Media Alert
June 10, 2024
Taylor Fuqua, Manager of PR & Marketing; tfuqua@VirginiaHistory.org; 804.342.9661
Richmond, Va. –Virginia nonprofits, educational institutions, and state-recognized Indian tribes in need of grant funding are encouraged to begin preparing for the Virginia Museum of History & Culture’s (VMHC) 2025 Commonwealth History Fund grant cycle.
Each year, the VMHC, in partnership with Virginia’s Department of Historic Resources (DHR), awards grants to history organizations and projects throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. There are several key selection criteria to be considered for a Commonwealth History Fund grant, including the significance of the project or resource, its impact on its community and the Commonwealth, the focus on historically underrepresented topics and communities, the need for funding, and the project’s urgency.
Established in 2021, the Commonwealth History Fund, presented by Dominion Energy, continues to stand as a unique and significant initiative, expected to award up to $2,000,000 in its first five years. To date, the VMHC has awarded $1.2M to fellow history organizations. Funds can be used for diverse purposes, including preservation, publications, artifact acquisition, research, conservation of artifacts, and educational programming.
“Everyone wants and needs a home,” said the Virginia Nottoway Indian Tribe, a 2023 grant awardee. “We now own our Tribal Home, which cannot be taken away from us. After almost 12 years, tears were shed amongst tribal citizens upon hearing the news of the award that enabled us to complete the purchase.”
"For an aging congregation that could not raise the extensive funds needed to make the repairs that were critical for the historic building to continue to operate and serve as a seat in the community for all people, there is no way that this could have been accomplished without the funding provided by the Commonwealth History Fund,“ said the Historic First Baptist of Williamsburg, a 2022 grant awardee.
As the VMHC prepares for its fourth annual grant cycle, it hopes that the remarkable achievements of past recipients of the Commonwealth History Fund will encourage other organizations to apply. These success stories are just a few examples of how the fund has made a tangible impact in preserving Virginia history in communities across the Commonwealth.
The VMHC will receive applications for funding for its fourth annual grant cycle Sept. 1-30, 2024. Awards will be announced in early 2025. As part of VMHC’s 250th Initiative, grant applications related to the commemoration of America’s semiquincentennial will be given special consideration. Applicants can view grant guidelines and download the application for the Commonwealth History Fund at VirginiaHistory.org/HistoryFund.
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The Virginia Museum of History & Culture is the only institution dedicated to presenting the entire history of Virginia over time and across regions. Its nationally significant collection of more than 9 million objects, renowned research library, galleries and public programs demonstrate the centrality of Virginia to the narrative of the United States.
The VMHC is owned and operated by the Virginia Historical Society — a private, non-profit organization established in 1831. The historical society is the oldest cultural organization in Virginia and one of the oldest and most distinguished history organizations in the nation.
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