FY2025 ABPP - Preservation Planning Grants

The FY2025 Preservation Planning Grants are administered by the National Park Service through the American Battlefield Protection Program (NPS ABPP). These grants are federally funded by appropriations from the U.S. Congress under legislative authority 54 U.S.C. § 308102. The program is designed to support a wide range of planning activities aimed at preserving and interpreting historic battlefields and associated sites of armed conflict on American soil. The program seeks to engage a diverse range of preservation partners and advance community-driven stewardship of culturally significant sites. The purpose of the grant is to provide financial assistance for projects that contribute to the long-term preservation of historic battlefields and associated sites related to armed conflict in the United States. Eligible sites must be located within the 50 U.S. states, District of Columbia, U.S. Territories (Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands), and Freely Associated States (Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau). Eligible projects include research, interpretation, documentation, planning, and community engagement. However, the grant does not fund capital construction, restoration, or land acquisition, though planning for such activities is permitted. The total program funding available for FY2025 is approximately $1,198,000, with individual awards ranging from $20,000 to $200,000. An estimated 15 awards are expected. Cost sharing is not required, but voluntary cost share contributions may be included and are subject to federal monitoring standards. Funds cannot be used for activities that directly benefit the federal government unless specific approval is granted. Applicants are advised to contact NPS ABPP staff to confirm the eligibility of proposed activities. Eligible applicants include a wide range of entities such as state, county, city, and township governments, Native American tribal governments and organizations, special district governments, public and private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status. Additional eligible entities include Alaska Native corporations, Native Hawaiian organizations, and tribal-controlled colleges and universities. Applicants must register in SAM.gov and Grants.gov, and applications must be submitted electronically by March 31, 2025 at 11:59 PM EDT. The application process requires several documents, including the SF-424, budget forms, a project abstract, a five-page project narrative, and multiple attachments such as maps, images, letters of support, and CVs. The project narrative must align with five merit review criteria categories: Preservation Goals and Anticipated Outcomes, FY2025 Programmatic Focus Areas, Objectives and Activities, Administration and Implementation, and Partnerships and Engagement. Each criterion can earn a maximum of 20 points. Review panels evaluate applications based on merit, completeness, and alignment with program goals. The anticipated award date is June 30, 2025, with a project start date of September 30, 2025 and an end date of September 30, 2027. Contact for questions related to the grant is available via email at ABPP_PPG@nps.gov. Applicants are encouraged to start the application process early due to the time required for SAM and Grants.gov registration. Awards are subject to post-award compliance, including reporting requirements and adherence to federal standards for historic preservation and geospatial data collection.