Commemorations and celebrations program

The program provides funding to assist in covering some of the costs associated with programs, activities and initiatives that commemorate and celebrate significant historical events in New Brunswick. It considers commemorations and celebrations marking the 25th, 50th, 75th, 100th anniversaries and subsequent anniversaries in increments of 25 years.

The overall objective is to encourage celebratory and commemorative activities so that significant New Brunswick stories are recognized, preserved and shared with present and future generations so that:

• communities have the capacity to share their heritage
• participants in commemoration and celebration activities gain awareness of New Brunswick's heritage

This program has two annual deadlines:

• April 30 deadline for projects with start dates no earlier than June 1
• October 31 deadline for projects with start dates no earlier than December 1

Initiatives are eligible for a maximum of 50 per cent of total project costs up to $35,000 per fiscal year.

Eligible applicants

• not-for-profit organizations
• municipalities that have a cultural policy
• First Nation communities
• organizations that do not have any outstanding Commemorations and Celebrations final reports

To be eligible, the applicant must be New Brunswick-based.

Ineligible activities

• animal shows or competitions
• competitions or sports activities
• craft, art or car shows
• family reunions
• festivals
• fundraising activities
• religious, denominational or church activities
• travel programs or exchanges

The amount of financial assistance is determined by considering all the applications and the available financial resources. The activities related to the proposed project must:

• be dynamic
• focus on making heritage more accessible to the public
• show promise for raising public awareness

The projects submitted to this program are evaluated according to the following criteria:

Important information:

• projects must not be receiving funding from other provincial government programs
• grant awards will be based on project merit against the criteria and budget availability
• grants will not necessarily be awarded at the full amount requested and not all eligible applicants will receive a grant
• in the event of a disagreement involving the interpretation of its policies and guidelines, the Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture reserves the right to final interpretation of the intent and implementation of a program
• the department reserves the right to revise the guidelines at any time without notice
• projects scoring 50% or more will be considered for funding until the program budget is expended
• failure to approve an application does not necessarily constitute a negative judgment on its merits
• projects that receive funding must submit a final report (including financial statement) no later than 30 days after the project’s end date

1. Select the deadline that best fits your project timeline.
2. Use the Pre-Application Checklist to confirm organizational and project eligibility. 
3. Register for, or log in to, your SmartSimple account through the Archaeology and Heritage portal. Use the SmartSimple 101 guide  (PDF 331 KB) if you need assistance.
4. Complete all sections of the online application form, upload all required supporting documents, and submit your application through the portal.
5. Applications may only be submitted when the online portal is open during the application periods:
   • April 1 to April 30 for the April 30 deadline
   • October 1 to October 31 for the October 31 deadline

Release of information to the public

The Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture is subject to the Right to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Applicants must accept and agree that, if they receive a grant, their name, community and the grant amount will be published on the provincial government website and in the department’s annual report.