State Historical Fund Competitive Grants

The State Historical Fund Competitive Grants program provides funding for historic preservation projects involving the built environment, archaeology, and education or training related to historic preservation. Competitive projects must meet the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Historic Properties and, where applicable, comply with the Colorado State Historic Preservation Office's Survey Manual. The program supports a range of preservation activities, as demonstrated by previously funded work involving historic property preservation, archaeological research, National Register nominations, construction documents, interpretive signage, acquisition of historic property, and preservation education activities. Competitive Grants are offered through two funding levels. Mini Grants provide requests of up to $50,000, while General Grants cover requests from $50,001 through $250,000. Standard projects involving nonprofit or governmental entity owners require a 25 percent cash match of the total project cost, while projects involving private or for-profit owners require a 50 percent cash match. Different requirements apply to Expanding the Narrative Projects: properties owned by nonprofit or governmental entities have no cash-match requirement, while privately owned properties require a 10 percent cash match. In-kind goods, services, staff time, or staff pay cannot be counted as eligible project costs or cash match. Projects involving physical work must have a National, State, or Local historic designation before application. A project that does not include physical work but is associated with a specific site must be moving toward designation. In that circumstance, Form 1419, the Preliminary Property Evaluation Form, should be submitted to and approved by the State Historic Preservation Office before application and included as an attachment. Properties receiving grants for physical work may also be subject to property protections. The owner's type and cumulative amount of grant funding received determine the required protection period and whether a covenant or easement is required. Applicants must prepare a project scope and detailed budget appropriate to the proposed work. Budget line items must identify all project costs, including items such as contractual services and travel, and must include a calculation showing how each amount was derived or reference a proposal document containing that calculation. Ineligible expenses include grant administration exceeding 15 percent of total direct project costs, grant writing costs, costs encumbered, contracted for, or incurred before execution of the grant award, utility costs outside the designated area, and the value of in-kind goods, services, staff time, or staff pay. Applicants are directed to the State Historical Fund Guidebook, updated in January 2026, for complete program requirements. A Letter of Intent is mandatory to receive access to the competitive application. Letters of Intent are accepted on a rolling basis but must be received no later than 14 calendar days before the applicant's target grant-round deadline. For the identified round, the Letter of Intent deadline is noon Mountain Time on September 17, 2026, and the full application deadline is noon Mountain Time on October 1, 2026. Applicants create a new account or log into an existing account in the grants application portal to start a Competitive Grant application. The materials identified on the program page also include the State Historical Fund Signature Page and a required W-9. Award announcements for this round are expected in mid-December 2026. The source provides examples illustrating the program's scope. State Historical Fund grants have supported Crow Canyon Archaeological Center's research at the Haynie Site in Montezuma County and Conservation Legacy's Preserve America Youth Summit, which engaged more than 150 Colorado students in grades 7 through 12, teachers, and service leaders. Other examples include preservation of the Silicated Brick and Clay Company Kiln in Douglas County, acquisition of the Elva Trujillo-Jaquez House/Day Chapel by the Costilla County Economic Development Council, preparation of construction documents for the Truxaw and Kruger Grocery, interpretive signage at the Birch Cabin and Birch Ruins, and preparation of a National Register nomination for the Pines Lodge at the Historic Pines Ranch. Questions about the program may be directed to the State Historical Fund Engagement Staff at hc_shf@state.co.us.

Submit the Letter of Intent no later than 14 calendar days before the target grant-round deadline; ensure projects meet the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and the Colorado State Historic Preservation Office Survey Manual when applicable; secure required historic designation before applying for physical work; provide calculations supporting budget amounts; exclude grant writing, disallowed pre-award costs, excess grant administration, specified utility costs, and in-kind contributions from eligible project costs or match.