History Grants

Last updated October 23, 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

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Grant	Deadline ▲	Amount
NFPF: Matching Grants National Film Preservation Foundation · Foundation Not published · $20K – $75K The National Film Preservation Foundation (NFPF) offers Matching Grants to support the preservation of significant American films.	Not published	$20K – $75K
CLG - Certified Local Government Grants Program Illinois Department of Natural Resources · Foundation Not published · Up to $30K The Certified Local Government Grants Program in Illinois supports city and county governments in developing local preservation projects.	Not published	Up to $30K
Humanities in Place Grants The Andrew W Mellon Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies Humanities in Place supports a fuller, more complex telling of American histories and lived experiences by deepening the range of how and where our stories are told and by bringing a wider variety of voices into the public dialogue.	Not published	Varies
Mellon Foundation Native American Scholars Initiative (NASI) Postdoctoral Fellowship Grant Listed by American Philosophical Society · Foundation Not published · $76K The Mellon Foundation Native American Scholars Initiative (NASI) Postdoctoral Fellowship offers a nine-month opportunity for recent doctoral graduates, professors, and independent scholars to engage with Indigenous communities.	Not published	$76K
Lapides Fellowship in Pre-1865 Juvenile Literature and Ephemera Grant American Antiquarian Society · Foundation Not published · $2K – $4K The Lapides Fellowship in Pre-1865 Juvenile Literature and Ephemera, offered by the American Antiquarian Society, supports research on American printed and manuscript materials aimed at children and youth up to 1865.	Not published	$2K – $4K
Joseph S. Rumbaugh Historical Orations Contest The Sar Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies	Not published	Varies
Mississippi Humanities Oral History Grants Mississippi Humanities Council Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to $10K The Mississippi Humanities Oral History Grants support projects that document the experiences of Mississippians through oral history.	Not published	Up to $10K
NYSCA/GHHN Conservation Treatment Grant Program Greater Hudson Heritage Network · Foundation Not published · Up to $10K The NYSCA/GHHN Conservation Treatment Grant Program, a collaboration between the New York State Council on the Arts and Greater Hudson Heritage Network, offers funding for the conservation of various objects in New York's museums and…	Not published	Up to $10K
The Charles Montgomery Gray Fellowship Grant The Newberry Library · Foundation Not published · $3K The Charles Montgomery Gray Fellowship at The Newberry Library supports scholars in need of specific collection items for their research.	Not published	$3K
Holle Family Foundation Grant Holle Family Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies The Holle Family Foundation Grant supports nonprofits in central Alabama that address societal needs, promote leadership, and celebrate culture.	Not published	Varies
Sally and Ken Owens Award Western History Association · Foundation Not published · Varies The Western History Association strives to be a congenial home for the study and teaching of all aspects of North American Wests, frontiers, homelands, and borderlands.	Not published	Varies
Cultural and Historical Support Grant Program Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC) · Foundation Not published · $3K – $65K The Cultural and Historical Support Grant Program, managed by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, provides operational funding to support Pennsylvania museums and county historical societies.	Not published	$3K – $65K
MAA Book Subventions Grant Medieval Academy Of America · Foundation Not published · Up to $3K The Medieval Academy of America offers the MAA Book Subvention Program, providing up to $2,500 to support the publication of first books by members.	Not published	Up to $3K
Robert L. McNeil Jr. Fellowship Grant Historical Society of Pennsylvania · Foundation Not published · $3K The Robert L. McNeil Jr. Fellowship, offered by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, supports advanced research in early American history.	Not published	$3K
Society of the Order of the Southern Cross Grant Order of the Southern Cross · Foundation Not published · Varies 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.	Not published	Varies
The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Funds: Community Assets Grant Program Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo Inc · Foundation Not published · $10K – $25K The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Funds aim to support cultural and historic assets and enhance long-term arts education for youth, particularly in under-resourced communities.	Not published	$10K – $25K
Historic Preservation Non-Capital Grant Program Maryland Historical Trust · State Not published · Varies This program provides support for research, survey, planning, and educational activities involving architectural, archeological, or cultural resources.	Not published	Varies
John Lewis Award for Public Service to the Discipline of History American Historical Association · Foundation Not published · Varies The Association recognizes a wide variety of distinguished historical work, which can take the form of an exceptional book in the field, distinguished teaching and mentoring in the classroom, films, or digital projects and resources.	Not published	Varies
Richard L. Blinder Award Grant The James Marston Fitch Charitable Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to $15K The Richard L. Blinder Award, presented biennially by the James Marston Fitch Charitable Foundation, recognizes architects and professionals in historic preservation for innovative proposals that advance architectural preservation in the…	Not published	Up to $15K
4Culture: King County Landmark Nomination Support Grant 4Culture · Foundation Not published · $1K – $10K The 4Culture Landmark Nomination Support Grant provides funding for individuals and organizations in King County, Washington, to prepare landmark nominations for historic sites.	Not published	$1K – $10K
Historic Preservation Challenge Grant Hillsborough County Florida · Foundation Not published · Up to $250K The Historic Preservation Challenge Grant aims to foster historic preservation and heritage tourism in Hillsborough County.	Not published	Up to $250K
The Karl H. And Wealtha H. Nelson Family Foundation Grant Karl H and Wealtha H Nelson Family Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies The Karl H. and Wealtha H. Nelson Family Foundation Grant aims to support charitable organizations in Nebraska City, focusing on health care, historical preservation, education, fine arts, and community development.	Not published	Varies
Justin G. Schiller Fellowship Grant American Antiquarian Society · Foundation Not published · $2K – $4K The Justin G. Schiller Fellowship, offered by the American Antiquarian Society, supports research on American children's books published before 1876.	Not published	$2K – $4K
Roy Rosenzweig Prize for Creativity in Digital History Grant American Historical Association · Foundation Not published · $4K The Roy Rosenzweig Prize for Creativity in Digital History, awarded annually by the AHA and the RRCHNM at GMU, honors innovative, publicly available new media projects that engage thoughtfully with technology and history.	Not published	$4K

Showing 673–696 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much money do history grants award?

Of the 786 history grants Grantable lists as of October 23, 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.

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