Best Grants for Historic Preservation in Iowa

The Jeffris Heartland Fund Grant, provided by the Jeffris Family Foundation, supports significant historic preservation projects across several Midwestern states, including Iowa and Wisconsin. Grants range from $5,000 to $50,000, covering 50% of costs for Historic Structure Reports, requiring a dollar-for-dollar match. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) organizations and government agencies, focusing on projects with historical significance, architectural merit, and strong community ties. Applications are accepted anytime, with decisions made approximately 30 days after submission.

The Historical Resource Development Program Annual Grant supports the preservation, conservation, and education of Iowa's historical resources. Established by the Code of Iowa, it offers funding to nonprofit corporations, governmental units, and individuals, with a focus on projects that enhance economic and cultural development. While grants can reach $100,000, applicants are encouraged to request up to $50,000. Key priorities include projects involving trained professionals and documentary collections with significant historical value.

Historical Resource Development Program (HRDP) 

The program provides grant funding to help preserve, conserve, interpret, enhance, and educate the public about Iowa’s historical assets. The Historical Resource Development Program provides funding for documentary collections, historic preservation and museums. 

What:

• Up to $50,000 with a required match. Match ratios vary.

Museum Project Types

If your project focuses on the care and collection of museum objects, you will want to apply in the museums category.

Projects in this category may include, but are not limited to:

• Public education, staff training, or consultation related to museum activities
• Cataloging
• Conservation survey of collections
• Treatment of collections
• Artifact acquisition
• Artifact conservation
• Interpretation of artifact collections
• Exhibitions
• Equipment, supplies, and facilities related to artifact preservation

Historical Resource Development Program (HRDP) - Documentary Collections

You should apply in the Documentary Collections category if your project focuses on preserving historical materials that contain recorded information such as documents, records, newspapers, photographs or similar types of items.

Resources in this category can include a variety of resource formats, such as albums, atlases, blueprints, broadsides, diaries, drawings, electronic records, films, ledgers, letters, maps, memoirs, minutes, newspapers, newsletters, oral histories, pamphlets, postcards, plats, photographs, photographic negatives, programs, reports, videotapes, and other multimedia materials.

Examples of documentary collections category projects include: 

• Processing collections – organizing, sorting, cataloging, arranging/describing, producing indexes, lists, inventories, and finding aids.
• Microfilming documents and records, with the proper preparation of material and adherence to professional microfilming standards
• Purchasing archival supplies such as UV filters, acid-free folders, boxes, envelopes, Mylar and tape for encapsulation.
• Formatting alternatives such as paper, microfilm, fiche, electronic, and also preparation of materials for re-formatting.
• Format or convert historical records collections, digitize for public access and make them freely available online.
• Provide consistent onsite researcher access to physical collections.
• Demonstrate the value of the informational contents of the collections to the understanding of Iowa’s history.
• Outlining in projects the use of archival best practices.
• Developing budgets that accomplish the project in a cost-effective manner.
• Outlining activities that bring researchers to the collections included in the project as well as the rest of the repository’s holdings.

State Historical Society of Iowa

The State Historical Society of Iowa is the official historical repository of the State of Iowa, providing grants, education, and outreach about Iowa’s history.

The society preserves and provides access to Iowa’s historical resources through programs, exhibitions and projects while advocating for Iowa’s past and serving as a connector to the future.

Historical Resource Development Program

The program provides grant funding to help preserve, conserve, interpret, enhance, and educate the public about Iowa’s historical assets. The Historical Resource Development Program provides funding for documentary collections, historic preservation and museums. 

There is a required match. Match ratios vary.

Historic Preservation

Project Types

Examples of projects in the Historic Preservation category are:

• Acquire, develop or preserve real property listed on the National Register of Historic Places
• Purchase equipment to rehabilitate a property listed on the National Register of Historic Places
• Survey historic and prehistoric sites
• Nominate properties to the National Register of Historic Places
• Interpret historic properties and sites
• Educate the public; train staff; or hire consultants who are experts on historic preservation

Eligible Property Types & Activities

• A National Historic Landmark: The National Park Service defines this as a “historic property evaluated and found to have significance at the national level and designated as such by the Secretary of the Interior.” There are only 29 such properties in Iowa.

• Individually Listed on the National Register of Historic Places: A historic property that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places on its own, not as part of a historic district. It may also be contributing to a listed historic district, but is also listed on its own.

• A Contributing Resource to a Property or District Listed on the National Register of Historic Places: The National Park Service defines this as a “building, site, structure, or object adding to the historic significance of a property.” These contributing resources must be part of the National Register nomination for the property or district and must still be considered contributing to the property or district. A “district” is defined by the National Park Service as a “significant concentration, linkage, or continuity of sites, buildings, structures, or objects united historically or aesthetically by plan or physical development.”

• A Property or District That Has an Opinion of Eligibility for Listing on the National Register of Historic Places: Properties or districts that meet the eligibility criteria, but have not yet been listed, are eligible for HRDP funds to nominate the property or district to the National Register or for emergency grants, through our emergency application process. Emergency applications are accepted until each year’s funds are expended. The emergency allocation is replenished each July 1st.

• A Historic or Prehistoric Site Survey: The National Park Service defines survey as the “process of identifying and gathering data on a community’s historic resources.” It is strongly encouraged that you discuss this type of project with the State Historic Preservation Office prior to application.

• Educating the Public About Historic Preservation: HRDP can fund workshops or conferences to educate the public about historic preservation. Funds can also be used to train staff or hire consultants who are experts in historic preservation.