NPS’ Tribal Heritage Grant Program supports Indian Tribes, Alaskan Native Villages and Corporations, and Native Hawaiian Organizations with safeguarding and celebrating their distinct cultural heritage and customs. Grants fund research and project planning, repair and preservation work, and actions to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act.

	Does not require a cost share or matching funds
	Supports nature-based solutions

Application cycle: December 6, 2023 – February 20, 2024.

Summary: Since 1990, the National Park Service has been awarding funding through Tribal Heritage Grants to Indian Tribes, Alaskan Natives, and Native Hawaiian Organizations for projects aimed at protecting cultural and historic places. These grants fund a broad range of planning, assessment, and repair activities that can reduce flooding at buildings while preserving their historical integrity: temporary protective measures that can be deployed when flooding is expected, physical changes to the site and landscape, dry and wet floodproofing, and actions such as filling in basements, elevating utilities located in a basement to a higher level, and elevating a building on a new foundation.

Eligible applicants: Federally-recognized Tribes, Alaska Native Villages (Tribal Governments) and Native Hawaiian Organizations.

Eligible activities:

• Priority 1 — Project Planning: Research and planning undertaken for the physical preservation of a historic or cultural property. This includes planning activities such as building condition assessments, plans and specifications for building repair, stabilization, and reports to preserve a particular building site. Project planning grants typically encompass predevelopment studies, such as historic structure or engineering reports, and/or architectural plans and specifications that detail the exact scope of repair work to be carried out.
• Priority 2 — Repair Work to Preserve a Specific Historic Structure or Site: Repair work to preserve a specific historic structure or site, comprehensive preservation planning, oral history and documenting cultural traditions, training and education for building a historic preservation program, cultural and historic preservation interpretation and education.
• Priority 3 — Section 106 and NEPA Compliance Requirements: Survey and inventory of Historic or Significant Places (a survey of an area to identify archeological, ethnographic, and historic resources and/or evaluate properties that may be eligible for listing in a tribal register), survey of traditional skills and information (cultural needs assessments, ethno-botanical projects, and survey of traditional skill).

Funding: $15,000–75,000.

Cost share: A non-federal match is not required, but preference will be given to applications that show community commitment through a non-federal match and partnership collaboration.

Application process: 

• For more information on applying to this grant opportunity, visit the program’s webpage on grants.gov.
• All projects should have an identified audience and a clear plan for outreach and dissemination.
• NPS estimates they will award over 25 grants with an estimated total funding level of $720,000.