Are grants from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund available to applicants from any state or U.S. territory?

Yes, the Action Fund accepts applications from projects from all U.S. states and territories.

How I can I learn more about current and upcoming African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund grant opportunities?

Please subscribe to the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund’s email newsletter for up-to-date information on grant opportunities and so much more. You can also visit the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s grant portal to see current grant opportunities from across the National Trust’s programming.

What is the process for applying for and receiving grants from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund?

All applications must be submitted by the deadline listed in the guidelines for the particular funding opportunity. If there is a Letter of Intent (LOI) process involved, applicants must meet the requirements of the LOI and Action Fund staff will notify applicants if they are eligible to submit a full application. Once the deadline has passed, staff will review the applications. The top applicants will be notified and given the opportunity to revise their applications based on staff advice. Final applications must be submitted by the grant deadline and staff will make final selections. Lastly, applicants are notified of their award status and a public announcement is made.

Do you have to create a Foundant account in order to submit an application?

Yes. In order to complete an application, a Foundant account must be created for the organization applying for the funds, unless an account already exists. Prospective applicants may view a blank version of the application in Foundant on the National Trust’s grant portal before creating an account and submitting an application if they wish to review the requirements before applying. Instructions for this process can be found here.

Can organizations submit more than one grant application?

While organizations may submit more than one application across the grant funding categories in a grant round, only one project per organization is eligible to receive funding. We recommend that applicants submit proposals for their highest priority project.

If my organization was awarded a grant from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund in a previous grant round, are we eligible to apply again?

Yes, applicants that have previously received grants from any National Trust grant program are eligible to apply for the 2024 grant cycle provided that all grant requirements have been fulfilled and the previous grant has been closed.

In addition, you can apply for a grant filed under a different grant funding category if a previous award has been made. For example, if a project previously received funding for a planning project, the applicant can then apply for capital project funding.

How can organizations know that they are submitting a competitive Action Fund National Grant Program application?

It is essential that applicants read and familiarize themselves with the grant guidelines specific to the grant opportunity prior to beginning the application. Competitive applicants demonstrate a clear understanding of the intent of the grant opportunity to which they are applying and can demonstrate that their projects meet the eligibility criteria. If questions remain regarding project eligibility, you may email email actionfundgrants@savingplaces.org.

When will I know if my organization received a grant from the Action Fund National Grant Program?

All applicants will be notified of their status via email and through the National Trust’s grant portal. For more details, please refer to the grant opportunity’s guidelines.

Are matching funds required for this Action Fund National Grant Program?

Matching funds are not required, but projects that leverage additional investments (funding or in-kind services) are strongly preferred.

When are award funds disbursed to applicants? Before or after expenses have been incurred and paid by the applicant?

The timing of the disbursement of funds depends on the type of grant funding category under which funds were awarded. A specific timeline is included in the awardee's grant agreement along with all requirements that must be met for those disbursements to occur.

Typically, initial funds are disbursed upon the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund’s receipt of an executed grant agreement and any other documentation required to enable electronic payments. One exception is for endowment projects. Payment is only disbursed once proof is submitted that the required funds have been raised and the proper financial arrangements have been made.

Subsequent (interim and final) disbursements for all grant funding categories require that the grant recipient submit invoices along with proof of payment. All project expenses must be paid prior to submitting the final progress report. Proof of payment of all project expenses equal to the total award must be submitted with the final report in order for the final payment to be processed.

When are awarded projects expected to start and end?

Within one month after the awards are announced, it is expected that the applicant will have signed and returned their grant agreement and provided any requested documentation, including those needed to establish electronic disbursements. If these documents are not received within the 30-day period, it is possible that the award can be cancelled for non-responsiveness. The project period begins on the date that the grant agreement is fully executed. The length of the project period depends on the grant funding category selected in the application. For more information on the eligible grant funding categories, please review the applicable grant opportunity guidelines.

If this FAQ does not answer your question, please reach out to actionfundgrants@savingplaces.org.