Apply Now for Heritage Barn, Historic Cemetery, and Historic Theater Grant Programs!

Photo: Built in 1910, the historic Jewett Davis Ranch (Okanogan County), presently Davis Creek Ranch Barn, was awarded a 2021-2023 Heritage Barn Grant of $45,623.50 to reroof, pour new concrete foundation, repair/stabilize foundation, and repair/replace siding, windows and doors of two buildings.

We are excited to announce that applications are open for funding from three state grant programs: the Heritage Barn Grant Program, the Historic Cemetery Grant Program, and the Historic Theater Grant Program. All three grants are programs of the Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation (DAHP) and are managed under contract by the Washington Trust. The grants are intended to help to preserve, rehabilitate, and restore some of the state’s most historically and culturally significant resources. Read below for more information about each grant program, links to apply by the October 31 deadline, and when you can attend office hours to ask questions.

Heritage Barn Grant Program

Established in 2007 and now in its ninth round, the Heritage Barn Grant Program is specifically designed to assist in the preservation of Washington’s iconic historic barns, which stand as symbols of the state’s agricultural heritage. Barns must be listed on the Heritage Barn Register, a statewide list maintained by DAHP, in order to apply for funding through the Heritage Barn Grant Program. Nearly $1,000,000 in grant funds will be distributed among successful applicants to aid in the rehabilitation and safeguarding of these unique structures, ensuring their continued cultural significance for generations to come.

Apply for Heritage Barn Grants

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Historic Cemetery Grant Program

Photo: Established by recorded deed in 1897, the historic Kiwanis South Bend Cemetery (Pacific County) is today managed by the Kiwanis South Bend, who received a 2021-2023 Historic Cemetery Grant of $1,879 to restore approximately 300 headstones and/or markers, install new signage, and perform selective tree trimming.

Established in 2016 and in its fourth round of funding, the Historic Cemetery Grant Program offers financial assistance to preserve and restore significant burial grounds throughout Washington. These cemeteries often hold valuable historical information and serve as the final resting places of pioneers, veterans, and community leaders, making their conservation crucial to the state’s historical narrative. Official historic designation is not required to apply: any cemetery within the state of Washington that contains five or more burials, with at least one burial more than 50 years old, is eligible for this grant program. Nearly $500,000 in funding is available for distribution as grants.

Apply for Historic Cemetery Grants

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Historic Theater Grant Program

Photo: Established in 1923, the historic Columbia Theatre (Cowlitz County) is today managed by Columbia Theatre Association, who received a 2021-2023 Historic Theater Grant of $25,445 to replicate and repair damaged tile on the walls and floors.

The Historic Theater Grant Program, established in 2021, seeks to support the conservation of historic theaters that have played a pivotal role in shaping the arts and cultural landscape of Washington, particularly given theaters’ financial difficulties and deferred maintenance during the pandemic. Grants will be awarded to successful applicants to aid in the maintenance, repair, and revitalization of these cherished community gathering spaces, with a record $500,000 to be distributed.

Apply for Historic Theater Grants

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Register to attend office hours

There will be two Office Hours sessions for all three grant programs: Wednesday, September 20, from 5:00-6:30 pm, and Wednesday, October 11, from 5:00-6:30 pm. Join via Zoom on a drop-in basis to ask questions about any of the grant programs or about your specific project. Attendance is free, but registration is required. Registration links are available on each grant program page on our website, accessible via the buttons above.