History Fund grants will support projects in three categories:
1. Organizational Development
Organizational Development grants focus on building capacity: providing the training and materials to help historical societies and like organizations help themselves. Grants in this category can include but are not limited to training for board and staff, professional assistance with organizational issues, improving governance structures, volunteer or membership program development, and assessments or strategic plans (including paid facilitators/consultants). Applications must explain the issue(s) faced by the organization and how the grant will address the issue(s). Solutions must align with the issues identified.
Requirements:
- Grant Minimum: $1,000
- Grant Maximum: $4,000
- Project Length: 1 year
- Match Requirement: 80/20. The grant will pay 80% of a project's total cost, and the applicant will be responsible for a 20% match. For example: for a $1,000 project, the History Fund grant would provide up to $800 and the applicant’s match would be $200.
- Funds Distribution: 50% of the grant amount at the beginning of the project. Remainder paid upon completion of the project, pending approval of the final report.
2. Programs & Collections
Programs & Collections encompass a variety of projects that further the study, recordation, interpretation, publication and dissemination of historical information, engagement of communities in history, or conservation of historical collections and archives.
Projects funded under this category could include but are not limited to public programs, exhibits, care and management of archival materials and artifacts, digitization of collections, oral history, archeological/architectural/historical surveys, archaeological fieldwork, nominations of historic buildings and sites to the National Register of Historic Places, preparation of historic preservation plans or feasibility studies, mobile or online applications, walking tours, and events.
Requirements:
- Grant Minimum: $2,000
- Grant Maximum: $20,000
- Project Length: 2 years
- Match Requirement: 60/40. The grant will pay 60% of a project's total cost, and the applicant will be responsible for a 40% match. For example: for a $10,000 project, the History Fund would provide $6,000. The applicant’s match would be $4,000.
- Funds Distribution: 50% of the grant amount at the beginning of the project. Remainder paid upon completion of the project, pending approval of the final report.
- Special note for projects that would nominate properties to the National Register of Historic Places. Before applying for a History Fund grant, applicants must complete and receive a response to a National Register Preliminary Questionnaire, designed to help determine whether a property or district is likely to qualify for nomination to the National Register. For more information, click here.
3. Brick & Mortar
Brick and mortar projects can involve the following: rehabilitation, restoration, protection, or acquisition of historic properties and archaeological sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places or designated by local ordinance, building work related to the preservation of historical or archival collections regardless of the building’s historic status, or new construction dedicated to the preservation of historical or archival collections.
Requirements:
- Grant Minimum: $2,000
- Grant Maximum: $20,000
- Project Length: up to 2 years
- Match Requirement: 60/40. The grant will pay 60% of a project's total cost, and the applicant will be responsible for a 40% match. For example: for a $10,000 project, the History Fund would provide $6,000. The applicant’s match would be $4,000.
- Funds Distribution: 20% of the grant paid at the beginning of the project. Remainder paid over life the grant on a reimbursement basis only.
- The applicant must own properties under consideration for rehabilitation, restoration, or preservation.
- Brick and Mortar projects will require a preservation agreement under which the property owner agrees to maintain the historic features of the property (for historic properties) or retain the building for its intended use (for non-historic) for a period of five years.
History Fund grants will support projects in three categories: Bricks & Mortar, Organizational Development, and Programs & Collections. The examples listed below are not all inclusive, but illustrate the types of projects eligible in each category. The following information is also in the Ohio History Fund Grant Guidelines, found here.
Bricks & Mortar
Bricks & Mortar projects can involve:
- Rehabilitation, restoration, protection, or acquisition of historic properties and archaeological sites listed in the National Register of Historic Places or designated by a local historic preservation ordinances (usually as a Certified Local Government: https://www.ohiohistory.org/preserving-ohio/certified-local-governments/).
- Building work or construction directly related to the preservation of historical or archival collections regardless of the building’s historic status. If an extant building is in the National Register, any addition “shall not destroy historic materials that characterize the property” (for details regarding additions to NR-listed properties see the Standards for Rehabilitation, #9 and #10: https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/treatment-standards-rehabilitation.htm
Requirements:
- Grant Minimum: $2,000
- Grant Maximum: $20,000
- Project Length: up to 24 months
- Match Requirement: 60/40. The grant will pay 60% of the total cost of a project and the applicant will be responsible for a 40% match. Example: for a $10,000 project, the History Fund would provide $6,000. The applicant’s match would be $4,000.
- To meet the Grant Minimum amount and Match Requirement, the total cost of your project (grant request + match amount) must exceed approximately $3,350 ($3,350 x 60% = $2,010).
- Properties under consideration for rehabilitation, restoration, or preservation must be owned or under long term lease by the applicant.
- Bricks & Mortar projects will require a preservation agreement under which the property owner agrees to maintain the historic features of the property (for historic properties), or retain the building for its intended use (for non-historic) for a period of five years.
Organizational Development
Organizational Development grants focus on building capacity: providing the training and materials to help historical societies and like organizations help themselves.
Grants in this category can include, but are not limited to: training for board and staff, professional assistance with organizational issues, improving governance structures, volunteer or membership program development, and assessments or strategic plans (including paid facilitators/consultants). Applications must explain the issue(s) faced by the organization and how the grant will address the issue(s). Solutions must align to the issues identified.
Requirements:
- Grant Minimum: $1,000
- Grant Maximum: $4,000
- Project Length: 12 months
- Match Requirement: 80/20. The grant will pay 80% of the total cost of a project and the applicant will be responsible for a 20% match. Example: for a $3,000 project, the History Fund grant would provide up to $2,400 and applicant’s match would be $600.
- To meet the Organizational Development Grant Minimum amount and Match Requirement, the total cost of your project (grant request + match amount) must exceed $1,250 ($1,250 x 80% = $1,000).
Programs & Collections
Programs & Collections encompasses a variety of projects that further the study, recordation, interpretation, publication and dissemination of historical information, engagement of communities in history, or preservation of historical collections and archives.
Projects funded under this broad category can include, but are not limited to, public programs, exhibits, care and management of archival materials and artifacts, digitization of collections, oral history, archeological/architectural/historical surveys, archaeological field work, nominations of historic buildings and sites to the National Register of Historic Places, preparation of historic preservation plans or feasibility studies, mobile or online applications, walking tours, and events.
Requirements:
- Grant Minimum: $2,000
- Grant Maximum: $20,000
- Project Length: up to 24 months
- Match Requirement: 60/40. The grant will pay 60% of the total cost of a project and the applicant will be responsible for a 40% match. Example: for a $10,000 project, the History Fund would provide $6,000. The applicant’s match would be $4,000.
- To meet the Grant Minimum amount and Match Requirement, the total cost of your project (grant request + match amount) must exceed approximately $3,350 ($3,350 x 60% = $2,010).
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