1. Historic Preservation Grants

ELIGIBLE PROJECTS

Projects considered for grants must support the DAR mission area of historic preservation, and successful applicants must agree to publicly recognize DAR’s contribution. In order to benefit posterity, secure recognition for DAR and produce lasting value from the grants, please note these important guiding principles:

A. The maximum grant award is $10,000; smaller projects (minimum grant, $500) are encouraged. In order to assure ultimate completion of the project, all other funding (beyond that requested via this grant) must be already firmly secured. Applicants are required to provide matching 1:1 secured cash funding. Projects should be tangible and long-lived, with lasting historic preservation benefit.

Examples of projects considered for funding include restoration of historic buildings, digitization or preservation of historic documents, and preservation of historic objects or artifacts; restoration, rededication or relocation of existing historical site markers; and cemetery headstone and monument conservation.
Ineligible requests include administrative or operating expenses (e.g., rent, salaries, benefits, utilities, maintenance, printing, signage, insurance); research, studies, designs, plans, etc.; permits; vehicles or travel (e.g., rental, mileage, lodging, meals); food/beverage; fundraising; conferences; reenactments, workshops; training; websites; landscaping; construction of new facilities or addition of improvements (e.g., ADA-compliant restrooms, ramps, elevators, electricity, plumbing, sidewalks, security systems); and creation of displays or exhibits. Work performed by applicant’s paid staff and allocated to the project is an ineligible expense. Also, ineligible are expenses for DAR markers and those recognizing the DAR; educational plaques and markers; and projects of other lineage societies.

B. Projects related to all eras and chapters of American History are eligible to apply.

C. Recipients awarded a DAR Historic Preservation Grant during one administration must wait until the next DAR administration (e.g., July 2022–June 2025; July 2025-June 2028) before applying for an additional grant for another project or a different phase of the same project.

D. DAR chapters and state societies are eligible to apply for grants associated with properties/sites that are owned or operated by the DAR entity and included in the NSDAR Historic Sites database. No more than 20 percent of grants will be awarded to DAR chapters or state societies in a given cycle. Funding will not be approved for State Regent Projects, digitizing chapter records or preserving chapter charters.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

A grant application must be submitted via the online Historic Preservation Grant computer portal. The portal https://dar.academicworks.com/opportunities/854 will be open from August 1 to October 31 for grant requests to be awarded the following May. No emailed information will be accepted. All information must be submitted by the deadline. No exceptions will be made or granted.

Project may not begin prior to May 1 or before receiving notice of grant award and must be completed within 1 year of grant funding (June 30).
A portal account must be established, using a unique email address, for each application. Applications need not be completed in one sitting; work may be saved as many times as needed before submission. Only complete, submitted applications will be considered. Follow the instructions carefully; failure to comply with instructions and page limitations may result in disqualification. Early submission is encouraged; the National Vice Chair may contact applicants to correct disqualifying issues if there is enough time to resubmit prior to the application deadline.

Application Information (completed on portal)

• Organizational description
• Contact information
• EIN number
• Guidestar Profile
• Brief project statement and budget summary
• DAR chapter or state society sponsor name
• Specific organization information
• General and financial information/overview about the project
• Project information — detailed description of the project, and phases if applicable
• Summary of the project need, urgency and benefit to the community
• Name and title of the project manager; information on consultation of professionals
• Description of how DAR will be recognized for participation in the project

APPLICATION ATTACHMENTS

• Proof of nonprofit/public status 501c(3) IRS document
• Proof of ownership/stewardship of the property
• Photographs of historic resources
• Contractor/conservator estimates
• Historical documentation
• Project Manager Resume
• Project Budget Form (Attachment A)
• Project Timeline (Attachment B)
• DAR Chapter Letter of Support (Attachment C)

JUDGING AND AWARD OF GRANTS

All grants are judged and awarded competitively. Notification of an awarded grant, along with a Grant Agreement Form, is emailed from the National Vice Chair by May 1 following approval by the NSDAR Executive Committee.

DISTRIBUTION OF GRANT FUNDS AND PROGRESS REPORTS

Following DAR’s receipt of the completed Grant Agreement Form and documentation of secured funds, half of the approved grant funds are disbursed to the grantee by July 1. Six- and nine-month project status reports are required, along with receipts/invoices for work accomplished during the reporting period and copies of, or links to, any publicity recognizing the DAR’s contribution. The remaining funds are distributed, pending approval, after submission of the final report which must include paid receipts for all aspects of the project and at least three .jpg photos. This report is submitted to the National Vice Chair electronically. Records substantiating that grant funds received have been used solely for the purposes described in the application must be maintained by the grantee and available for inspection.

Questions regarding DAR Historic Preservation Grants or the application requirements may be directed to hpgrants@nsdar.org.

Protection of Confidential and/or Personal Information: All confidential information concerning a person’s educational records, transcripts, or other personal sensitive information that may be collected by NSDAR, state societies or state organizations, and/or chapters, will be maintained in a manner that reasonably protects it from misuse and loss and from unauthorized access, modification, or disclosure. The purpose of collecting certain confidential educational records or other sensitive information is to enable NSDAR, state societies or state organizations, and/or chapters to fulfill their obligations as organizers, sponsors, and supporters of scholarships, contests, or other activities involving an award of funds or prizes.