Nearly $20 million in grant funding has been awarded to 35 projects across the state through the Virginia 250 Preservation Fund.
The Virginia 250 Preservation Fund was established in the Commonwealth’s 2024-2026 biennial budget to support capital improvement projects at historic sites and museums that anticipate a significant increase in visitation in 2026.
The 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, also known as the nation’s Semiquincentennial, will be recognized next year.
The largest grant recipients included:
- $4,250,000: Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
- $2,250,000: Virginia Historical Society/Virginia Museum of History and Culture, Richmond
- $1,750,000: Blue Grass Resource Center, Highland Inn rehabilitation project, Monterey
- $1,250,000: Menokin Foundation, Francis Lightfoot Lee’s Menokin Home rehabilitation project, Warsaw
- $835,000: Stratford Hall restoration efforts, Stratford
- $785,504: Historic Courthouse Restoration Project, Fluvanna County, Palmyra
- $750,000: The Mecca Theater Project, Save our Heritage, Chase City
- $700,000: Calfee Community & Cultural Center, training school adaptive reuse from African-American school to community center
In Staunton, Trinity Episcopal Church received $516,064.20 in funding for site restoration, signage and accessibility. Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library Foundation received $250,000 in funding to expand its gallery space and update exhibitions.
The Department of Historic Resources will administer the $19,993,983.26 in funding.
“The capital improvements made possible through these grants will enhance the experience of thousands of visitors for whom Virginia will be a priority travel destination during 2026,” said DHR Director Julie Langan. “The enduring nature of this investment, in a geographically and historically diverse range of landmarks, will benefit Virginia for many years to come,”
DHR invited 218 out of 227 initial pre-applicants to submit a full application for the program. DHR received 166 completed full applications.
All grantees will match at least one third of the state award with funds from other sources or in-kind services.
DHR staff will conduct site visits and review project plans as the funds are dispersed over the course of 2025 and 2026.
As part of the grant program’s selection process, priority was given to projects featuring properties listed in the Virginia Landmarks Register or the National Register of Historic Places, properties designated as a National Historic Landmark and properties determined eligible for any such listing by DHR.
The projects that are set to receive awards include efforts to stabilize and repair historic buildings, which will ensure that visitors from Virginia and beyond can continue to benefit from these educational resources for years to come. Enhancements to accessibility features, which will help sites serve more visitors, are included in nearly half of the projects.
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Crystal Graham
