and contemporary ways to manage culture and heritage connected to the land.
Project examples:
- Land-based documenting projects
- Projects connecting Indigenous knowledge systems, the land and waters
- Knowledge-sharing projects that are connected to a specific place
- Research projects to understand and care for a site or place
- Mentorship and training projects related to cultural landscapes and activities
Please review the guidelines for more information on eligibility and how to apply.
Please share this funding opportunity with your network by downloading the program poster.
The Heritage Stewardship Program is funded by the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation through the Province of British Columbia.
Additional Resources
Tools and Resources
We are here to support you!
Program staff are available to support you with your application. Contact the program staff listed at the bottom of this page if you would like assistance with your grant application.
If you have any questions about the application process, please reach out to the Heritage program staff no later than February 4, 2026. This includes eligibility, would like to discuss project planning and/or if you need support in completing your application.
Applications are completed on FPCC’s Grant Portal which functions best when used on a laptop or desktop computer. For applicants that require assistance with technology, we recommend having a friend, family member or someone they trust to assist them with completing and submitting the application.
Funding Process
We are here to ensure that the funding application process is as easy as possible! We offer a convenient online portal so applicants can access program applications and submit reports all in one place. For additional information please visit the Funding Process page.
Click the image to enlarge
Page image by Ryan Dickie of Winter Hawk Studios, Fort Nelson B.C.
Program Contact
Nathalie Picard
Nathalie joined the Heritage team in January 2025 and is supporting the Heritage Stewardship Program. She has a background working in museums and heritage, with a focus on truth telling and amplifying marginalized communities’ history and cultural heritage.