NPS Underrepresented Communities Grants Fund Survey and Nomination Work to Expand the National Register of Historic Places

The National Park Service funds survey, documentation, and nomination work aimed at expanding the National Register of Historic Places to include communities currently underrepresented in that inventory. Applications are due July 7, 2026. Every funded project must result in at least one new or amended National Register nomination; this is a mandatory deliverable, not an optional outcome. Awards range from $15,000 to $100,000 per project, with total program funding of $1.25 million for approximately 15 awards. The program encourages projects that recognize communities whose histories and achievements reflect America's 250th birthday and the broader sweep of American heritage.

Assistance Listing Number: 15.966
Opportunity Identification Number: P25AS00510
Funding Agency: National Park Service, Department of the Interior, State, Tribal, Local, Plans and Grants Division
ApplicationDeadline: July 7, 2026

Eligible Institutional Structures and Geographic Priorities

Eligible applicants are State Historic Preservation Offices, Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, federally recognized tribes, Alaska Native villages and corporations, Native Hawaiian Organizations, Certified Local Governments, and nonprofit tax-exempt organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status. Private for-profit entities are ineligible. Applications for sites or collections owned by the National Park Service are ineligible.

For projects involving properties not owned by the applicant, written owner consent signed no earlier than 60 days before the application deadline is required. National Register nomination projects proposing a specific site must include a concurrence of eligibility from the relevant State or Tribal Historic Preservation Office, either a Determination of Eligibility or a survey reviewed and approved by the SHPO or THPO. National Historic Landmark nomination projects require a copy of a previously submitted Letter of Inquiry and a positive response from NPS NHL program staff.

Financial Mechanics and Match Requirements

Total program funding is $1.25 million, with approximately 15 awards anticipated. Individual awards range from $15,000 to $100,000. There is no cost-sharing requirement, though voluntary cost sharing may be considered as a competitive factor in the Feasibility scoring criterion. Administration costs plus indirect costs combined cannot exceed 25 percent of total project cost; this is a statutory limit under the Historic Preservation Fund. Applicants with administrative costs at or below 5 percent of total project costs receive the highest rating on the feasibility scoring element that addresses cost efficiency.

Administrative Compliance and Post Award Oversight

All funded projects constitute undertakings under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, and NPS will work with grantees to complete the Section 106 consultation process before any grant funds may be drawn. NEPA review applies to all project activities. For National Historic Landmark projects, additional requirements under Section 110 apply. All work must conform to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation.

Recipients submit Federal Financial Reports on SF-425 and Program Performance Reports. Payments are made through the U.S. Treasury Automated Standard Application for Payments system. No costs may be incurred before the signed grant agreement is received from NPS; a notice of selection is not authorization to begin work. Project performance is evaluated against four scoring criteria: significance of the underrepresented community and resources (25 points), advancement of relevant preservation planning documents (25 points), feasibility of the timeline and budget (25 points), and sustainability of community partnerships and long-term resource preservation (25 points).