The Commonwealth History Fund was established by the Virginia Museum of History & Culture to support and encourage meaningful history education and preservation projects throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. Made possible by generous funding from Dominion Energy and others, the Fund is designed to provide grants of approximately $400,000 per year and nearly $2,000,000 overall in its first five years of operation.
The Commonwealth History Fund
The Commonwealth History Fund
Presented by Dominion Energy
Eligible Projects include but are not limited to:
- Restoration, rehabilitation, and other related building and construction projects
- Preservation projects
- Research and documentation
- Publications and exhibitions
- Acquisition of property, land, and objects
- Conservation
- Landscape or infrastructure improvements
Special Consideration:
As part of VMHC's America 250th Initiative, grant applications related to the commemoration of the United States semiquincentennial will be given special consideration during the 2025 and 2026 grant cycles. Guiding principles for this initiative include:
- This is about lasting, world-changing ideas rather than a war alone
- This is about an American journey and not a single point in time
- This is a moment for all Americans, so everyone needs to see themselves in this story and this commemoration
Eligible Applicants
Eligible grantees include Virginia non-profit, tax exempt organizations (501)(c)(3), state and federally recognized American Indian tribes, and local government agencies. Political/partisan organizations or projects for religious purposes are not eligible.
Application Information/Timeframe
Applications for the next grant cycle will be accepted from September 1-30, 2024. Awards will be announced in early 2025.
Grant Guidelines and Application:
Official Guidelines | Official Application | Budget Template
Contact Information
Questions? Please email HistoryFund@VirginiaHistory.org.
Learn about the 2024 Commonwealth History Fund Award Recipients
Read more about each project in the official press release.
More Information
- Award recipients for year 2 were announced in February 2023. Read the Press Release. | View Recipients.
- Award recipients for the inaugural year were publicly announced in July 2022. Read the Press Release | View the Facebook album
- Read the inaugural Commonwealth History Fund announcement press release.