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State Historical Society of Iowa

Historical Resource Development Program

Historical Resource Development Program

New applications are not being accepted for this program while it undergoes a review process following Iowa's state agency alignment. We anticipate offering the program again in 2025.

The program provides grant funding to help preserve, conserve, interpret, enhance, and educate the public about Iowa’s historical assets. The Historical Resource Development Program provides funding for documentary collections, historic preservation and museums. 

  • Who: Nonprofits, Governments, Tribes, Individuals, Forprofits
  • What: Up to $50,000 with a required match.  Match ratios vary.
  • When: This grant opportunity is currently closed. Grants will be offered again in 2025

How to Apply

Historical Resource Development Program Annual Grant Cycle

Applications are not currently being accepted for the Historical Resource Development Program. Applicants can access the previous year's guidelines and scoring rubrics online:

  1. Read the General Guidelines and category instructions:
  2. Read the scoring rubric by category:
  3. Complete the application

If you would like to schedule a Google Meet or Zoom Meeting with the grants manager, please email her at kristen.vandermolen@iowa.gov to set up a meeting time.

Emergency Historical Resource Development Program

Emergency HRDP applications will be accepted after July 1, 2024. Funds are limited and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

  1. Read the HRDP General Guidelines and appropriate category instructions
  2. Read the HRDP Emergency Guidelines
  3. Complete the application

Manage Your Grant

Reporting Forms

Access and complete your Final Report and Payment Form online when your grant project is completed.

Some projects may need to provide a status and budget report on an annual basis. Grantees will be notified of this additional reporting requirement, if applicable

Logos

Download the State Historical Society of Iowa logo to use on materials promoting your project.

Promotional Information 

Send images and event details when grant funded project activity is happening. The State Historical Society of Iowa is dedicated to communicating the impact and value of your project activity through various communication platforms and networks.

Field Services

Learn more about the Field Services program.

Grant Awards History

Displaying 1 - 20 of 324
Searches project title, applicant name, city, county, and fiscal year
Project Title Applicant City County Fiscal year Grant Amount
Digitize 82 years of Belmond's local newspaper Belmond Chapter/Wright County Historical Society Belmond Wright 2013 $3,939.00
Stromstein Building Rehabilitation Worth County Historical Society Northwood Worth 2013 $50,000.00
York Comes to Life Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center Sioux City Woodbury 2022 $25,000.00
Digitization of Scrapbooks and Photograph Albums Sioux City Public Museum/Sioux City Museum & Historical Association Sioux City Woodbury 2015 $5,168.00
Milwaukee Railroad Shops Historic District: Repurposing Roundhouse for Exhibits Siouxland Historical Railroad Association Sioux City Woodbury 2015 $38,400.00
Correctionville Newspaper Digitization Project Correctionville Public Library Correctionville Woodbury 2020 $4,000.00
Phase 1 Archaeological Survey: Railroad Labor Camps Milwaukee Railroad Shops Historic District Siouxland Historical Railroad Association Sioux City Woodbury 2022 $32,250.00
Sioux City Railroad Museum – Water Works Extension Project Siouxland Historical Railroad Association Sioux City Woodbury 2016 $50,000.00
RailWalk Heritage Education Trail - Milwaukee Railroad Shops Historic District Siouxland Historical Railroad Association Sioux City Woodbury 2017 $46,555.00
Preserving History Through Newspaper Digitization: The Catholic Globe The Catholic Globe, Diocese of Sioux City Sioux City Woodbury 2019 $10,937.00
Winneshiek County Newspaper Indexing and Digitization Luther College & Winneshiek County Historical Society Decorah Winneshiek 2019 $30,016.00
Portico, Transom, and Sidelight Restoration of the Landers Home Winneshiek County Historical Society Decorah Winneshiek 2022 $5,265.00
Dam Gate Outdoor Industrial Sculpture Exhibit Winneshiek County Historic Preservation Commission Decorah Winneshiek 2021 $4,308.00
Preserving Seed History: Protecting first-person accounts of heirloom garden crops Seed Savers Exchange Decorah Winneshiek 2016 $7,437.00
Bodensteiner House: Roof Replacement, Fascia/Soffit Repair, and Eliminating Invasive Animals Winneshiek County Historical Society Decorah Winneshiek 2021 $7,631.00
Restoring the Museum's Exterior to Re-establish Integrity Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum Decorah Winneshiek 2023 $50,000.00
Geophysical and Topographic Survey of the Capoli Effigy Mound Group Luther College Decorah Winneshiek 2019 $26,987.00
Optimizing Collections Data Accessibility Through the Implementation of Collective Access Software Luther College Anthropology Lab Decorah Winneshiek 2013 $13,920.00
National Register of Historic Places Nomination: The Decorah Commercial Historic District Decorah Historic Preservation Commission Decorah Winneshiek 2016 $25,000.00
Mansion Museum Portico Project Winnebago Historical Society Forest City Winnebago 2016 $50,000.00