Additional Funding Sources
Though MAAV is no longer accepting new applications for funding, we encourage you to continue your efforts to create monuments across Appalachian Virginia! Below you will find a list of potential funding sources for this type of work.
Virginia Humanities
This organization has many types of grants that can be found on their website. Here is a list of projects they are willing to fund:
Community history projects, including oral histories
Conferences and symposia, academic conferences where there is a strong public component
Curriculum resources for K-12 classroom use
Exhibits—physical and/or online
Festivals and interpretive performances
Institutes and similar programs for teachers
Lectures and lecture series
Media programs: production of films, script development, videos, television, radio, podcasts, websites, or digital media
Project planning
Print publications—books, brochures, exhibit catalogs, and interpretive maps
Research that leads to programs having a direct public audience
Travel expenses for project personnel (mileage and meals)
The National Trust - African American Cultural Heritage
The National Trust - African American Cultural Heritage supports preserving sites of African American activism, achievement, and resilience. There may be funds available in the future from this organization but it is a great resource for future use.
The National Trust - African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund grants also can be used for preserving Rosenwald Schools in all types of ways.
Virginia Department of Historic Resources
The Virginia Department of Historic Resources has an African American Cemetery Graves Fund.
Their applications are due in May. This is a great opportunity; many grants can be found on their website. They have grants for almost any project that is beneficial to the organization in need. If you need more information visit their website or contact Caitlin Sylvester, Grant Coordinator: grants@dhr.virginia.gov
African American Burial Grounds Preservation Program
The main goal of this program is to preserve history and tell the WHOLE story. They have many unique features and would be something great to look into.
National Trust Preservation Fund
National Trust - Preservation Fund (made up of 53+ individual funds) has a very small fund dedicated to Rosenwald Schools – the next round opens June 1, 2024.
National Park Service Bruhn Grants
The Commonwealth of Virginia has been awarded $750,000 through the 2023 National Park Service (NPS)-funded Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants Program (PBHRGP) to support the rehabilitation of historic buildings and sites in the state’s southwestern region.
Appalachian Community Fund
This organization is a great opportunity for groups who are interested in telling the whole story.
Here is a list of what they wish to achieve:
End racism, sexism, classism, homophobia, ageism, and ableism
Promote non-violent communities
Build organizations that are fair, inclusive, and democratic
Here is a list of projects they do not want to participate in:
Profit-making organizations
Electoral lobbying for initiatives, or public office
Individual efforts
Major capital projects
Social services organizations (unless they demonstrate some analysis and strategies intended to challenge the systems that lead to the problem)
National Endowment for the Arts
The main goal of this organization is to help fund projects based on the arts and the people in it. There is a good amount of money available for use.
Certified Local Government Grants
Certified Local Government grants are available through the SHPO for historic preservation surveys, nominations, etc.