The State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation has $500,000 to support the Historic Cemetery Grant Program.

Historic cemeteries benefit the public by preserving outstanding examples of the state’s historical heritage, enabling historic cemeteries to continue to serve their communities, and honoring the military veterans buried within them. As such, this program will award grants up to $50,000 to support historic cemeteries with construction, renovation, or rehabilitation projects that preserve the historic character, features, and materials of the cemetery, or that maintain or improve the functions of the cemetery.

The Historic Cemetery Grant Program is supported by funding from the Washington State Legislature. The grant program is housed within the Washington State Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation (DAHP) and managed under contract by the Washington Trust.

A few key dates to keep in mind:

Applications open on September 1, 2023
Applications close on October 31, 2023
All applicants will be notified in December 2023
Grant contracts will be drafted in January 2024
Grant-supported projects must be completed by June 30, 2025

To participate in this program, cemeteries must:
Contain five (5) or more burials
Have at least one burial over 50 years old
Be located within Washington State

For more information about this grant opportunity, interested applicants can visit the website here: preservewa.org/cemeterygrants/.

For guidance on the application process, interested applicants can view this Application Walkthrough video: https://youtu.be/t16DMDNrNbg.