Documentary Heritage Communities Program (DHCP) Funding Announcement

Monday saw the announcement of the results of the first funding cycle of the Documentary Heritage Communities Program (DHCP). It provides $1.5 million in funding to 65 projects led by archives, libraries and heritage institutions across Canada.

In making the announcement at 395 Wellington the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Mélanie Joly commented on the importance of digitization in making Canada's documentary heritage available across the country. Librarian and Archivist of Canada, Dr. Guy Berthiaume, mentioned that the initial $1.5-million funding cycle is only the beginning, the call for proposals for the second round is already underway.

It is noteworthy that this is not "new" money but a reallocation from within LAC resources.

Projects were funded in every province and territory, except PEI. The largest grant was to the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation which received $100,000 for Inuit Film and Video Archives – Archiving Activities. The least amount awarded, $3,125  is for a Copyright for Archives Workshop to the Association of Newfoundland and Labrador Archives

Two awards went to genealogical organizations: $4,609 to the British Columbia Genealogical Society for a pedigree chart project; $8,943 for Preserving Your Roots Through Digital Storytelling to the Saskatchewan Genealogical Society Inc.

Here are the projects receiving more than $40,000.

Canadian Research Knowledge Network
Canadian National Heritage Digitization Index
$71,683

Dr. James Naismith Basketball Foundation
The Brothers of the Wind Documentary Heritage Project
$69,946

Arnprior and McNab Braeside Archives
Online Digital Expansion of the Arnprior & McNab/Braeside Archives
$63,655

Nunavut Bilingual Education Society
Iqqaumajuakkuvik Project: Digital Audio Archive of Inuit Oral History
$56,750

Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation Band
ATK/TUS Database Creation
$46,608

La Société historique de Saint-Boniface
Digitization of 28 architectural projects by Étienne Gaboury
$44,192

Eastern Townships Resource Centre
Creation of a Regional Online Database for the Eastern Townships
$43,828

Saskatchewan Council for Archives and Archivists
SCAA – "Lives and Letters" Short Video Episode
 $40,800

Les Amis des Jardins de Métis
Digitization, Classification and Indexing of the Jardins de Métis Archives
 $40,017

Quite a few of the projects will be helpful for the family historian.

Review the complete list at http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/services/documentary-heritage-communities-program/Pages/funding-history-2015-2016.aspx

After the announcement the Minister took questions and proved adept at avoiding giving any new information regarding the fate of the Victims of Communism monument, a possible new symbol for the Canada 2017 celebrations and a new try for a National Portrait Gallery.

(Sorry about the quality of the image, the subjects are both a lot sharper than in the photo.)