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:

Examples of projects considered for funding include restoration of historic buildings, digitization or preservation of historic documents, and preservation of historic artifacts; restoration, rededication or relocation of existing historical sites’ markers; and cemetery headstone and monument conservation.
Ineligible requests include administrative or operating expenses (e.g. rent, salaries, benefits, utilities, printing, signage); research, studies, designs, plans, etc.; permits; travel (e.g. mileage, lodging, meals, site rental); food/beverage; vehicles; fundraising; conferences; reenactments, performances; trips, camps, workshops; political activities; construction of new facilities or addition of improvements (e.g., ADA-compliant restrooms, ramps, elevators, electricity, plumbing, security systems); and creation of displays or exhibits. 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 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 or for digitizing chapter records.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

A grant application must be submitted via the online Historic Preservation Grant computer portal. The portal https://dar.academicworks.com/opportunities/514 is 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.

The application requires:

• Organizational description
• Contact information
• Brief project statement and budget summary
• DAR chapter or state society sponsor name
• Specific organization information
• General and financial information/overview about the organization
• 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
• Detailed itemizations of the project budget, in-kind contributions and timeline. There is space for up to 10 items in budget and prospective timeline.

Project may not begin prior to May 1 or before receiving notice of grant award.

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. The National Vice Chair may contact applicants to correct disqualifying issues if there is enough time to resubmit prior to the application deadline.

APPLICATION ATTACHMENTS

The following documents will need to be electronically included in your application. Please note, once a document is uploaded into your application it cannot be deleted. Be certain you are uploading the correct document.

A. IRS 501(c )(3) Public Charity Letter and EIN: A copy of page one of the applicant’s IRS 501(c )(3) public charity determination letter. If the EIN is not included on the IRS letter, it should be noted in the margin. Verification will be made to ensure the entity is current on its appropriate IRS 990 filing. DAR chapters or state societies appropriately filing their IRS 990/EZ/N returns are covered under DAR’s 501(c )(3) umbrella and do not need provide a determination letter; their EIN, however, must be provided in Part 1. Entities sponsored by an overseas chapter (i.e., a Units Overseas chapter) will be evaluated for comparable status on a case-by-case basis.

Note: An entity may not apply under the name, determination letter, or EIN of another organization.

B. Sponsorship Letter: A one-page letter of sponsorship with date and an original signature of the current regent of a DAR chapter or state society, preferably on letterhead with complete contact information, citing chapter name, location and email address/telephone number of the officer. The letter may be brief but must express chapter support for the project; personal endorsements are not accepted. (A grant applicant may contact the National Vice Chair by email to locate a local DAR chapter or state society.) A DAR chapter or state society applying for a grant may write its own sponsorship letter.

C. Project Manager Resume: A one-page resume or summary of experience of the project manager or person who will oversee the project.

JUDGING AND AWARD OF GRANTS

All grants are judged and awarded competitively without regard to gender, race, color, religion, national origin or disability. 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 with receipts/invoices for work accomplished during the reporting period are required for projects taking longer than six months and nine months to complete. 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, either electronically or by mail. 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 may be directed to hpgrants@nsdar.org