New York State Historic Marker Grant Program

The New York State Historic Marker Grant Program, initiated by the William G. Pomeroy Foundation, aims to preserve local history through the installation of historical markers. Applicants must provide detailed historical documentation to ensure accuracy, as well as adhere to specific placement guidelines to enhance community engagement and tourism.

One of the William G. Pomeroy Foundation’s core initiatives is to help people celebrate their community’s history. The Foundation strongly believes that historic markers play an important role in local historic preservation by serving a dual purpose. They educate the public and foster historic tourism, which in turn can provide much needed economic benefits to the towns and villages where the markers are placed. The program also fills a gap, as New York State stopped funding their roadside markers in 1939.
The Pomeroy Foundation’s NYS historical marker grant program commemorates historic people, places, things or events within the time frame of 1683 to 1925. Since 2006, the Foundation has funded more than 1,150 markers in all 62 New York State counties.
Historical Accuracy
Primary source documentation is required to verify historical accuracy. The applying agency is responsible for providing photocopies of sources and specific statements used to verify historical facts. If selected, the strength of supporting materials substantially decreases the time-frame between acceptance and funding. If the William G. Pomeroy Foundation cannot substantiate the historical accuracy based on the supporting documentation provided, the opportunity for approval is limited.
Check out the Foundation’s Proving NYS Marker Inscriptions with Primary Sources
Marker Placement
Please carefully consider the location where the marker is to be installed.
Markers should not be placed on high-traffic roadways or roadways where vehicles are traveling at a high rate of speed if there is no place for a vehicle to safely pull over out of traffic.Markers should not be placed where the visitor must intrude on private property to read it or view a site related to the marker inscription.
Before installing your marker, please be sure you are following all of your state’s guidelines around digging and excavation.
Applications must include the following:
proposed installation location in specific detail (including GPS coordinates)brief description and historical significance of what is being commemoratedproposed inscription for markerletter from the landowner granting permission for the marker to be installedprimary source documents verifying proposed inscriptionPlease review our marker inscription style guide as you prepare your application

Eligibility

This program is open to local, state and federal government entities, nonprofit academic institutions and 501(c)(3) organizations in New York State. Applicants may apply for up to five (5) markers per grant round.Please refer here forthe Criteria for Marker Inscriptions.