The Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program is a grants-in-aid program managed by the Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS). The program is designed to promote the collection, preservation, and dissemination of Oklahoma’s rich history through community-level projects across the state. The initiative is specifically aimed at supporting local historical efforts and encouraging participation from a diverse range of organizations throughout Oklahoma.
Funding through the program ranges from one thousand dollars to twenty-five thousand dollars per project. The scope of funding includes projects that focus on collections, exhibits, educational programming, and capacity building. The goal is to strengthen the ability of local organizations to preserve and present Oklahoma’s heritage effectively. Applicants are required to use the funding for these specific purposes to ensure alignment with the program’s objectives.
Eligible applicants include tribal and municipal governments as well as not-for-profit historical organizations located in Oklahoma that are registered with the Oklahoma Secretary of State. A key eligibility requirement is that applicant organizations must have an active strategic plan. If an organization lacks a strategic plan, it is eligible to apply solely for the development of such a plan as its project proposal.
The application process for the 2024/2025 grant cycle opened on Monday, September 2, 2024, and closed on Friday, November 1, 2024, at 5 p.m. The Oklahoma Historical Society allocated a total of six hundred thousand dollars to be awarded through this cycle. Two virtual workshops were held to assist potential applicants: one on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, at 1 p.m., and another on Monday, September 9, 2024, at 3 p.m. Applicants also had the option to submit draft applications by Monday, October 7, 2024.
Award announcements are scheduled to be made in late January 2025. All projects will be evaluated based on their alignment with the program’s goals, the clarity and feasibility of their project plans, and their potential impact on preserving and promoting Oklahoma’s history. For more information about the program, applicants were encouraged to contact Grants Administrator Nicole Harvey at 405-522-5202 or via email at grants@history.ok.gov.
The Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program’s official guidelines and additional resources, including the official administrative rules and a list of past grant awardees, are available through the program’s website. The Oklahoma Historical Society is located at 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive, Oklahoma City, OK 73105, and can be reached at 405-521-2491 for general inquiries.
