Rotating every year with the NJ Historic Trust and NJ Council on the Arts, FY 2026 is a NJ Historical Commission year for Institutional and Financial Stabilization Grants. The program is designed to assist groups in addressing financial and operational challenges that threaten their stability and to help build greater operational capacity to manage and advance their work and achieve their missions. To be eligible, an organization must first be designated as "qualified" by the New Jersey Cultural Trust.

Declarations of Intent to Apply (DOIs) will be due in SAGE on June 11, 2025, at 3 p.m. Full grant applications will be due in SAGE on July 17, 2025, at 3 p.m.

In order to be eligible for the FY 2026 IFS History/Humanities opportunity, organizations must first be designated qualified by the New Jersey Cultural Trust. For more information on qualification and the separate qualification application link, go to the Qualification page. The Cultural Trust will offer two Zoom workshops on qualification this spring; for dates and registration information, go to the Qualification page.

DOI and application assistance:
Cultural Trust and New Jersey Historical Commission staff will hold two Zoom workshops about the FY26 grant program. Participation is free, but registration is required. Workshops will be held on the following dates:

• Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at 11 a.m. Register for the May 6 workshop.
• Thursday, May 22, 2025, at 1 p.m. Register for the May 22 workshop.

Applicants can also participate in a Cultural Trust Office Hours session to ask questions pertaining to the DOI and and/or grant application. Office Hours sessions will be held in May, June and July. Check the Cultural Trust page for updates as those sessions are scheduled.

Important dates:

• March 17, 2025: Grant guidelines released
• April 30, 2025: DOI available in SAGE
• June 11, 2025: DOIs due in SAGE at 3 p.m.
• June 11, 2025: Online applications for qualification due at 3 p.m.
• July 16, 2025: Cultural Trust Board meets to approve qualification applications
• July 17, 2025: Full grant applications due in SAGE at 3 p.m.
• July-October 2025: Historical Commission convenes independent review panels and crafts recommendations
• November 2025: Cultural Trust takes action on recommendations and announces grants
• January 1-December 31, 2026: Grant period for funded projects

Important dates:

• FY2026 New Jersey Cultural Trust Grant Guidelines – IFS History/Humanities
• FY 2026 IFS History/Humanities Evaluation Criteria Rubric
• FY 2026 IFS History/Humanities Additional Guidance for Cash Reserve, Working Capital Fund, and Debt/Deficit Reduction Projects

In order to get all grant funds distributed to our constituents as early as possible within the fiscal year, the NJHC will offer only one Project Grant deadline. The Declaration of Intent deadline for FY 2026 cycle is March 10, 2025 at 3:00 p.m. The application will be due by 3:00 p.m. on April 14, 2025. Applications that are not submitted by 3:00 p.m. on the deadline date will not be considered for funding.

ELIGIBILITY:  Grants are available for both individuals and organizations. There are general standards of eligibility as well as specific requirements for programs. See the posted guidelines for each grant or award for details regarding eligibility.

DEADLINES:  All applications for Project Grants will be filed using the System for Administering Grants Electronically (SAGE), and must be complete and filed by 3:00 p.m. on the deadline dates listed below. The entire proposal must be submitted by the applicant; NJHC staff will not assemble proposals. No revisions of the grant package are permitted after the submission deadline. All applications for Project Grants must be complete AND SUBMITTED by the posted deadline. Applications that have not been formally submitted using the SAGE system will be cancelled.

All Project Grant recipients that applied for their grant using the System for Administering Grants Electronically (SAGE) must also submit their Final Report using the same system. The link to create your Final Report can be found in the 'Related Items' box of the Proposal Menu for your grant. If you are having any difficulties creating or submitting a Final report, please contact the NJHC immediately at 609-292-6062.

PROJECTS: Funding for expenses of specific projects relating to New Jersey history. Eligible categories include conservation of historical materials (manuscripts, books, costumes, historical visuals); editorial and publication projects; educational initiatives; partnership projects; exhibitions; media (films, radio, videotape, digital media); public programs; and research (including archaeological projects, fellowships, oral history, and National and New Jersey registers of historic places nominations). Guidelines for FY 2025 Project Grants are posted below.

Deadline	FY2026
Intent to Apply	March 10, 2025
Submission Deadline	April 14, 2025
Notification of Award	July 2025

Fiscal Year 2026 Project Grant Guidelines

SAGE Guide for Creating, Completing, and Submitting an FY 2026 Project Grant Declaration Of Intent to Apply (DOI)

The New Jersey Historical Commission will be holding two virtual workshops to discuss its upcoming FY 2026 Project Grant round. An introduction and demonstration of the System for Administering Grants Electronically (SAGE) will also be provided.

Virtual Workshop Information:
Monday, February 24th at 1pm
Registration link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/PGerXDS8QXqsVBCZbT8EBQ

Monday, March 3rd at 1pm
Registration link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/NcgWoEg3RDiylTJ_PNG6ug

Virtual Q&A Session
Thursday, February 27th from 6pm-7pm
Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/PciPRv0CR3yPFEJe4lcOZA

The New Jersey Historical Commission is very pleased to announce the availability of the Diversity, Equity Accessibility, and Inclusion Program Application and Guidelines. The Commission is committed to making New Jersey history more accessible by placing a priority on inclusion.

The Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion Program will provide training and implementation grants to nonprofits with a New Jersey history mission. Implementation Grants will enable organizations to work toward achieving the goals outlined in an existing plan.

The Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion Program FY2025 grant applications have closed. For updates on the program, please check this page at a later date or sign up for the New Jersey Historical Commission’s newsletter.

FY 2024 Inclusive History Grant Program
The New Jersey Historical Commission (NJHC) is pleased to introduce a grant program focused on supporting research and interpretative planning at public history and cultural sites in New Jersey. Inclusive History Grants will fund the exploration of under-represented narratives in New Jersey history with a goal of expanding inclusive, community-centered interpretation and resources offered by historic sites and history organizations. Grants can be utilized in support of research and interpretative planning efforts that seek to tell a more diverse and complex story for a public audience. Applicants can request up to $25,000 in support of their project.

Inclusive History Grant Deadlines	FY2024
Declaration of Intent to Apply (DOI)	October 16, 2023
Application Deadline	November 17, 2023
Notification of Award	Winter 2024

The Declaration of Intent (DOI) is now live on the System for Administering Grants Electronically (SAGE)

View the Inclusive History Grant Guidelines

Guide to Register in SAGE
SAGE Guide to Complete Inclusive History Grant DOI
SAGE Guide to Complete Inclusive History Grant Application

Inclusive History Grants – Virtual Office Hours

The NJ Historical Commission will be holding a ZOOM virtual office hour session on October 13, 2023 from 11am - noon to answer all questions from prospective Inclusive History Grant applicants ahead of the October 16th DOI deadline.

Registration is required: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZItd--sqj4sHdVaRy2lcB54-4kzaLoUpcTc

PURPOSE: General assistance to historical organizations, museums, historic sites, archives, libraries, and similar organizations with collections or programming relating to the history of New Jersey.

ELIGIBILITY: General Operating Support grants are available only to organizations. There are general standards of eligibility as well as specific requirements for programs. Please consult the following FY2024 General Operating Support Guidelines for more information.

General Operating Support Grant
The NJHC is committed to providing this support so that these historical organizations can develop and improve their services. It makes every effort to support a wide and varied list of history organizations providing New Jerseyans with excellent services, but the Commission’s funds are limited. Full funding is rarely possible.

PLEASE NOTE: The General Operating Support program operates on a three-year funding cycle. The next round of General Operating Support Grants will be announced in FY2027.

Deadline	FY2024
Intent to Apply	March 27, 2023
Submission Deadline	April 27, 2023
Notification of Award	July 2023

General Operating Support Grant FY2024-2026 Cycle Guidelines
Submitting Your FY 2024-2026 GOS Declaration of Intent (DOI) to Apply

The NJHC requires that applicants submit a Declaration of Intent online prior to submitting an application.

Applications and Declarations of Intent will be filed electronically using the System for Administering Grants Electronically (SAGE). All new applicants are strongly encouraged to register for SAGE at least one week in advance of upcoming grant deadlines. If you are having any difficulties registering for SAGE, please contact the Commission immediately at 609-292-6062.

The New Jersey Historical Commission (NJHC) upgraded to a new version of the System for Administering Grants Electronically (SAGE) in February 2017. Current and prospective NJHC grantees are highly encouraged to do the following:

View the SAGE Grantee Webinar
After logging into SAGE, the webinar is located on the bottom, left-hand side under “System Information”/ “Training Videos.”

Download Updated SAGE User Manual

To ensure that all applicants successfully complete the submission of their application, the submission deadline is 3 p.m. on the day of the deadline. Applications that are not submitted by 3 p.m. on the deadline date will not be considered for funding.

SAGE Guides for NJHC Applicants

• SAGE General Orientation Guide
• Updating Your SAGE Information

The New Jersey Historical Commission would like to take this opportunity to encourage your organization to consider CAPES (Caucus Archival Projects Evaluation Service), which provides free professional assessment of archival paper collections by consultants of the New Jersey Caucus of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference.

If your New Jersey history organization has a collection of paper items such as manuscripts, books, photographs, and maps, you may take advantage of a FREE assessment from a professional archivist of how your collection can best be conserved.

CAPES consultants are available to evaluate archival collections held by New Jersey archives, libraries, historical societies, and other agencies. The linked document below is a letter from the CAPES coordinator, and provides background information on the program, contact information, and other important details.

Consider applying for CAPES, a joint project of the New Jersey Historical Commission and the New Jersey Caucus of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference. In these difficult economic times, CAPES can provide an important service to your organization.

CAPES Guidelines and Application
CAPES Letter

The New Jersey Historical Commission would like to take this opportunity to encourage your organization to consider CAPES (Caucus Archival Projects Evaluation Service), which provides free professional assessment of archival paper collections by consultants of the New Jersey Caucus of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference.

If your New Jersey history organization has a collection of paper items such as manuscripts, books, photographs, and maps, you may take advantage of a FREE assessment from a professional archivist of how your collection can best be conserved.

CAPES consultants are available to evaluate archival collections held by New Jersey archives, libraries, historical societies, and other agencies. The linked document below is a letter from CAPES coordinator Frederic Pachman, and provides background information on the program, contact information, and other important details.

Consider applying for CAPES, a joint project of the New Jersey Historical Commission and the New Jersey Caucus of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference. In these difficult economic times, CAPES can provide an important service to your organization.

CAPES Guidelines and Application
CAPES Letter

Artifact Assessment Program - a service of the New Jersey Association of Museums.
There are no deadlines for application. AAP evaluations are performed at no cost to the organization.

To be eligible to receive this service organizations must:

• Be a non-profit located in New Jersey;
• Maintain publicly accessible collections that relate to New Jersey; and
• Hold artifact collections in the public trust.

Priority is given to small to mid-sized museums, historical organizations, and libraries that lack a full-time staff and/or qualified collection specialists (e.g. curators, registrars, collection managers)

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