Grants for Historic Preservation, Heritage Tourism, and Museum Projects

The Maryland Historical Trust administers six separate grant programs that assist in a wide variety of historic preservation-related activities, including:

• acquisition and rehabilitation of historic properties;
• acquisition, construction, and capital improvement of buildings, sites, and communities of historical and cultural significance to the African American experience in Maryland;
• Historic Property documentation projects such as National Register of Historic Places nominations; Maryland Inventory of Historic Property forms; and HABS/HAER/HALS documentation; 
• archeological investigations;
• documentation of folkways and cultural history through oral histories;
• heritage tourism development, such as brochures, tours and site improvements;
• museum activities, encompassing strategic planning, exhibits, collections management, educational programs and marketing.

Each program has different eligibility standards, operating regulations, applications and deadlines, so please be sure to read each program’s guidelines closely to make sure your project is eligible.  MHT encourages applicants to contact the appropriate MHT staff person prior to submitting an application.

Museum Assistance Grants

The Museum Assistance Program offers grants that provide support to existing museums operated by nonprofit organizations or local governments for a range of museum activities, encompassing strategic planning, exhibit development, collections management, educational programs and marketing.

Maryland Heritage Area Grants

The Maryland Heritage Areas Authority offers four types of grants to nonprofits and local governments for historical, cultural, and natural resource –based heritage tourism activities within certified heritage areas.  MHAA grants support management entity operations, heritage area management plans,  marketing, and capital and non-capital heritage tourism projects.

African-American Heritage Grants

The African American Heritage Preservation Grant Program is a partnership of the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture and the Maryland Historical Trust.  The Program supports acquisition, construction, and capital improvements to buildings, sites, or communities of historical and cultural importance to the African American experience in Maryland.

Capital Grants

Capital grants provide support to nonprofit organizations and local governments for “bricks and mortar” activities, including the acquisition, rehabilitation, and restoration of historic properties listed or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places [hyperlink].  All work must meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.

Non-Capital Grants

Non-Capital grants provide support to nonprofit organizations and local governments for research, survey, planning and educational activities involving architectural, archeological or cultural resources.  Eligible activities may include preservation plans, archeological investigations, historic and cultural resource surveys, and National Register nominations.

CLG Grants

Certified Local Government (CLG) grants provide support to those local governments that have been certified by MHT as meeting all requirements for eligibility in the Certified Local Government Program.  These federal pass-through funds support research, survey, planning and educational activities involving architectural, archeological or cultural resources.