Historic Cemeteries Grants Program

The Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries, operating under the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD), has announced the 2025 round of the Historic Cemeteries Grant program. This initiative aligns with the department’s mission to provide equitable access to state programs and ensure the preservation of significant historical resources across the state. These grants are administered through the Oregon Heritage division and are designed to support a broad spectrum of preservation-related projects within Oregon's historic cemeteries. Through these efforts, the state acknowledges and promotes the value of cultural and historical memory as preserved in burial sites that predate at least 75 years. The Historic Cemeteries Grant program provides financial assistance in key categories such as protection and security, restoration and preservation, education and training, and research and interpretation. Eligible projects may include activities such as installing security fencing or lighting, conducting skilled monument repairs, conserving historic cemetery elements (like fencing, curbs, and markers), documentation and mapping efforts, placing interpretive signage, restoring landscaping, and broader planning or interpretive work. The primary objective of the funding is to ensure the long-term preservation of cemeteries with significant historic value throughout Oregon. Grants are typically awarded in amounts ranging from $1,000 to $8,000, with funds disbursed on a reimbursement basis for work already completed. While a dollar-for-dollar match is not required, applicants are encouraged to secure local funding or in-kind support to enhance their application's competitiveness. Contributions such as volunteer time, cash, or donated materials and services count toward the match. Volunteer rates must not exceed Oregon's minimum wage unless professional expertise is involved, in which case documentation of professional rates is required. Indirect costs or grant administration expenses are allowed up to 6% of the award amount but cannot be claimed as both a grant-funded expense and a match. Applicants may include individuals, nonprofit organizations, schools, tribal entities, government bodies, or other groups that oversee cemeteries meeting the eligibility requirement of containing at least one burial older than 75 years from the current date. Projects must be completed within the established grant cycle, and extensions are rarely granted. Preservation standards must be adhered to, and the application must describe how these standards will be met, referencing established sources such as the National Park Service or the Association for Gravestone Studies. Applications must be submitted through the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department Grants Online system. The deadline to submit an application is April 9, 2025, at 11:59 PM. Award notifications will be made by the end of May 2025. Projects may commence as early as July 1, 2025, provided that agreements are fully executed and work plans are approved. All funded projects must be completed, and final reports submitted, by April 30, 2026. Applications are evaluated based on the applicant’s capability, the clarity and priority of the proposed work plan, the project’s effectiveness in addressing long-term preservation, and its alignment with broader priorities such as the inclusion of underrepresented histories and geographic diversity. For assistance with the grant application or the OPRD Grants Online system, applicants may contact Kuri Gill at kuri.gill@oprd.oregon.gov or 503-986-0685.