Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation Grant

The Robert D.L. Gardiner Foundation is a private philanthropic organization committed to preserving the historical legacy and cultural resources of New York State. The foundation is known for supporting projects that protect, preserve, and promote the rich historical heritage of Long Island and the surrounding regions. Its funding programs are tailored to reinforce stewardship of historical sites and collections by supporting institutions involved in history, preservation, and public education. The foundation’s funding guidelines outline multiple grant categories with different ceiling amounts, ranging from $50,000 to $500,000. For example, grants of up to $300,000 are available for cataloguing and digitalization, conservation of objects, and collections care. Up to $100,000 is available for exhibitions and educational programs, while up to $50,000 may be awarded for public programs, publications, and community-based events. The most competitive funding—up to $500,000—supports structural stabilization, restoration, and adaptive reuse projects. These latter categories require the applicant to have raised all project funds in full at the time of submission, and all required permits and written bids must be in place. Matching funds are mandatory for all applicants and vary based on the institutional operating budget. For institutions with budgets under $250,000, a 25% match is required. Institutions with budgets between $250,000 and $500,000 must provide a 50% match, while those between $500,000 and $1 million must provide a 75% match. A full match is required for institutions with budgets over $1 million. In-kind contributions are allowed for matching purposes, but they may not exceed 20% of the required match and cannot be composed of general operations, fundraising, or administrative volunteer hours. Acceptable in-kind contributions include volunteer labor, donated materials, and donated professional services dedicated specifically to the project. For construction and renovation projects, recipients must allocate approximately $1,500 of their own funds for periodic inspections, which include a pre-project site visit, an in-progress report, and a final report upon project completion. Additionally, applicants proposing structural or reuse projects must consult with designated RDLGF partners—namely the New York Preservation League and the NY Landmarks Conservancy’s Sacred Sites program—before submitting their applications. The foundation operates on a biannual grant cycle. For the Spring 2025 cycle, applications are due by March 14, 2025, at 5:00 PM, with decisions announced by May 16, 2025, and notifications sent by May 31, 2025. The Fall 2025 cycle has an application deadline of August 8, 2025, at 5:00 PM, with decisions due by November 7, 2025, and notifications by November 21, 2025. All applications must be complete at the time of submission. Funding is not available for staff salaries, tuition remission, lobbying, indirect costs, property purchases, fundraising, insurance, debt service, or research. Additional restrictions include the prohibition of using grant funds to pay current staff salaries or any retroactive expenses incurred before the award date. For applicants seeking funding for historical religious buildings, prior consultation with the NY Landmarks Conservancy's Sacred Sites program is mandatory. All institutions must follow the foundation’s grantmaking and application guidelines in full to be considered for funding.

All permits and bids must be ready at time of application; consult with Preservation League or Sacred Sites before applying for structural projects