Federal grant programs / Department of the Interior

Historic Preservation Fund Grants-in-Aid for Competitive Grants (15.966)

• Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$65.6 million
• Grant awards151
• Typical award$500,000
• Awarded in FY 2025$60.9 million
• Size rank942 of 1824
• Type of assistanceGrant

Key findings

• It is the 942nd largest of 1,824 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
• The 20 largest recipients received 27% of the money.
• Awards went to recipients in 42 states and territories.

What the program funds

The objectives of the competitive grant programs under this Assistance Listing are broad but are all generally intended to provide funding to document and preserve cultural resources that are important to American history. Following Congressional guidance, specific grant programs emphasize social, cultural, or historic themes and target funding to historic events like the struggle for civil and equal rights in the United States, documenting and preserving the stories of underrepresented communities, or preserving sites associated with the founding of the nation. Examples of grant programs could include: African American Civil Rights, Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization, History of Equal Rights, Semiquincentennial, Underrepresented Communities, Tribal Heritage, and future competitive grant programs as may be created by Congress.

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

What the money can and cannot pay for

Grants assist in the identification, nomination, evaluation, and protection of historic properties as defined by Congress and the National Historic Preservation Act. All funded projects must follow the applicable Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation. In accordance with 54 USC 302902, grantees must agree to assume, after completion of a rehabilitation project, the cost of the continued maintenance, repair, and administration of the property in a manner satisfactory to the Secretary of the Interior. Restrictions on the use of funding are set by Congress and the parameters of the specific grant program as well as in the National Historic Preservation Act, 36 CFR 61, the Historic Preservation Fund Grants Manual, and 2 CFR 200. In general, funding may not be used to cause an adverse effect to an historic property or to adversely impact the environment. Major reconstruction of historic resources or new construction are not eligible activities. Acquisition or relocation of historic property/resources are not eligible activities. Project work must comply with what is popularly referred to as Section 106 (54 USC 306108) and Section 110 (54 USC 306107) of the National Historic Preservation Act as well as the National Environmental Policy Act (PL 91-190).;

Matching requirements

This program has no statutory formula. Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), match is mandatory in a ratio of 60% federal to 40% non-federal (match). However, matching requirements can be variable and depend on the specific grant program. If a grant program requires matching, it will be included in the Congressional appropriations language and referenced in the Notice of Funding Opportunity.MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Award range and average, in the agency's words

Range: $10,000 - $3,000,000 Average: $450,000

Examples of funded projects

Fiscal Year2025: 1) Building Repairs and Structural Preservation - Grants are used to fix leaking roofs, crumbling chimneys, and damaged brickwork on historic buildings to prevent further deterioration; and the repair or replacement of original windows and doors to maintain historical accuracy while improving energy efficiency and safety. 2) System and Safety Upgrades - Projects include fire safety improvements including installing fire alarms, sprinkler systems, and emergency exits to meet modern safety codes; and accessibility enhancements including adding ramps, elevators, or accessible restrooms to ensure historic sites are inclusive and ADA-compliant. 3) Historic and Cultural Site Restoration - Funding is used to restore original finishes like plaster walls, wood floors, and decorative ceilings in historic interiors. Projects often focus on revitalizing historic educational or civic buildings for continued community use. 4) Documentation and Planning - Grants fund detailed assessments of historic buildings to guide future preservation work. Some projects aim to document and nominate properties for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.Fiscal Year2026: Program has not yet selected projects for funding. Program anticipates funding grant programs that include African American Civil Rights, Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization, History of Equal Rights, Semiquincentennial, and Underrepresented Communities Grants.

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

Nonprofits received 66% of the money, state and local governments 27% and colleges and universities 5.3%.

By state

22 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.

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