Museums and County Historical Societies in Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC), the official history agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, has opened the application period for its 2025–26 Cultural and Historical Support Grants. This grant program is designed to provide general operating support to eligible museums and official county historical societies across Pennsylvania. With the support of the Pennsylvania state legislature, this initiative has been in place for 13 years, delivering close to $26 million in cumulative funding to strengthen the state’s cultural landscape. The program aims to support institutions that play a vital role in preserving Pennsylvania’s unique history and cultural identity. It seeks to reinforce the stability and reach of museums and historical organizations, enabling them to educate the public, preserve historical assets, and boost local tourism and economic development. According to Andrea Lowery, Executive Director of PHMC, this investment helps to promote educational enrichment, community engagement, and heritage preservation statewide. The Cultural and Historical Support Grants are open to two categories of applicants. First, eligible museums located in Pennsylvania must have annual operating budgets exceeding $100,000 and employ at least one full-time professional staff member. These institutions may be awarded up to $65,000 in general operating support. Second, official county historical societies may apply for funding up to $4,000. Museums that are eligible for funding through other state agencies are not eligible for this grant. The flexibility of the funding allows recipients to decide how best to apply the funds within the program’s scope. Applications for the 2025–26 funding cycle are due by midnight on Friday, August 22, 2025. All applications must be submitted through the Commonwealth’s Single Application for Assistance system. Applicants are encouraged to review the detailed eligibility requirements and grant guidelines provided on PHMC’s Cultural and Historical Support Grant website. There is no mention of a pre-application requirement or deadline for letters of intent, and no application questions were publicly listed. For support during the application process, potential applicants can contact Rusty Baker, Executive Director of PA Museums, who is assisting PHMC in the program’s administration. He can be reached by phone at (717) 909-4951 or via email at c-rubaker@pa.gov. Additional media inquiries can be directed to Jay Losiewicz at jlosiewicz@pa.gov or by phone at (717) 705-8639. The grant is not offered on a rolling basis but does recur annually. Based on the deadline of August 22, 2025, the expected next cycle would open in August 2026, and the internal next check date is recommended as July 18, 2026. The commission emphasizes maintaining a fair and straightforward application process while ensuring equitable geographic distribution of funds across the Commonwealth.