Best Grants for Historic Buildings in Utah

Owners of historic buildings in rural Utah downtowns can use this grant to rehabilitate interior ground-floor commercial spaces and upper floors for housing. With a mission to support historic preservation, Utah State Historic Preservation Office provides Utah property owners with competitive funding of US $25,000 - US $50,000, requiring a 25% match from recipients.

Academic researchers and graduate students in Utah and select other states can apply for National Geographic Society grants of US $5,000 - US $10,000 to conduct non-commercial geography education research. Projects must support geographic education locally, produce a defined research output, and may include work connected to historic preservation, community heritage, or related learning approaches.

Utah 501(c)(3) organizations and government units preserving historic buildings or cultural heritage can apply for the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation’s funding; awards up to US $2,000,000 support high-impact projects. Eligible efforts may also include arts, education, health, environment, and community services that strengthen Utah communities.

Public agencies and 501(c)(3) or other nonprofit organizations in Utah preserving traditional cultures and historic sites can apply for the Southwest Intervention Fund, awarding US $2,500 - US $10,000 for planning and emergency intervention projects. Funding can support archaeological surveys, stabilization, legal or communications work, and other historic preservation efforts for buildings and cultural landscapes.

Utah Native-led 501(c)(3) organizations and tribal governments working on water, sacred places, language, or community-based agriculture can access funding through Colorado Plateau Foundation to strengthen their organizational capacity. Grants of US $1,000 - US $25,000 may benefit groups whose work includes stewardship of culturally significant or historic landscapes and places on the Colorado Plateau.

Native-led 501(c)(3) organizations or tribal governments on the Colorado Plateau working in environmental stewardship, sacred site protection, Native language preservation, or sustainable agriculture in Utah can seek rapid response funding for urgent needs. With a mission to support Native cultures, lands, and waters, Colorado Plateau Foundation provides up to US $10,000 outside its annual grant cycle.

501(c)(3) organizations, nonprofit academic institutions, and government entities in Utah can seek funding to install Legends & Lore markers celebrating local folktales, legends, and folklife traditions. With a mission to honor community heritage, William G Pomeroy Foundation supports projects that highlight shared stories, customs, and cultural practices, which may complement historic preservation efforts.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) cultural enrichment organizations working on historic preservation and related arts in Utah can apply for $2,000 - $5,000 project grants from Rocky Mountain Power Foundation. Funding supports performing and visual arts, historic preservation, and cross-cultural education benefiting communities within the Rocky Mountain Power service area, with arts and culture proposals due September 15.

Accredited charities in Utah and worldwide can seek funding for humanitarian, educational, environmental, and cultural projects that promote sustainable development. La Roche supports initiatives such as community development, disaster relief, environmental conservation, STEM education, arts, and historic preservation, especially when they can engage Roche expertise and employees and involve local authorities and partners early on.

Public agencies and nonprofit organizations planning historic preservation projects in Utah towns under 10,000 people can seek funding for planning and education efforts. Grants from National Trust for Historic Preservation help small communities hire preservation professionals, conduct feasibility studies, and run public outreach, offering US $2,500 - US $15,000 in seed money for local preservation initiatives.

Public agencies and nonprofit organizations in Utah preserving or restoring historic interiors can apply for US $2,500 - US $15,000 to support planning, education, and bricks-and-mortar interior work. National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Cynthia Woods Mitchell Fund for Historic Interiors also accepts certain projects from individuals and for-profits when they involve a National Historic Landmark.

Public agencies and nonprofit organizations in Utah can receive US $2,500 - US $15,000 for historic preservation planning, education, and restoration projects through the Johanna Favrot Fund from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Funding can cover consultants, conferences, educational programs, communications, and bricks-and-mortar work, with a required dollar-for-dollar cash match.

Nonprofit organizations and public agencies stewarding modern historic buildings by Black architects can receive US $150,000 for preservation planning and limited capital work, including in Utah. Focused on conserving Black modernist architecture, the National Trust for Historic Preservation supports research, conservation plans, feasibility studies, and related technical planning for significant 20th-century sites.

Individual engineers, architects, and other preservation-related professionals in Utah can receive up to US $15,000 for original proposals in historic preservation, restoration, or adaptive reuse of the built environment. The James Marston Fitch Charitable Foundation’s Robert Silman Award supports U.S.-based research or design projects that advance preservation practice and share results with the preservation community.

Historic preservation nonprofits in Utah that are dues-paying members of the National Preservation Partners Network can receive up to US $10,000 for advocacy, capacity building, or climate-related projects. National Trust for Historic Preservation supports staff time, consultants, research, training, software, outreach, and related project costs that strengthen preservation organizations and their programs.

Historic preservation organizations, public agencies, and entities representing historic Black churches can seek US $50,000 - US $500,000 for capital projects, planning, staffing, and programming that preserve historic Black houses of worship nationwide, including Utah. Focus areas include bricks-and-mortar repairs, endowments, organizational capacity, interpretive programming, and professional project planning services.

U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofits serving veterans through historic preservation, arts, education, environment, family, or health initiatives can seek up to US $100,000 for new or expanding projects. Impact100 Global Veterans provides large, two-year grants nationwide, which may benefit Utah organizations working on veteran-focused historic buildings or cultural sites.

The Mishler Brown Fund Grant, managed by the Community Foundation of Elkhart County, supports nonprofits dedicated to agriculture and historic preservation. Applications are accepted annually from October 1 to December 31, with funds awarded in January. Organizations must have a 501(c)(3) status but do not need to be located in Elkhart County. The fund honors Helen Mishler's legacy by preserving farming heritage, including her family's historic homestead.

The Valley Foundation Grant aims to enhance the quality of life in Santa Clara County and beyond by supporting qualified 501(c)(3) organizations. Focused on educational, historical, and preservation initiatives, the Foundation provides essential funding to groups dedicated to societal improvement. By fostering partnerships with like-minded entities, The Valley Foundation strives to create lasting positive change through its grant-making efforts.

The Siletz Tribal Charitable Contribution Fund, established by the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, has distributed over $16.3 million in grants since 1999. It supports charitable organizations and local governments in eleven Oregon counties, as well as Native American initiatives across the U.S. The fund prioritizes education, health, public safety, addiction prevention, housing, arts, and environmental preservation, ensuring the Tribe's commitment to community support and cultural heritage.

The Alvah H. and Wyline P. Chapman Foundation offers grants to support charitable, educational, and community-focused initiatives, primarily in Florida and Georgia. Eligible applicants must be IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) organizations. The foundation prioritizes projects that address children's welfare, education, multicultural understanding, substance abuse prevention, and homelessness. Grants typically do not exceed $15,000, and proposals must be endorsed by a Foundation Director. Interested parties should submit a Letter of Inquiry for consideration.

The David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation offers grants to 501(c)(3) organizations focused on sight preservation, children's services, and environmental conservation, primarily in Utah. Established in memory of David Kelby Johnson, who tragically lost his life at a young age, the foundation aims to honor his legacy by supporting impactful charitable initiatives. Grants range from $5,000 to $100,000, with a commitment to improving communities both locally and globally.

Our Story

The IBMA Foundation was created by the International Bluegrass Music Association in 2007 with a bequest from the Richard Barnhart estate. Mr. Barnhart was a musician from northern Virginia who loved bluegrass and wanted to support educational programs for children. Since the beginning, our goal has been to support bluegrass-music-related educational, literary, artistic and historic preservation activities.

In our early years we produced Discover Bluegrass, an educational video that has been used in thousands of classrooms and libraries around the world. We have hosted dozens of teacher workshops and artist trainings. We created a bluegrass lesson plan competition and provided a network for leaders of after-school bluegrass programs.

Our project grants, which now total $25,000 a year, support bluegrass-related initiatives throughout the world. We also fund Bluegrass in the Schools Mini-grants ($7,000/year) which help schools to hire bluegrass bands for school programs. The Rosenberg Bluegrass Scholar Award recognizes excellence in academic research. Six college scholarships are granted for students working in various areas of the bluegrass music industry. The Arnold Shultz Fund supports increased participation of people of color in bluegrass music with grants that total $30,000/ year. Fletcher Bright Memorial Grants for Young Musicians (age 18 and younger) help young people go to bluegrass music camps and workshops, take lessons, and purchase educational materials.

IBMA  Foundation Project Grants

The IBMA Foundation awards project grants each year, usually in amounts between $1,000 and $2,500. The deadline to apply is December 2. Projects must align with the Foundation’s mission in one of the following areas

• Arts & culture
• Education
• Literary or academic programs
• History preservation

The Society of the Order of the Southern Cross Grant aims to support charitable projects that preserve and restore Southern heritage artifacts and locations. Eligible projects may include military artifacts, monuments, and historical sites. Organizations typically need to secure 50% of necessary funding before applying. The Order encourages discussions for projects that may not meet standard funding levels, emphasizing their commitment to preserving cultural heritage.

The Community Foundation of Carroll County supports nearly 70 academic, sports, special circumstances, and 4-H scholarships. Search scholarships by name, or sort by application type.

Jay A. Graybeal Scholarship

The purpose of the Jay A. Graybeal Scholarship is to provide scholarships to college bound high school students, or students currently enrolled in undergraduate studies or pursuing post-graduate studies in general history or a specialty area of studies in history to include but not limited to; museum studies, archival management, library science, historic preservation, material culture, American Studies, archaeology, anthropology, art or architectural history or preservation technology; or to students pursuing a recognized certification or apprentice program dedicated to traditional arts, industries, trades or crafts.

The Scholarship amount is $1,000.

National Main Street Center Inc.

Main Street America (MSA) leads an inclusive, impact-driven movement dedicated to reenergizing and strengthening older and historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts through place-based economic development and community preservation. We work in collaboration with thousands of local partners and grassroots leaders across the nation who share our commitment to advancing shared prosperity, creating resilient economies, and improving quality of life.

Main Street America was founded in 1980 as the National Main Street Center®, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Over the past 40 years the MSA network has helped to generate over $115.27 billion in local reinvestment, rehab 345,801 buildings, create 815,894 new jobs, and start 181,647 new businesses in over 2,000 communities. 

Great American Main Street Awards

Main Street America celebrates communities whose successes serve as a model for comprehensive, preservation-based revitalization efforts in their historic downtowns and commercial corridor districts with the Great American Main Street Awards (GAMSA).

Winners represent the diversity of communities in the Main Street America network — small towns, mid-sized communities, and urban commercial districts from every region in the country — and demonstrate the power of the Main Street Approach™. Since the inception of the Great American Main Street Awards in 1995, 118 Main Street programs have been honored.

Selection Criteria: Semifinalists and winners are selected from a nationwide pool of applicants by a jury of Main Street professionals and leaders in the fields of community and economic development and historic preservation. Criteria for winning GAMSA include: strength of the Main Street program in spurring community transformation, commitment to historic preservation, innovative programming, implementation of cross-sector partnerships, community outreach and stakeholder engagement, and ensuring their downtown districts are for everyone. 

Accolades & Ceremony: Semifinalists are promoted through Main Street America’s digital channels and receive media relations support. Winners also receive a short documentary film, a plaque, communications and media relations support, prominent placement on the Main Street America website for two years, and recognition at the 2027 Main Street Now Conference in Detroit, Michigan.

The Hazel Herring Civic Improvement Grant, established by the Woman's National Farm and Garden Association, supports projects aimed at enhancing community spaces. Eligible initiatives include community gardens, playgrounds, and beautification efforts. This grant allows members to fund new phases of ongoing projects, fostering civic engagement and improving public areas. Since its inception, the grant has evolved from an award to a funding opportunity for branches and divisions, ensuring a lasting impact on local communities.