Have a Question?

In addition to the guidelines and eligibility requirements described below, please watch our applicant webinar and review our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). For additional information, please read the Question and Answer Period section below to learn how to submit your questions to the Action Fund Grants team for assistance.

• Application Opens: January 13, 2026
• Application Q&A Period: January 13 - 23, 2026
• Q&A Period Answers Posted: No later than January 30, 2026
• Application Deadline: February 6, 2026 at 5pm EST
• Grant recipients will be announced in July 2026

Funding Available

Grant awards from the AACHAF’s National Grant Program range from $50,000 to $150,000. The maximum award amount will depend on the project type selected (see Eligible Project Types and Expenses below). Requests below $50,000 or above the maximum request by project type will be deemed ineligible and not considered for funding.

Note that funding received from National Trust grant programs, including the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, cannot be used to meet match requirements for any other National Trust grant programs.

Program Eligibility

Please read the following information carefully. The National Grant Program (NGP) grant opportunity has unique eligibility requirements. If an aspect of eligibility is not met, an application will be deemed ineligible for funding.

Eligible Applicant Organizations

Non-profit organizations, public agencies and colleges and universities, and public bodies or political subdivisions of the state or of a county or municipality are encouraged to apply. Eligible applicant organizations must own the historic property that is the subject of the grant application (if a historic site is involved) or have documented permission from the owner to proceed with the application.

We use the applicant organization’s employer identification number (EIN) assigned to it by the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to verify tax-exempt status. Ensure that this number is entered accurately in the applicant organization’s profile in Foundant, the National Trust’s grant management system (see more information on How to Use Foundant and IRS Documentation below).

If an organization needs a fiscal agent to receive and expend the funds and report on how the funds are being used and how the project is progressing, it must have a written agreement with the fiscal agent, and the fiscal agent must be the applicant organization. The fiscal agent must also be one of the eligible organization types stated above.

Applicant organizations may not have outstanding fees/penalties/delinquencies to federal, state, or local governments or be disbarred from funding by any federal, state, or local entity.

While organizations may submit more than one application, only one application per organization is eligible to receive funding. We recommend that an applicant organization submit a proposal for their highest priority project.

Applicant organizations that have previously received National Trust grant funding are eligible to apply for a National Grant Program grant provided that all previous grant requirements have been fulfilled.

Organizations that have received past funding from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund are eligible to apply for a National Grant Program grant but must submit the application under a different project type than previously awarded.

Example: Organization Y received funding for a planning project through the Conserving Black Modernism grant opportunity in 2024. Organization Y is not eligible to apply for a National Grant Program planning project grant for the same historic resource but is eligible to apply for a different project type such as programming and interpretation.

Likewise, Organization Y may apply for the same project type as a previously awarded application if the focus of this application is on a different historic resource.

The applicant organization may have existing grants open with the National Trust but these must be in good standing and cannot be for the same project type as requested through this grant opportunity unless the current application focuses on a different historic resource.

Eligible Historic Resources

To be eligible, a historic resource must be at least 50 years old and have significance to Black cultural heritage. The following list is a representative, but not exhaustive list of eligible historic resource types:

• Commercial and residential buildings
• Structures
• Churches
• Schools
• Landscapes
• Neighborhoods
• A collection of related properties based on theme or property boundaries
• Cemeteries (Eligible only for planning activities. Physical work to the cemetery is not eligible).

Eligible Project Types and Expenses

Projects must focus on African American cultural heritage sites. Grant awards are made across four project types: Capital Projects, Organizational Capacity Building, Project Planning, and Programming and Interpretation. Please note that multiple project types and their associated expenses cannot be combined into a single application. Applicant organizations are also encouraged to apply for only one project type.

1. Capital Projects

These projects include the restoration, rehabilitation, stabilization, or preservation of historic buildings and structures. This includes brick-and-mortar construction and limited construction planning costs as described later in this section. The property must have urgent repair needs related to structural components, walls, roof, and/or other elements of the historic resource that are integral to its preservation and longevity.

Projects that improve functionality or improve accessibility of the property in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are also eligible, as well as projects that make vacant or underused space usable for community use. Applicant organizations should demonstrate that urgent repair needs to the building envelope have already been identified by a building conditions assessment and addressed before proposing ADA improvement or interior rehabilitation projects.

Limited construction planning costs refers to the up to 15% of awarded grant funds that may support the creation of construction documents such as architectural and engineering plans, code review, drawings, specifications, and geotechnical services. Please note that competitive Capital Project applications will demonstrate prior completion of project planning activities that inform the proposed construction project. These are planning activities, as described in Project Planning, that determine the suitability and feasibility of the continued use or reuse of a historic resource). Consultation by a qualified contractor or consultant is recommended to determine the construction budget.

Projects must conform to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties; and all pre-development, planning, and construction documents must be reviewed and approved by AACHAF staff prior to expending funds on those activities. The construction of new buildings or new building additions is ineligible.

2. Organizational Capacity

This project type supports the creation of one new, senior level paid staff position or the transition of an existing volunteer staff position to a paid position that directly supports the preservation and stewardship of a historic resource and advances preservation priorities (i.e., preservation planning, project management, construction management, interpretation, etc.).

Funds can only be used to support salaries and benefits for grant-funded staff. Ineligible positions are clergy and religious ministry staff positions and janitorial and general maintenance staff positions.

3. Project Planning

This project type supports the development of assessments, plans, and strategies to guide preservation, management, and/or interpretation of historic resources. Eligible projects should result in a deliverable document with implementable goals. Eligible planning activities include, but are not limited to:

• Business development and organizational leadership plans for non-profit preservation stewards
• Plans to address legal issues
• Fundraising and financial sustainability plans
• Pre-development planning activities
• Feasibility and reuse studies for market-driven revitalization projects
• Architectural preservation plans
• Energy efficiency and climate adaptation strategies
• Engineering and environmental studies
• Property condition assessment reports with cost analyses
• Historic structures reports and conservation management plans
• Landscape conservation plans
• ADA accessibility studies
• Plans/studies for historic cemeteries
• Nominations for historical designation leading to listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), designation as a National Historic Landmark (NHL), and/or designation as a local landmark

Recommendations provided in project planning documents/deliverables must conform to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.

4. Programming and Interpretation

Programming and interpretation grants support:

• The development and implementation of innovative preservation education, documentation, mapping, and interpretive programs centered on African American cultural heritage.
• The development and implementation of new arts and culture-based programming.
• The collaboration with artists, creatives, and scholars to re-imagine interpretation and programming, while advancing new approaches to storytelling and public education at historic properties.
• The development and installation of historic markers as part of a broader programming and interpretation project.

Eligible Expenses

Indirect Costs

Grant funds can support indirect costs or overhead costs for all project types except for Organizational Capacity. Indirect costs are ongoing expenses that are required for an organization to operate, but that may not directly relate to performing their mission or executing a preservation project. These expenses are all subject to the 10% indirect costs cap identified in each applicable project type.

Please note that the cap is based on the grant award amount, not the total project cost. Key characteristics of indirect costs are:

• Indirect: They are not directly traceable to a specific product or service. Examples of eligible indirect costs include rent and utilities for office space, or insurance (liability, property, etc.) for the organization
• Ongoing: They are recurring expenses that must be paid regularly.
• Operational: They are essential for the organization to function.
• Fixed, variable, or semi-variable: They can be classified based on how they change with the level of organization activity.

Project Administration

The focus of project administration is to assist in covering the costs of staff time to administer the project. Staff must be directly involved for a portion of their salaries to be included as project administration expenses. Oftentimes, their salaries are prorated based on the percentage of time they expect to work on the project along with their other routine duties. When including project administration costs in your budget be sure to identify the staff (by title) who will be administering the project, their salary (which can include fringe benefits), the percentage of their time estimated to be spent on the project, and the justification for that estimate.

Please note that the 5% cap is applied to the grant award amount, not the total project cost.

Ineligible Expenses

Awarded National Grant Program funds may not be used for any of the following activities or expenses:

• Property acquisition
• Planning for or constructing new buildings, structures, monuments and statues
• Project costs associated with non-historic buildings
• Landscaping and parking lot improvements
• Furniture and appliances
• Sound and audiovisual (A/V) technology/equipment
• Exhibit equipment purchases
• Academic research (i.e., thesis, dissertation, genealogical research, published work)
• Cleaning, repair, and landscape work at historic cemeteries and burial grounds
• Creation or maintenance of archival or museum collections, including display cases
• Catering, entertainment, food, and beverages
• Media and marketing consultant services except as they relate to Programming and Interpretation projects
• Attendance at conferences and educational workshops
• Site or room rentals
• Mortgages or debt repayment
• Expenses incurred prior to the grant award date

Evaluation Criteria

This is a competitive award process. AACHAF staff will select grantees by considering, among other points, the following criteria:

• Historic Significance: The application shows that the historic resource(s) is at least 50 years old and is important for its ties to African American cultural heritage. Official designation at the local, state or national level is not required.
• Impact of Assistance: The requested support will significantly aid in preserving, restoring, interpreting, or managing the historic resource.
• Project Readiness: This criterion evaluates the quality of project plans and organizational capacity for future maintenance and continuation of activities.

A project funded through this grant opportunity will have the following characteristics:

• The applicant organization demonstrates how it meets the eligibility requirements including tax-exempt status with an active employer identification number (EIN). If a fiscal agent is needed, that organization must be the applicant organization and meet the requirements described in the Eligible Applicant Organizations section above.
• The project description is clear and concise. There is not a heavy reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) to draft the application. The need for the project is well-defined. The project activities are all clearly confined to the project type selected; and the most appropriate approach to meeting the identified need was selected after a thorough exploration of options.
• The budget is clear. The costs are reasonable and based on at least one recent estimate (i.e., one completed within the last 12 months). The expenses proposed for grant funding are eligible. The budget narrative explains the expenses found in the budget (where needed); and the project description, budget, and budget narrative all agree with one another.
• The applicant organization demonstrates the ability to cover grant project expenses for the second half of the project until all grant requirements are fulfilled and a reimbursement is issued.

Preferred Projects

Preference will be given to projects that:

• Are located in under-represented areas and states such as California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, North and South Dakota, Utah, Vermont and US territories.
• Can be completed within the selected project type’s award period.
• Leverage additional funding sources.

Application Disqualification Factors

Paper applications submitted via mail, fax or email will not be accepted. The applicant organization must submit an application via the National Trust's application management platform, Foundant. The applicant organization does not provide proof of eligibility to receive funds as a tax-exempt organization. The applicant organization’s EIN in their profile in Foundant must be correct, (triple check for typos).

Applications will be considered incomplete if:

• They are not submitted by the listed deadline. Technical issues will not be accepted as a reason for late submission. Applicant organizations are encouraged to submit their applications early so that if there are technical issues, staff have time to address them BEFORE the deadline. Considering the volume of applications received, requests for assistance on the day of the deadline may not be met.
• Narrative responses only reference attachments (e.g., 'See attached brochure'). All questions must be fully addressed within the provided character limit; failure to do so will result in disqualification.
• The applicant organization has a documented history of noncompliance with the terms of prior National Trust for Historic Preservation grant awards and/or contracts, including those associated with the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund
• The project activities proposed to be covered by NGP grant funds are determined ineligible as they are described in the project description, budget, or budget narrative.
• The applicant organization submitted an application under the incorrect project type. The questions asked and the budget used are project type specific. Please review the National Grant Program application guidelines, FAQ and informational webinar to ensure that the project type selected is appropriate for the project.

IRS Documentation

The National Trust is only able to contract with and pay tax-exempt organizations per IRS guidelines. Therefore, applicant organizations must have a valid EIN and be recognized as a tax-exempt organization at the time of application. Staff verifies an organization’s status after application submission by using the EIN provided in the organization’s Foundant profile. If this number is incorrect or shown to be inactive, the applicant organization will be deemed ineligible, and the application will not be reviewed or considered for funding. It is the applicant organization's responsibility to ensure this number is entered in their profile correctly and to provide proof of the IRS’ recognition of the organization as tax-exempt status. No exceptions will be made.

Application Process

All applications submitted under this grant opportunity will be received and reviewed using the following process.

• Applicant organizations review the guidelines, webinar and FAQ.
• Applicant organizations gather required IRS documentation.
• The application is available in Foundant by the date provided in the timeline.
• Applicant organizations submit their questions to actionfundgrants@savingplaces.org by the date provided in the timeline below. Answers are typically posted to the guidelines page within one week of the question submission deadline.
• Applications are submitted through Foundant by the posted deadline.
• Staff conduct an initial review of all applications and select a small group that will be provided technical assistance (TA) so that they may improve their applications.
• Applicant organizations provided with TA submit revised applications by the deadline communicated to them.
• Staff will review revised applications and select final awardees.
• Awardees will be notified and grants will be announced by the date provided in the timeline.

Question and Answer Period & Communications

Any explanation, clarification, or interpretation desired by an applicant organization regarding any part of this grant opportunity must be submitted by email to actionfundgrants@savingplaces.org no later than Friday, January 23, 2026 at 11:59 pm EST. After this date , we may be unable to respond to new program questions as our team shifts to application review and processing.  Responses to unique questions not captured in the guidelines/FAQ’s will be published on or about the close of business on Friday, January 30, 2026 on this page.

Response times can vary, but may take up to 2-3 business days. Applicants are encouraged to submit questions within the Question and Answer Period and several days in advance before the application deadline.

See the Using Foundant section below for basic information about setting up an account, if one is not already created for the applicant organization or visit the Action Fund Grants FAQ page to see if an answer may be found there before submitting a question. .

When submitting a question (regardless of the subject) be sure to include the following information:

• Identify whether it is a technical or grant program question in the subject line by either starting the subject with “TECHNICAL:” or “GRANT:” and then the subject of your request (ex: TECHNICAL: Foundant access),
• Your name and contact information,
• Your organization’s name and state where it is located, and
• Your question. Please try to be concise but do provide all the information necessary to answer your question(s).

Staff will only respond to written questions submitted as described above. All phone callers will be asked to submit their question(s) via email as directed above. This is to ensure that all applicant organizations receive the same information and no applicant organization receives an unfair advantage.

Applicant organizations may respond to questions asked of them by staff after the application deadline. Staff may request clarification to assist in evaluating the application. Such additional information must be provided within two business days.

Submitting Your Application

Please read the grant guidelines in their entirety prior to starting the application. Application questions vary based on the project type selected. The budget form will not appear until a project type is selected.

A complete application, along with all other required supporting documentation must be submitted via Foundant by Friday, February 6, 2026 at 5:00 PM EST. Materials not submitted through via Foundant by the deadline—including support letters—will not be accepted or reviewed.

Applicant organizations are strongly encouraged to carefully review the timeline below and submit their application early to ensure there are no issues with submission. The week of the deadline is a busy time for the Foundant website. It may be impossible to submit your application on the day of the deadline. Staff capacity to assist with any technical issues will be limited. Late submissions will not be accepted nor considered regardless of the reason for delay.

Grant Application Timeline

Note: All applicant organizations will be notified of their application status via email by July 2026.

• Application Period Opens: Tuesday, January 13, 2026
• Last Day to Submit Questions: Friday, January 23, 2026
• Responses to Questions Posted to Website: Friday, January 30, 2026
• Applications Due: Friday, February 6, 2026
• Grantees Notified of Award and Awards Announced: Late July 2026
• Finalization of Project Scope and Budget and Contract Execution: August 2026
• Project Initiation: September 2026

How to Use Foundant

Foundant has several resources to assist you with registering your organization (if a profile has not already been created) and submitting an application.

• Applicant Tutorial: This video discusses how to create and log in, apply for a grant, and manage all of your application requests in one place.
• Password Reset Options: The article provides two options that will allow the applicant to reset their password and log in as usual. 
• Applicant Tutorial - Collaboration: This video discusses how to invite others to assist you in completing the application in Foundant.
• Additional Grant Resources: This is a link to Foundant’s blog database that provides information on various grant-related topics.

Please note accounts are organization based. Please check with the primary contact listed in Foundant for access to your organization’s account. Staff cannot add people to an organization’s account without written permission from the primary contact. Alternatively, the primary contact can add you as a contact without the need to notify or request any action from the National Trust.

Please add administrator@grantinterface.com to your address book to ensure you receive email communications sent from our grants application system about your application.

Grant Administration

All project funding will be provided on a reimbursement basis with the exception of the first disbursement which is provided upon execution of the contract.

Successful applicant organizations will be notified in writing of their selection and the amount of funds awarded via Foundant. Organizations selected to receive funding will be required to enter into a written contract with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Applicant organizations are obligated to fulfill the requirements of the contract, including complying with all African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund standard policies based on the project type selected by the grantee. All services or work carried out under a contract awarded as a result of this grant opportunity must be completed within the scope, time frames, and funding limitations specified by the contract.