Federal grant programs / Department of the Interior

National Maritime Heritage Grants (15.925)

Also known as Maritime Heritage Grants

• Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$5.2 million
• Grant awards22
• Typical award$242,500
• Awarded in FY 2025$3.7 million
• Size rank1,616 of 1,823
• Type of assistanceProject grants

Key findings

• It is the 1616th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
• The 14 largest recipients received 100% of the money.
• Awards went to recipients in 14 states and territories.

What the program funds

The National Maritime Heritage Grants Program provides matching grants for education and preservation projects designed to preserve historic maritime resources and to increase public awareness and appreciation for the maritime heritage of the United States. The grants will help State, Tribal, and local governments and private nonprofit organizations preserve and interpret their maritime heritage.

From the federal Assistance Listing. Read the full listing on SAM.gov.

Open opportunities

No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.

Rules from the program listing

Who can apply

Any State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) in a state, territory, or freely associated state as well as the National Trust for Historic Preservation can apply for a National Maritime Heritage grant. Once they've received a grant they become known as the prime recipient. The prime recipient is able to use their grants to operate in-house projects and/or run competitive subgrant programs. State, tribal, or local governments or nonprofit organizations can apply for National Maritime Heritage Grant subgrants. Individuals and federal agencies are not eligible to apply for National Maritime Heritage Maritime grants or subgrants.

What the money can and cannot pay for

Funds may be used for education or preservation projects that promote the understanding of significant aspect of American maritime heritage. Projects that involve historic resources as defined in the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended, must comply with treatments defined in the "Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties" (36 CFR 78), “Standards for Historic Vessel Preservation Projects”, and “Standards for Archeology and Historic Preservation” (48 FR 44716). The Grantee must grant a preservation easement or preservation agreement for each grant-assisted property. In general, the Grants Program does not fund projects which will train the individual maritime heritage professional to do his or her job better or assist in career recognition or promotion. This includes activities such as developing training or continuing education courses for the maritime heritage education or preservation professional, personal research, or research resulting in highly specialized reports or publications with narrow audience appeal and little potential for public use or applications. Grants Program funds cannot be paid for any work or activity that does not conform to the terms of the NPS Grant Agreement which incorporates all applicable grant requirements, conditions, and Federal laws and regulations. Recipients must abide by the guidelines described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity.;

Matching requirements

This program has no statutory formula. The National Maritime Heritage Act, section 4(d)(2), requires grants be matched on a 1-to-1 basis. Each federal dollar must be matched by one non-federal dollar. Match may be in the form of cash or in-kind donations of time, goods, or services.MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Award range and average, in the agency's words

Range: $15,000 to $500,000 Average: $66,000.00

Examples of funded projects

Fiscal Year2025: 1) Education & Public Awareness: Funding may support projects that help people learn about the nation’s maritime past. This can include creating exhibits, programs, or community activities that explain how ships, waterways, and maritime travel shaped history. Grants may also help organizations develop workshops, teaching materials, or digital content that make maritime stories accessible to the public. 2) Preservation & Conservation: Funds may be used to protect and care for historic maritime resources. This could involve repairing or stabilizing vessels, artifacts, and archaeological collections, or performing engineering studies and scientific tests to understand their condition. Projects may focus on preserving materials so they can be safely exhibited, researched, or passed on to future generations. 3) Research & Documentation: Grants may support efforts to document and study maritime sites and collections. This includes researching underwater archaeological areas, examining historical records, and creating detailed documentation of artifacts or structures. These projects help deepen understanding and ensure accurate interpretation of maritime heritage.Fiscal Year2026: Program has not yet selected projects for funding. Program anticipates funding projects that help preserve our historic maritime resources and to promote and educate the public about America's extensive maritime heritage legacy.

Quoted from the program's federal Assistance Listing. The notice of funding opportunity is the official source for each competition's rules.

Who usually wins

Almost all of the money went to state and local governments.

By state

2 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards. They are Alaska and New York.

Award amounts are federal obligations reported to USAspending.gov for fiscal 2021 to 2025; see how our data works.