The Save America’s Treasures program was created in 1998 to honor America’s cultural resources as the new millennium approached. Since that time, they have granted over $300 million in funding to historic sites and collections of national significance. This grant is a joint program of the National Park Service, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Grant applications fall under one of two categories:
- Preservation – For National Historic Landmarks or sites listed in the National Register of Historic Places
- Collections – For sets of historic pieces such as artifacts, documents, sculptures, and other art collections of national significance
The Collections Grant program expects to make approximately 50 awards in 2024 for a total of $26.5 million. Requests may be between $25,000 and $750,000 and require a 1:1 match of non-federal funds. Applications are due through Grants.gov by December 19, 2023 at 11:59 PM ET.
Eligibility
This grant is open to:
- Units of state, county, city, or special district government
- Independent school districts
- Public and State colleges, universities, and other post-secondary education institutions
- Private colleges, universities, and other post-secondary education institutions
- Native American Tribes, both Federally recognized or unrecognized
- Nonprofits with or without 501(c)3 status
- Federal agencies, except the National Park Service
Eligible Costs
Grant funds may be spent on
- Conservation of collections
- Production of a sign for the project
- Training or reporting associated with the project
- Costs to administer the project
- Audits and required financial requests
Grant funds may not be spent on
- Purchasing collections or property
- New construction
- Reconstruction of historic properties
- Long-term maintenance
- Moving historic properties or work on properties that are no longer eligible for the National Register because they’ve been moved
- Any work completed before the grant agreement is signed
- Lobbying or advocacy
- Endowments, cash reserves, or fundraising
- Administrative costs over 25%
Application Requirements
Applications should include:
- Letter of Owner Consent if the collection owner and applicant are not the same person or entity
- Photos of the collection showing current conditions and how it’s at risk
- Letters of support from partners and committed matching funds
