The National Maritime Heritage Grant Program Preservation Grants, funding opportunity number P24AS00504, is a cost-sharing program administered by the National Park Service in partnership with the United States Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration. The program was established under the National Maritime Heritage Act of 1994 and is funded through the proceeds of scrapped ships from the National Defense Reserve Fleet. Its purpose is to provide funding for preservation projects that educate the public about America’s maritime heritage and advance public understanding of maritime history, technology, and culture. Preservation grants focus on supporting maritime resources such as historic maritime properties, maritime heritage collections, and traditional maritime skills.

Eligible applicants include State Historic Preservation Offices, nonprofit organizations, tribal governments, and local governments. There are 59 State Historic Preservation Offices across the United States, including territories, the District of Columbia, and freely associated states. Ohio History Connection is eligible to apply as the Ohio State Historic Preservation Office. Applicants may propose either in-house projects, where the grantee directly manages preservation work, or a competitive subgrant program, in which the grantee awards funds to subgrantees for preservation projects. Both approaches require an educational component that reaches a broad audience and emphasizes the significance of maritime heritage.

The total estimated funding for the program is three million dollars. The program anticipates issuing up to ten prime awards, with award amounts ranging from one hundred thousand dollars to seven hundred fifty thousand dollars. The application deadline is February 4, 2025, and the anticipated award date is June 20, 2025. Projects will not begin until approximately six months after the deadline to allow for compliance with federal regulations, including the National Historic Preservation Act and the National Environmental Policy Act.

There is a one-to-one matching requirement for all awards, meaning each federal dollar must be matched by one non-federal dollar. Matching contributions can include cash, in-kind services, or donations. Administrative costs are allowable but are limited to 7.5 percent of the total project cost. Preservation grants may include activities such as the repair, rehabilitation, stabilization, and documentation of historic maritime resources. Projects involving federally owned maritime resources must not exceed 40 percent of the total funding awarded in a fiscal year, and applications must include agreements to maintain and protect the resources after the grant-funded work is completed.

Applications must include a completed project narrative, budget justification worksheet, program description worksheet, and any supporting documents, including letters of support or owner consent. Applications will be reviewed based on four evaluation criteria: subgrant program objectives, the strength of the educational component, feasibility of completing the work, and the qualifications of key personnel. The scoring will assess the need for the proposed work, the project’s educational reach, and the applicant's ability to manage the program effectively.

Recipients are required to comply with federal reporting requirements, including annual and final performance and financial reports. Preservation covenants, easements, or agreements are required for grant-funded construction projects and must align with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation. Reporting for subgrants and in-house projects will occur through an online system and must include updates on project progress, budgeted costs, and resource conditions.

For additional technical or administrative assistance, applicants may contact Megan Rosengrant via email at maritime_grants@nps.gov or by phone at 202-354-2020. All application materials and submission details are available on Grants.gov.