Next Great Save

Next Great Save


The Next Great Save Competition

$65,000 in cash prizes to be won!

Canadians love their historic places and step up when these treasured places are at risk. The Next Great Save competition empowers communities to save heritage places with a $50,000 Grand Prize generously provided by Ecclesiastical Insurance and two runners-up cash prizes. The prize money will advance projects that protect, adapt, renew, or improve heritage places for the future, and inspire us all in the process!

The 2024 Next Great Save call for applications

The call for applications is closed.

Questions? Reach out to us via email nextgreatsave@nationaltrustcanada.ca


2024 Competition Timeline

February 19 – March 8
Community groups develop an application with details of the historic place they want to be Canada’s Next Great Save.  Ten to twelve exciting projects will be shortlisted and featured in public voting to win $65,000 in cash prizes.

March 22 – April 8
Competition finalists put together their case to convince voters their project should be the Next Great Save using photos, text, or video.

Week of April 8
Ten to twelve competition finalists are announced.

April 18 – May 6
People across Canada cast votes for the Next Great Save.

May 7
The National Trust for Canada and Ecclesiastical Insurance announce the winners of the Next Great Save competition.


About our Title Sponsor

Ecclesiastical Insurance is an award-winning commercial insurance company and a proud part of the Benefact Group – a charity owned, international family of financial service companies that gives all available profits to charity and good causes. Ecclesiastical provides specialist insurance solutions to the arts, culture and heritage community, faith organizations, retirement living, educational institutions, registered charities, and non-profit organizations. Protecting Canada’s historic places, both large and small, with regional offices in Dartmouth, Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver.


What is the competition all about?

The NGS competition aims to advance the preservation and use of heritage sites by providing public engagement and financial support to help them complete their conservation project. Registered charities or non-profits with plans to protect, adapt, renew, or improve a heritage place and allow the building to play a vibrant role that enhances community life can submit a completed application form with the goal of becoming a finalist.

The application window is open February 19 – March 8, 2024:

Questions? Reach out to us via email NextGreatSave@Nationaltrustcanada.ca


What happens next?

As we recognize the vital role of historic places in addressing contemporary issues, a distinguished jury of experts will rigorously evaluate the applications and select 10-12 finalists from among them. The potential of projects to address current issues like climate change, diversity and inclusion, and housing is particularly important to the jury.

The jury deliberates between March 9-21, 2024.

Once the jury has selected the finalists, the ultimate decision rests in the hands of the public who cast their votes online. Last year, the competition garnered some 200,000 votes from participants across Canada and beyond.


Get to know the finalists

The Next Great Save competition helps the finalists engage a broader public to spark an interest in the future of a heritage place.  Each finalist will promote their Next Great Save project application to their communities and to the Canadian public.

Get inspired by their stories and vote to save the places you love!

The online voting platform is open April 18 – May 6, 2024

The winner and runners-up will be announced on May 7, 2024


What is a Next Great Save?

A Next Great Save is a project that successfully protects, adapts, renews or improves a heritage place in a way that extends its useful life, and more, such as:

  • responds to new pressures and community needs such as climate change or affordable housing;
  • reduces environmental impact; and/or
  • reflects diversity and inclusion of new voices and new stories.

 

Hear about the impact the Next Great Save competition had at Heritage Abbotsford

“Our participation in the Next Great Save Competition was a game-changing experience. It was the networking event of all networking events for us. The contest created an opportunity to get the backing of other organizations and funders who promoted our project. Being one of the ten sites selected across the country to participate by the National Trust meant that weight was given to the project and we started to receive funding from places that had not considered us in the past. We actually managed to double our annual budget for the year.”  Christina Reid, Heritage Abbotsford.


2023 Next Great Save

The first Next Great Save competition took place October 22, 2022 – February 23, 2023

Winners

  • $50,000 Grand Prize – Duncan Train Station – Duncan, BC
  • $10,000 Second Prize – La Vieille Maison – Meteghan, NS
  • $5,000 Third Prize – Historic 1916 CNR Hope Station – Hope, BC

Finalists


Learn More

2024 Eligibility Requirements

2024 Rules and Regulations


Ecclesiastical is deeply committed to protecting the needs of organizations that enrich the lives of others; to preserving Canada’s distinct communities, cultures, and history; and to supporting initiatives that help improve the lives of people in need. The National Trust for Canada has a long-standing relationship with Ecclesiastical Insurance – our most faithful sponsor – and we are excited to be working with them to fund the Next Great Save!


All inquiries and media requests NextGreatSave@Nationaltrustcanada.ca

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