History Grants

Last updated October 24, 2026

Grantable tracks 786 active history grants in its free grants database, drawn from state and foundation sources and updated daily. 20 of them have a verified open deadline or accept applications on a rolling basis. 476 list an award amount, with a median of $10K.

Grants tracked: 786; from 404 funders
Median award: $10K; middle half $2,500–$25K
Total listed funding: $49.4M; across 476 grants that list an amount
Rolling deadlines: 15; 34 with a published date

On this page: State Foundation · Updated daily

Find the history grants matched to your org

Free, no account to start — Grantable's AI ranks all 781 on mission, geography, and award size in a few minutes.

Start finding grants

Sort

Type

State

Amount

Eligibility

Include closed grants

Grant	Deadline ▲	Amount
Local History Grants Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities & Public Policy Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies	Not published	Varies
Humanities DC: Community Culture and Heritage Grants Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to $10K Humanities DC offers Community Culture and Heritage Grants aimed at enhancing the quality of life and promoting the understanding of local history in Washington, DC.	Not published	Up to $10K
IDNR Historic Sites Field Trip Grant Illinois Department of Natural Resources · Foundation Not published · Up to $500 To manage, conserve and protect Illinois' natural, recreational and cultural resources, further the public's understanding and appreciation of those resources, and promote the education, science and public safety of Illinois' natural…	Not published	Up to $500
Elsie & William Viles Foundation Donation Grant Elsie & William Viles Foundation · Foundation Not published · Up to $5K The Elsie & William Viles Foundation, established in 1990, continues the philanthropic legacy of William and Elsie Viles in Augusta, Maine.	Not published	Up to $5K
Fox Theatre Grant Program - Single-Year Grants Fox Theatre Inc F/K/a Atlanta Landmarks Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies The Fox Theatre Grant Program, through Fox Gives, supports the preservation and revitalization of historic theaters across Georgia, ensuring these cultural landmarks continue to enrich their communities.	Not published	Varies
Architectural Archives Grant Arizona Architecture Foundation · Foundation Not published · $3K The AAF Architectural Archives Grant (Category 3) supports programs that promote and preserve the legacy of Arizona architecture archives — e.g. professional conservators cataloguing collections to archival standards, archive…	Not published	$3K
WMU Department of History: Peter J. Schmitt Endowment for Experiential Learning Grant Western Michigan University · Foundation Not published · $500 The Peter J. Schmitt Endowment for Experiential Learning at WMU supports diverse learning experiences that connect history with the arts and nature.	Not published	$500
WV Culture: State Development Grant Program West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture, and History · Foundation Not published · $1K The WV Culture: State Development Grant Program provides financial support for the rehabilitation of properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places.	Not published	$1K
Helen E. Ellis Charitable Trust Grant Tr Ui Helen E Ellis · Foundation Not published · $2K – $20K The Helen E. Ellis Charitable Trust Grant supports cultural and educational programs for children and adults in Westport, Dartmouth, and New Bedford, MA.	Not published	$2K – $20K
Rhode Island Supreme Court Historical Society Fund Grant The Rhode Island Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies The Rhode Island Supreme Court Historical Society Fund Grant supports nonprofit organizations aiming to preserve the history and artifacts of the Rhode Island judicial system.	Not published	Varies
The Newberry Consortium in American Indian and Indigenous Studies (NCAIS) Faculty Fellowship Grant The Newberry Library · Foundation Not published · Up to $45K The Newberry Consortium in American Indian and Indigenous Studies (NCAIS) Faculty Fellowship supports early-career scholars with a PhD to engage in research on American Indian and Indigenous Studies.	Not published	Up to $45K
Caughey Western History Prize Grant Western History Association · Foundation Not published · $3K The Caughey Western History Prize, awarded by the Western History Association, honors the best book in Western History with a $2500 prize.	Not published	$3K
PA Historical & Archival Records Care Grant Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC) · Foundation Not published · Up to $5K The PA Historical & Archival Records Care Grant, offered by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission, supports non-profits and local governments in preserving significant archival records.	Not published	Up to $5K
Arts and Cultural Heritage Grant Arrowhead Regional Arts Council · Foundation Not published · Varies The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council’s mission is to facilitate and encourage local arts development. This mission statement grows from a conviction that the arts improve the quality of life in the region.	Not published	Varies
Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship of Scholars in Critical Bibliography The Book Arts Press Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies A prestigious fellowship program funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation designed to reinvigorate bibliographical studies within the humanities.	Not published	Varies
State Historical Fund: Competitive Mini Grant History Colorado · Foundation Not published · Up to $50K The State Historical Fund: Competitive Mini Grant, administered by History Colorado, supports heritage preservation projects that demonstrate public benefit across Colorado.	Not published	Up to $50K
Arkansas Historic Marker Program Grants Arkansas Historic Preservation Program · Foundation Not published · $1K – $1K The Arkansas Historic Marker Program Grants, initiated by the Division of Arkansas Heritage in 2017, aim to preserve and promote Arkansas's cultural and historic resources.	Not published	$1K – $1K
Dibner Program in the History of Science - Short-Term Awards Grant The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens (The Huntington) · Foundation Not published · $4K – $12K The Dibner Program in the History of Science offers short-term awards for research at The Huntington, a leading institution founded in 1919, boasting a vast collection related to the American West.	Not published	$4K – $12K
Hal K. Rothman Award Grant Western History Association · Foundation Not published · $500 The Hal K. Rothman Award, presented by the Western History Association, honors the best book in western environmental history each year.	Not published	$500
Bolton-Cutter Award Grant Western History Association · Foundation Not published · $500 The Bolton-Cutter Award, presented by the Western History Association, honors the best journal article on the history of the Borderlands, encompassing a wide range of topics from the Floridas to the Californias.	Not published	$500
Community Impact Grants Community Foundation of Howard County · Foundation Not published · Varies The Community Foundation of Howard County awards grants to support nonprofits through multiple funding mechanisms, including unrestricted community endowment funds, designated/agency funds, field of interest funds, and donor-advised funds.	Not published	Varies
Harry F. Dise Grant Harry F Dise · Foundation Not published · Varies The Harry F. Dise Grant, managed by the Harry F. Dise Charitable Foundation, supports charitable organizations in Prescott, Arizona, focusing on the preservation of historical landmarks and objects.	Not published	Varies
Historic Preservation Capital Grant Program Maryland Historical Trust · State Not published · Varies This program provides support for the acquisition, rehabilitation, and restoration of historic properties that offer some form of public benefit and for pre-development costs for some applicants.	Not published	Varies
KH: Minigrants Kentucky Humanities Council Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies _NOTE: In early April, Kentucky Humanities received notice from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) that our federal funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) was terminated effective immediately.	Not published	Varies

Showing 217–240 of 781

About history grants

History grants support research, preservation, public programming, documentary projects, and the work of historical societies, archives, and historic sites. The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is the largest federal funder of historical scholarship and public history, and the Mellon Foundation supports archives, preservation, and humanities research. State humanities councils and private foundations provide additional project, preservation, and interpretation grants.

A long list is the starting point, not the shortlist. Our grant prospecting guide shows how to narrow history grants down to the funders most likely to say yes, using their giving records.

Want new funders like these found for you every week?

This page is a snapshot. Funders change, and a list stops being true the day it's made. A grants department keeps looking for you, and tells you when it finds something that fits — with the grant history it reasoned from attached.

Create your grants department

Frequently Asked Questions

How much money do history grants award?

Of the 786 history grants Grantable lists as of October 24, 2026, 476 publish an award amount. The median listed award is $10K, and the middle half fall between $2,500 and $25K. The largest is $10M. Amounts are each grant's stated maximum, so a typical award can be smaller.

Which funders offer the most history grants?

By number of active listings, the leading funders are American Historical Association (38), Western History Association (24), National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States (20), The Newberry Library (16), and Maryland Historical Trust (12). In all, 404 funders have at least one active grant in this category.

When are history grants due?

Of 786 grants listed, 15 accept applications on a rolling basis, 34 have a published upcoming deadline, 115 run on a stated cycle (such as annual or quarterly) without a published date, and 622 don't publish a deadline, so check the funder's site. Among dated deadlines, 56% fall in October–December.

What grants are available for history projects?

History organizations and scholars can pursue funding for research, archival preservation, digitization, public exhibitions, documentary media, historic site interpretation, and educational programming. The NEH supports many of these through its divisions for public programs, preservation, and research, and state humanities councils fund local history projects and community programming.

Who funds history and preservation work?

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is the central federal funder of historical research and public history, and the Mellon Foundation is a major private supporter of archives, preservation, and humanities scholarship. State humanities councils re-grant federal and state funds to local historical societies, and private foundations and corporate programs support preservation and interpretation projects.

Can historical societies and individuals both apply?

Yes. Many NEH and foundation programs fund nonprofit organizations such as historical societies, museums, archives, and universities, while other NEH programs award fellowships and stipends directly to individual scholars. Independent historians without an institutional affiliation can often apply for fellowships directly or partner with a nonprofit or fiscal sponsor for organizational grants.

Get a shortlist of history grants built for your organization

Tell Grantable's AI about your nonprofit and it ranks these grants on mission, geography, and award fit — then emails you a personalized shortlist with the reasoning for each. Free, no account to start.

Find my grants — emailed to me

Your AI grants department