The objective of the program is to commemorate the service and sacrifice of Australia’s service personnel in wars, conflicts and peace operations, and their families.
The intended outcome of the grant opportunity is to provide funding for projects and activities that:
- promote appreciation and understanding of the experiences of service and the roles that those who served have played
- preserve, add to the sum of knowledge on, or provide access to information about Australia’s wartime heritage.
Projects and activities relating to all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations are eligible.
The program aims to provide funding for projects and activities that are ready to proceed and where STS grant funding will ensure their completion. Projects must be able to be completed within 12 months of the funding agreement being executed.
There are 2 categories of grants available under the program:
Community Grants (CG)
Grants to a maximum of $10,000 are available for local, community-based projects and activities. These small grants are for projects and activities that are focused on the local community, commemorate the service and sacrifice of local community members, and are primarily accessed by the local community.
Some examples of CG projects and activities include:
- development of a digital honour roll
- restoration of an honour board
- purchase of a cabinet to display military memorabilia
- installation of a flagpole to display Australian National Flags on days of commemoration.
Major Grants (MG)
Grants between $10,001 and $150,000 are available for major commemorative projects and activities that are significant from a national, state, territory and/or broader regional perspective. These projects may include the construction of new war or peace memorials, where none currently exists, as well as additions to existing memorials.
Major Grants will have a much wider focus than CG category applications and must be commemorative of the service and sacrifice of service personnel beyond the local community, and/or consist of elements that are available to the whole nation, or residents of a state, territory, or broader regional area. A high monetary value project or activity does not necessarily mean that it is of national, state, territory and/or significant to a broader region.
Some examples of MG projects and activities include:
- construction of an interactive memorial walking track dedicated to Australian service personnel from the Vietnam War
- development of a digital honour roll and interpretive signage to commemorate the history of service personnel from a particular region
- publication of a book commemorating Australian service personnel from the Malayan Emergency
- development of a documentary commemorating Australian Prisoners of War.
Assessment and notification of outcomes will be divided into 3 batches closing in June 2024, October 2024 and February 2025.