Special Category Historic Preservation Grants

The Florida Department of State is soliciting applications for Special Category Grant-in-Aid assistance through the Special Category Historic Preservation Grants program. The program supports major local, regional, and statewide historic preservation efforts in Florida. Its stated purpose is to help preserve significant historic structures and archaeological resources, support major archaeological excavations or research projects, and assist with the development and fabrication of major museum exhibits that promote knowledge and appreciation of Florida history. The program does not provide operational support for museums or historic preservation organizations. Eligible project types are Development, Archaeological Research, Museum Exhibit, and Acquisition. Although eligible applications from all project types may be considered, the Division of Historical Resources identifies several priorities for this application cycle. These include hurricane preparedness efforts, preservation and protection of historic cemeteries, and projects supporting restoration of historic structures in Florida Main Street program areas and Certified Local Governments. Applicants are directed to the Special Category Grant Guidelines for questions concerning project types, project eligibility, or individual work items. Eligible applicant organizations are public entities and active Florida nonprofits. An applicant organization may submit only one Historic Preservation Special Category Grant Application under a single application deadline for a particular application cycle. State agencies, county or city governments, and universities may submit applications from more than one division or department when those divisions or departments are separate and distinct budgetary units and the applications do not address the same facility, project, property, or site. The maximum grant award is $1,000,000. A 50 percent match is required, including a minimum cash match contribution of 25 percent. Projects located in qualifying rural counties or communities designated as REDI-qualified at the time of submission may qualify for a reduced 25 percent match. State agencies, state colleges, and state universities are not eligible for the match reduction regardless of project location. Applications must be submitted electronically through dosgrants.com. The submission period opened June 1, 2026 and closed July 10, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern. Applications are accepted only electronically and must be complete to be considered for evaluation. The solicitation does not identify a letter of intent, concept paper, pre-proposal, or other pre-application gating requirement. Applicants needing clarification about project eligibility, project types, work items, or the application process are directed to the Special Category Grant Guidelines and the Historic Preservation Grants Program. Eligible applications are evaluated competitively by the Florida Historical Commission at a public meeting. The Commission reviews and scores applications according to criteria contained in the Special Category Grant Guidelines and recommends to the Secretary of State the applications that should be forwarded to the 2027 Legislature for funding consideration in State Fiscal Year 2028. A recommendation from the Florida Historical Commission or Secretary of State does not constitute an immediate grant award. Final awards and funding levels remain subject to specific legislative appropriation. For projects funded by the 2027 Legislature, grant funds become available after July 1, 2027, the beginning of the 2027-2028 State Fiscal Year. Grantees must execute a Grant Award Agreement containing administrative responsibilities before receiving funds, and any unexpended grant balance reverts to the state at the end of the 24-month period on June 30, 2029. Acquisition and development projects involving real property also require recorded Restrictive Covenants before release of funds. These restrictions generally apply for 15 years, or 20 years for acquisition projects. Certain projects involving property other than real property and Museum Exhibit projects require a notarized Preservation Agreement, with applicable terms lasting 10 years for Development projects and five years for Museum Exhibit projects. Questions about proposed projects or the online application may be directed to the Historic Preservation Grants Program, Division of Historical Resources, by email at DHRgrants@dos.fl.gov or by phone at 800.847.7278 or 850.245.6333. The solicitation does not state that the opportunity recurs annually or on another regular schedule, and it does not provide a future application cycle date. Therefore, no recurrence or next-cycle date is recorded from this source.

Submit a complete electronic application by the deadline; verify project type, eligibility, and work items against the Special Category Grant Guidelines; consider alignment with stated priorities for hurricane preparedness, historic cemeteries, and restoration in Florida Main Street program areas and Certified Local Governments; observe the one-application-per-cycle restriction unless the separate and distinct budgetary unit exception applies