Important Eligibility Information
Individual projects are only eligible for one SAT grant. Individual structures or collections that have received a SAT grant in the past are not eligible for additional funding. Organizations with multiple eligible structures or collections may apply for funding for any eligible structure or collection which has not received past SAT funding.
To see which projects have previously been funded, use the link below to view a map of past projects.
Who Is Eligible to Apply?
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Nonprofit organizations
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Units of state or local government
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Federally-recognized Indian Tribes, Alaska Native Villages/Corporations, and Native Hawaiian Organizations, as defined by 54 USC 300309, 300313, and 300314.
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Educational institutions
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Federal agencies funded by the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies with the exception of the National Park Service (NPS).
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Grants will not be available for work on sites or collections owned by the NPS
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Other federal agencies collaborating with a nonprofit partner to preserve the historic properties or collections owned by the federal agency may submit applications through the nonprofit partner
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What is a Collection?
Collections include artifacts, museum collections, documents, sculptures, and other works of art.
What is a Preservation Project?
Preservation project include work to historic districts, buildings, sites, structures, and objects.
What does Nationally Significant mean?
All projects must be nationally significant. The proposed grant project must concern resources that are:
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listed as a National Historic Landmark; or
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listed in the National Register of Historic Places at the national level of significance; or
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a collection of national significance
Significance for Collections
Collections projects must describe and document the national significance of the collection as part of the application. Said another way, applications for Save America's Treasures grants for project work on collections must make an argument as to why the collection is nationally significant.
Significance for Historic Resources
As described in National Register Bulletin 16A How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, a resource is "any building, structure, site, or object that is part of or constitutes a historic property." The Save America's Treasures program only funds grants to historic resources that are nationally significant. The National Register and National Historic Landmark programs define this as the resource being important to "the history of the United States as a nation."
A resource may be listed in the National Register of Historic Places at the local, state, or national level of significance for its association with specific individuals or events or as part of broader political, social, and artistic movements in American history. The level of significance for which a site is listed is determined by your State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) or Tribal Historic Preservation Office (THPO) at the time the nomination is made to the National Register.
To be eligible for a grant through the Save America's Treasures program, a resource must be:
- individually listed as a National Historic Landmark; or
- contributing to a National Historic Landmark district; or
- individually listed in the National Register of Historic Places for national significance; or
- contributing to an historic district that is listed in the National Register for national significance.
All National Historic Landmarks are considered to be nationally significant. Nomination forms for properties or districts to be included in the National Register of Historic Places usually, but not always, will note a resource's level(s) of significance.
If you are unsure if your property is listed at the national level of significance, contact the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) for the state or territory in which the property is located. Contact information for the SHPO can be found at the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers. You should start this process early. Unlisted properties are not eligible for this funding program. Properties must be listed prior to the grant application deadline, without exception.
Grant Amounts
- Collections projects – Minimum of $25,000 and maximum $750,000 Federal share.
- Historic property projects – Minimum of $125,000 and maximum $750,000 Federal share.
- Please note that the selection panel may, at its discretion, award less than these minimum grant requests.
Selection Process
The Save America’s Treasures Grants Selection Panel, made up of federal experts representing applicable preservation and conservation disciplines, will rank applications and make funding recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior who will then forward selected applications to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.
Applications are evaluated using the following criteria as summarized below. Full evaluation and selection criteria are presented with application materials on grants.gov. These materials are only available when we are actively accepting applications.
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National Significance: The historic collection or property must be nationally significant.
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Severity of Threat to the Historic Property or Collection: The collection or historic property must be threatened or endangered, and the application must document the urgent preservation and/or conservation need.
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How Effectively the Project Mitigates the Threat: Projects must substantially mitigate the threat and must have a clear public benefit (for example, historic places open for visitation or collections available for public viewing or scholarly research).
- Project Feasibility: The project must be feasible (i.e., able to be completed within the proposed activities, schedule, and budget described in the application), and the application must document adequately the required non-Federal match.
Research Nationally Significant Properties
Search the National Register and listing of National Historic Landmarks to find properties that are nationally significant.
Last updated: April 2, 2024