Government Market News StaffThe Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) will distribute $20 million to support statewide historic preservation projects. The funds are part of the Virginia 250 Preservation Fund, an initiative launched in remembrance of the nation’s 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The program consists of a two-step application process. To qualify for funding, applicants must submit a preapplication form by Aug. 30, 2024. Participants who advance past the first round will then have until Oct. 14, 2024, to submit a full application. The DRH recommends that potential applicants read through the grant guidelines before submission.
The preservation fund will provide financial assistance for projects that improve significant historic sites and history museums across Virginia. Eligible projects that may receive funding include those that help increase visitation numbers in honor of the nation’s Semiquincentennial. These may include projects that:
- Rehabilitate or stabilize historic resources.
- Improve ADA accessibility.
- Improve infrastructure at historic sites.
- Reconstruct historic buildings.
- Build or install museum exhibits.
- Perform site work, including landscaping, parking improvements, lighting, wayfinding and interpretive signage.
Eligible applicants include Native-American tribes, non-profit organizations and Virginia localities. Awards are available to any historic sites or museums that fit the program’s guidelines, not exclusively to properties related to the American Revolution. Applicants are required to match one-third of the requested grant amount to qualify.
While any history museums may qualify for the initiative, the DHR will prioritize properties listed in the Virginia Landmarks Register, National Register of Historic Places, designated as a National Historic Landmark or any the DHR recognizes as eligible for these listings. The DRH expects to announce grant awards in late 2024.
Photo by Ken Lund
