Department of Historic Resources announces launch of grant program for Historic Preservation Fund

The Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) is announcing the launch of the Virginia Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Historic Preservation Fund, a grant opportunity established by the Commonwealth’s General Assembly in April 2022 with the intent to support Virginia’s historically underserved and underrepresented communities through protection of their associated cultural and historical sites. This fund will provide grants for the acquisition, protection, and rehabilitation of tribal lands and historic and archaeological sites of significance that are associated with Virginia’s Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities.

DHR is preparing to introduce the grant program with a free virtual information session on February 1, 2023, at noon, as a part of a webinar series with the Preservation Virginia 2023 Preservation Academy. The information session will provide further details on eligible projects and the application process, including important timelines and requirements for prospective grant applicants. To register for the session please visit here. The information session will be posted online following the live session on Zoom. DHR will also be hosting a series of virtual and in-person workshops on the grant program in late spring with those dates still to be determined.

The BIPOC Grant Fund was established under Virginia Code § 10.1-2202.5 and will distribute $5 million across eligible projects over a two-year period. All eligible applicants must request at least $50,000 in grant funding, but no more than $1,000,000. Applicants can apply for more than one project across application rounds, but grant awards per applicant will not exceed $1,000,000 in total. For more information about the BIPOC Grant Fund, please visit here. General information about funding programs administered by DHR is available on our website under the Grants section.