Small Matching Grants
About Small Matching Grants
The Department of State, Division of Historical Resources, provides state and federal funds for historic preservation. The purpose of this program is to provide funding, in the form of grants, to assist local, regional and state-wide efforts to preserve significant historic and archaeological resources and to promote knowledge and appreciation of the history of Florida. This program provides historic preservation grants on a competitive basis. The program does not fund operational support for historic preservation organizations. The Legislature determines the amount appropriated annually for the program and funding for all eligible applications is not guaranteed. The Small Matching Guidelines specify program policies and procedures.
The Historic Preservation Grants Program utilizes an online grant system via which prospective applicants submit their applications. Applications from previous solicitation periods are also available upon request (for viewing only).
Applicant Eligibility
Public entities such as counties or municipalities, school districts, state colleges or universities, agencies of state government and non-profit organizations are eligible Applicant Organizations.
Project Types
- Survey projects that identify, document and evaluate historic or archaeological resources, individually or within historic or archaeological districts or areas being investigated for the potential of becoming historic districts or zones, or updating previous surveys (awards up to $50,000);
- Planning projects necessary to guide the long term preservation of historic resources or a historic district, including preparation of historic structures reports, condition assessments, architectural drawings and construction documents, predictive modeling, preparation of preservation or management plans, and design or preservation guidelines. Planning activities on historic Religious Properties shall be limited to building exterior envelope, excluding accessibility upgrades, and structural elements of the building (awards up to $50,000);
- National Register Nomination projects that prepare a nomination to the National Register of Historic Places for an individual Historic Property or a nomination for a historic or archaeological district or a thematic or multiple resource group nomination (awards up to $50,000);
- Heritage Education projects aimed at increasing public understanding and awareness of the history of Florida and the importance of its historical and archaeological resources and their preservation, either in general or for specific sites, properties or collections. This may include proposals such as walking tours brochures, education material for school children, interpretive signage, videos illustrating historic preservation principles, preservation of historical records through digitization and educational apps related to the history of Florida and/or its historical and archaeological resources (awards up to $50,000);
- Historical Marker projects to assist eligible applicants with the acquisition of state Historical Markers for which texts (monolingual or bilingual) have been approved by the State Historical Marker Council prior to applying for the grant. The historic marker shall not be purchased until the grant is awarded and the Grant Award Agreement is executed (awards up to $1,005 for single-sided markers and up to $1,165 for double sided markers); and
- Statewide Special projects, which address one or more statewide historic preservation needs identified by the Division. Applications for these projects are solicited by the Division within the regular grant cycle announcement.
Review Process
Applications are evaluated on a competitive basis by a Grant Review Panel appointed by the Secretary of State. The criteria for evaluation includes: historic significance, endangerment, appropriateness of the proposed project, administrative capability of the organization, adequacy of technical and financial resources, compatibility with statewide historic preservation priorities, educational potential, economic benefits and public good resulting from the project.
Grant Award and Match
Small Matching grants provide a maximum grant award of $50,000 depending on project type. There is no minimum request amount. An Applicant Organization is required to provide a 1:1 match except as specified in the Small Matching Guidelines. Twenty-five percent of the required match must be cash-on-hand at the time of application. All match must be accounted for during the grant period.
- Certified Local Governments (CLGs) certified by the National Park Service and in good standing at the time of application are eligible for a match waiver.
- Florida Main Street active programs are eligible for a match waiver.
- Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI). Projects located in REDI areas are eligible for a match waiver. A REDI list can be found on the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity's REDI webpage. This waiver is not available for Historical Marker grants or Applicant Organizations that are state agencies, state colleges or state universities, regardless of proposed project location.
Small Matching Application Information
- Small Matching Solicitation Notice (pdf)
- Small Matching Grants Guidelines (pdf) (with Redline updates)
- For a sample application click here.
- PDF version of the How To Apply webinar is available on the right hand side of this page. Registration for scheduled webinars can be found on the Division's Upcoming Events page.
- Substitute W9 form will be requested with all applications. Print out a copy of the form by going to the DFS website and attach that form to the Support Materials section of your application.
- A DUNS number will also be requested at the time of application. This can be obtained here.
All applications must be completed and submitted via the online grant system by the application deadline. To access the DOS grants system click here.
Information and Documents for Current Grantees
- For information on how to manage your grant funds, you may access a PDF version of the How To Manage webinar is available on the right hand side of this page.
- For information on how to complete and submit progress reports, expenditure logs, and payment requests, follow these instructions.
- For information on the procurement of services (i.e. architect, historic preservation consultant, archivist, historian, etc.) as required by the grant award agreement, see this FAQ document.
Photograph Submission Guidelines
Photographs are requested not only at the time of application, but also to evidence the progress and completion of all funded projects. All projects must adhere to the specifications stipulated in the Guidelines for Submitting Photographs (pdf)
The following documents should be utilized to document any volunteer, in-kind, or grant worked hours related to your project for which there is no alternate official record. To calculate the value of volunteer services, use the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. Completed time sheets should be submitted with any payment request which cites these services.
- Professional Qualification Standards (48 FR 44716, September 29, 1983)
- Standards and Guidelines for Archaeology and Historic Preservation (as amended and annotated by the National Park Service)
- Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, 2017
You can choose to use electronic funds transfer (EFT) to receive your grant payments.
- If EFT has already been set up with the Department of Financial Services (DFS) for your organization, you do not need to submit another form.
- To download this form visit the Direct Deposit sign-up on the DFS website.
