Best Preservation Grants in Virginia

With a mission to celebrate community folklore, William G Pomeroy Foundation provides Virginia historic preservation groups with funding for Legends & Lore roadside markers highlighting folktales, legends, and folklife. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) organizations, nonprofit academic institutions, and local, state, or federal government entities in participating states, including Virginia.

With a mission to support permanent capital projects, the Cabell Foundation provides Virginia 501(c)(3) nonprofits with competitive challenge grants for facilities, renovations, and other long-term needs. Historic preservation projects, especially in the Richmond metro area, may be eligible alongside cultural, educational, environmental, community development, housing, health, and social service capital initiatives.

Virginia local governments and planning district commissions can access funding for historic resource surveys and preservation planning projects through the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Virginia preservation groups in public agencies may be eligible for support with survey reports, National Register nominations, Preliminary Information Forms, and other planning documents that strengthen local historic resource inventories and comprehensive plans.

Virginia local governments with Certified Local Government (CLG) status can apply for matching grants to strengthen historic preservation programs in Virginia. Funding from the Virginia Department of Historic Resources supports surveys, National Register nominations, preservation planning, public education, training, rehabilitation of listed buildings, and related stewardship projects that advance community-wide historic preservation efforts.

Organizations or entities responsible for Virginia archaeological sites facing destruction can seek funding for emergency assessment, excavation, and analysis through the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Focused on archaeology and historic preservation, this program supports threatened sites work when no other funding is available, which may benefit preservation-focused groups in Virginia.

Nonprofits, tribes, and community groups focused on acquiring, protecting, or rehabilitating historic and archaeological sites tied to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in Virginia can seek support through this program, with awards from US $50,000 - US $1,000,000. Grants from the Virginia Department of Historic Resources help advance community-centered historic preservation projects statewide.

Virginia 501(c)(3) nonprofits, local government agencies, and state or federally recognized American Indian tribes in Virginia can apply for the Virginia Historical Society’s Commonwealth History Fund to support preservation and history education projects. Funding can cover restoration, rehabilitation, research, documentation, conservation, acquisitions, educational programs, digitization, and related infrastructure improvements across the Commonwealth.

Established nonprofit organizations in Virginia can apply for the Gwathmey Memorial Trust’s US $5,000 - US $60,000 grants to support one-year program or general operating needs. Funding cycles include historic preservation, arts, culture, humanities, and education, which may benefit organizations preserving Virginia’s historic sites and cultural heritage.

Virginia state agencies, public bodies, qualifying nonprofits, and recognized Virginia Indian Tribes can access funding through the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation to permanently conserve land, including purchasing development rights. Awards of US $10,000 - US $20,000 support farmland, forestland, historic area preservation, natural areas, and open spaces and parks across Virginia, often with public access components.

Nonprofit and preservation-focused organizations in Virginia and other Mid-Atlantic states can receive up to US $7,500 for planning, education, and outreach projects that protect natural and cultural resources. The National Trust for Historic Preservation supports activities like preservation planning, community forums, and innovative public programs that expand engagement with historic preservation and conservation issues.

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is inviting applications for the Public Humanities Projects program, aimed at enhancing public understanding of the humanities through exhibitions, historic site interpretations, and public lectures. For 2027, topics of interest include Western civilization, literature, the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, civic education, and cultural literacy. This initiative seeks to foster civil discourse and engage communities in meaningful discussions.

National Preservation Partners Network member organizations in Virginia can receive up to US $10,000 for advocacy, capacity building, or climate-related historic preservation projects. National Trust for Historic Preservation funding supports staff time, consultants, research, training, software, outreach, and related project costs that strengthen statewide and local preservation partners, with a required one-to-one match.

Individual engineers, architects, and other preservation-related professionals in Virginia can receive up to US $15,000 to develop original proposals on preservation, restoration, or adaptive reuse of the built environment. The James Marston Fitch Charitable Foundation supports U.S.-focused projects that advance historic preservation practice and can be shared with the wider preservation community.

Nonprofits and public agencies in Virginia stewarding modern buildings by Black architects can seek US $150,000 grants for preservation planning and limited capital work. Focused on conserving Black modernist architecture, the National Trust for Historic Preservation supports research, technical studies, and management plans for 20th-century historic assets open for public benefit.

Nonprofits, government entities, and some religious organizations in greater Williamsburg can seek up to US $5,000 to run community programs benefiting residents of Williamsburg, James City County, and York County. With a mission to enhance local quality of life, Williamsburg Community Foundation funds projects including arts, culture, environment, community wellness, and initiatives that may include historic or cultural preservation work.

Public agencies and nonprofit organizations in Virginia can receive US $2,500 - US $15,000 for historic preservation planning, education, and restoration projects through the Johanna Favrot Fund for Historic Preservation. National Trust for Historic Preservation funding can cover consultant fees, preservation conferences, communications materials, and bricks-and-mortar work on designated historic sites, structures, or cultural landscapes.

Public agencies and nonprofit organizations in Virginia preserving historic interiors can apply for US $2,500 - US $15,000 to support planning, education, and restoration projects. The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Cynthia Woods Mitchell Fund backs activities like interior restoration plans, conservation plans, furnishings plans, workshops, and related consultant fees on historic interiors.

Public agencies and nonprofit organizations planning historic preservation projects in Virginia towns of 10,000 or fewer residents can seek funding for planning and education efforts. Grants from National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Hart Family Fund for Small Towns provide US $2,500 - US $15,000 for consultant fees, feasibility studies, community forums, and outreach materials on preservation.

Individuals, nonprofits, and museums in Virginia can apply for Historic Alexandria Foundation’s grants, awarding up to US $5,000 for historic preservation projects in the City of Alexandria. Funding can support building restoration, conservation of museum artifacts, or historical, architectural, and archaeological research that advances local preservation goals; membership in the Foundation is required.

The National Fund for Sacred Places Grant Program supports historic houses of worship in the U.S. through matching grants ranging from $50,000 to $250,000. This initiative, in collaboration with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, aims to enhance community engagement and preserve culturally significant buildings. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate their historical relevance and community service, particularly those representing underrepresented groups. The program prioritizes urgent repair needs and projects that foster inclusivity and accessibility.

The Ross Merrill Award for Outstanding Commitment to the Preservation and Care of Collections recognizes North American institutions demonstrating exceptional dedication to conservation. This award highlights organizations that engage in significant outreach, involve conservation professionals, and show a commitment to community education regarding the importance of preserving cultural heritage. While no monetary prize accompanies the award, it serves as a prestigious acknowledgment of exemplary conservation efforts. Nominations are encouraged from both inside and outside organizations.

The Peter H. Brink Leadership Fund, supported by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, aims to enhance the capabilities of preservation organizations through mentoring and organizational development. Grants cover travel and mentor honoraria, fostering collaboration and peer-to-peer learning. Applications are accepted year-round on a rolling basis, prioritizing those who previously applied but did not receive funding. Eligible applicants include Forum members and nonprofit organizations, with a focus on innovative ideas for mentorship opportunities.

The Alma Gibbs Donchian Foundation provides grants primarily to support institutions in Vermont, focusing on issues such as elderly welfare, educational assistance for learning disabilities, and community preservation. Emphasizing partnerships and innovative program models, the Foundation prefers applicants with a strong financial management background. Grants typically range from a few thousand dollars to $20,000, with larger amounts considered for significant impact projects. Eligibility is limited to tax-exempt organizations.

The FY 2027 – 2029 Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) by the National Marine Fisheries Service invites innovative research and educational projects that enhance NOAA's mission. This funding opportunity focuses on applied environmental and cultural resource research, technical assistance, and education to promote effective stewardship of public lands. Please note that the availability of funds is contingent on appropriations, and this announcement does not guarantee project funding or review beyond initial administrative checks.

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.

Virginia Department of Historic Resources

The Virginia Department of Historic Resources is the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) in Virginia. As the SHPO, DHR administers a number of federal programs. DHR is also a state agency in the Natural and Historic Resources Secretariat. DHR fosters, encourages, and supports the stewardship and use of Virginia’s significant architectural, archaeological, and historic resources as valuable assets for the economic, educational, social, and cultural benefit of citizens and communities. Our programs include both the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places, Survey, Grants, Archaeology, Cemetery Preservation, African American and Tribal Outreach, the Historical Highway Marker program, 106 Review and Compliance, Conservation, Collections, Easements, and the Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit Program.

Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants Program- Appalachian Southwest Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia has been awarded an additional $750,000 for another round of funding through the National Park Service (NPS)-funded Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants Program (PBHRGP) to support the rehabilitation of historic buildings and sites in the state’s southwestern region. In alignment with its overarching mission to ensure that Virginia’s historic places are valued and used as assets for education, tourism, environmental sustainability, and economic vitality, DHR will administer the award by establishing a subgrant program to fund approximately three preservation projects in Appalachian Virginia. Public entities and nonprofit organizations based in Southwest Virginia that steward historic places in this 25-county region for the public good will be eligible to apply for funds from the subgrant program.

The PBHRGP is funded though the National Park Service Historic Preservation Fund (HPF). all programs funded though the HPF must adhere to the HPF Grants Manual. All grant-funded projects must enter into a preservation agreement (short-term covenant that places restrictions on the property and runs with property deed) based on terms defined by the NPS. Please review the information linked here outlining preservation agreements before submitting an application.

The ESHPF Disaster Relief Assistance Grant Program, administered by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, has received $2,000,000 from the NPS to document historic resources in areas affected by Hurricane Helene. This program aims to support community-driven efforts for surveying architectural and archaeological sites in 37 localities across Virginia. Eligible projects may include preservation planning and nominations for the National Register of Historic Places, ensuring the protection and recognition of Virginia's rich cultural heritage.