Southwest Intervention Fund Grant

Southwest Intervention Fund Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: National Trust for Historic Preservation
Amount: US $2,500 - US $10,000
Last Updated: January 13, 2026

Summary

The Southwest Intervention Fund, managed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, supports preservation efforts of traditional cultures across Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, West Texas, and Utah. Grants ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 are available for local partners, nonprofits, and government agencies to address emergency threats and promote preservation planning. Eligible projects include archaeological site surveys, public awareness workshops, and legal assistance for cultural resource management, ensuring the protection of vital historic sites.

Overview

About The Preservation Leadership Forum of the National Trust for Historic Preservation is a network of preservation leaders — professionals, students, volunteers, activists, experts — who share the latest ideas, information, and advice, and have access to in-depth preservation resources and training. Southwest Intervention Fund Grants from the National Trust’s Southwest Intervention Fund are intended to further preservation efforts of the traditional cultures of the Southwest region, exclusively in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, West Texas (West Texas is defined as the area west of US Route 281 from the Oklahoma border to San Antonio proper and north of US Route 90 from San Antonio proper to Del Rio) and Utah. The Fund provides support for preservation planning efforts and enables prompt responses to emergency threats or opportunities in the eligible states. Local partners, nonprofit organizations and government agencies that have strategic opportunities to save sites or help jumpstart preservation projects are eligible for the fund’s small, catalytic grants. Grants generally range from $2,500 to $10,000. The Fund can support assistance for a single prehistoric or historic place or actions affecting an entire state or part of a state, or several states, so long as all of the states are among the five designated states. Actions aimed at direct intervention to save historic and cultural sites and at capacity building are eligible. The decision to pursue project funding through the Southwest Intervention Fund must be made in consultation with the National Trust grants office. Please contact us if you would like to discuss your project.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Applicants must be either a public agency, 501(c) (3), or other nonprofit organization to be considered eligible. Eligible Activities:Grants from the Southwest Intervention Fund are awarded to preservation efforts of the traditional cultures in the Southwest region. Grant funds can be used to launch new initiatives or to provide additional support to on-going efforts. Grants awards may be made for activities and projects such as:Strategic opportunities to save sites or help jump start preservation projects Legal resources required to prepare research and/or briefs, and to travel to/from Southwest states for direct legal intervention Advance the protection of important archaeological sites Communications expertise to develop compelling information for press and other public forums in the regionExamples of eligible projects include:Commission a survey of an archaeological site Create a series of workshops to raise public awareness of the significance of archaeological sites and the threats they face Host a community workshop with landowners, developers, and governmental officials to help understand the application of historic preservation laws, ethics, cultural resource management field strategies, resource evaluation, National Register evaluations, proposal writing, personnel management, and business practices Prepare a management plan for long-term maintenance of the cultural and physical landscapes Create a workshop to inspire archaeologists and cultural heritage institutions to work together to implement site preservation Develop an archaeology curriculum for teachers and students in grades K-12 to make it clear that archaeological resources are nonrenewable Prepare and publish a report on the status of cultural resources Document historic dwellings and their settings within the historic cultural landscape Sponsor a workshop on the preservation of burial grounds or other cultural landscapes Fund urgent stabilization to prevent injury to the public and to prevent further deterioration of a prehistoric or historic structure or site Protect an archaeological site through the construction of a secured entrance gate, fencing and signage Conduct a water engineering survey for a historic adobe to determine the proper steps needed to reduce the damaging effects of water to the site Fund a structural assessment of a fire damaged structure Prepare a conditions assessment and conduct an adobe repair workshop in a light of a recent weather damage Assist with the financing of a legal analysis to the potential appeal of a site/structure threaten with developmentEligible Expenses:Fees for consultant services Nonprofit applicants may include staff salaries for staff members directly working on the funded project Speaker/faculty costs (honoraria, travel, and lodging) Mailing costs for distribution of materials Web site development Materials and services such as printing, photographs, telephone, and supplies. With the exception of publications projects, these costs may not exceed 10 percent of the project budgetApplicants that have received previous National Trust financial assistance are eligible provided that all grant requirements are current.No more than three grants will be awarded in any two-year period to a single grantee. Only one grant will be awarded per organization in any grant round. Only one grant will be awarded for a particular project phase.Applicants must be capable of matching the grant amount dollar-for-dollar.Due to the economic impacts caused by COVID-19, the National Trust is temporarily changing its matching fund requirement and allowing for both cash and in-kind donations to count toward the one-to-one required match.The required match can come from private or public sources, from income earned from registration fees or sales, or from fundraising activities. In-kind donations of labor, materials or services will also be considered eligible for meeting the matching requirement.Other conditions include:Any documents or plans for preservation work that result from the project must conform to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. Grant recipients must include appropriate acknowledgement of National Trust financial support in any printed materials, public releases, and on web sites generated for the project. Consultants, if being used, must be approved by the National Trust before grant funds are disbursed. This approval process will happen post-notification. Board members of the application organization cannot serve as consultants unless appropriate conflict of interest procedures are followed and documented. Grant recipients are required to sign a contract agreeing to the conditions of the program. Grant projects must either begin within six months of award date or a formal extension must be requested by email. Failure to begin the project or request an extension in this time frame may result in the cancellation of the grant and you will need to reapply for funding. Within one year from the grant disbursement date, a final report and financial accounting of the expenditure of the grants must be submitted. If the project is not completed in accordance with the contract, the grant funds must be returned.Applicants must agree not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, creed, age, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, religion, mental and physical disabilities, sex (including pregnancy), personal appearance, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, genetic information, matriculation, political affiliation or veteran status. You must be a member of this organization to apply for this award - become a member. Only Organizational Level Forum members or Main Street America members of the National Trust are eligible to receive funding from the National Trust Preservation Fund. Organizations do not need to have an active Forum membership to apply for a grant, but selected grantees will be required to become members prior to the release of funds.

Ineligibility

Other funding from the National Trust may not be used to match a grant from the Southwest Intervention Fund.Grants or matching funds cannot be used directly or indirectly to influence a member of Congress to favor or oppose any legislation or appropriation.Ineligible Activities:Building or other construction activities Equipment purchasing or leasing Fundraising towards general capital campaign goalsIneligible Expenses:Organizational overhead costs (i.e., room rentals for conferences) Catering, food, beverage, or entertainment expenses Expenses incurred prior to application date