California State Parks Announces $330,000 Grant Program for Maritime Heritage Preservation

Press release from the California State Parks: 

The California Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) is excited to announce nearly $330,000 is available through a new grant program for the preservation and interpretation of California’s irreplaceable maritime heritage. OHP is now accepting applications for the grants, which are funded by the National Park Service (NPS) through the National Maritime Heritage Grants Program for the stewardship and preservation of historical and archaeological resources associated with the maritime history of California.

Clockwise from top left: A 2018 National Maritime Heritage Grant helped restore the 1930s sardine boat, the Western Flyer, which played a significant role in the lives of renowned authors John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts. Photo courtesy of the Western Flyer Foundation. Channel Islands National Park and the University of South Carolina, using a 2016 grant, partnered to create the Lone Woman and Last Indians digital archives. Photo courtesy of the Channel Island National Park. The deck and hull of the Star of India in San Diego were restored using 2015 and 2018 grants. Photo courtesy of Maritime Museum Association of San Diego. California State Parks, in partnership with the State Parks Foundation, used a 2015 grant to restore the windows and doors of the Pigeon Point Light Station. Photo from California State Parks.

“With the rich and vast maritime history in California, it is especially fortunate to offer this new grant opportunity to our partners as they work tirelessly to celebrate and commemorate our shared past,” said Julianne Polanco, California’s state historic preservation officer.

The primary goal of this grant program is to assist with and promote the active preservation and use of California’s maritime heritage properties. The program will achieve this by supporting the preservation of resources related to California’s maritime heritage that are historically under-represented and/or are of statewide or national importance, and by providing increased opportunities for the public to visit and learn about historic properties related to maritime history. The maritime heritage grants program is designed to support various maritime heritage education projects and preservation projects that focus on three broad categories of historic maritime resources: historic maritime properties, maritime heritage collections and traditional maritime skills.

Grants are available to public agencies, nonprofit organizations and California Native American tribes for preservation or education/interpretation projects throughout the state and will be required to be matched on a 1-to-1 basis.

Currently, there is funding for one round of grants, with applications due by Wednesday, Nov. 12. Grants are available in two categories:

• Preservation Projects: $98,500 available, and subgrant award amounts may range from $10,000 to $50,000 (for total project costs of $20,000 to $100,000). An example of a previous NPS grant awardee under this category is Central Coast Lightkeepers Association, which received a $25,000 grant in 1998 to assist in the preservation of the Point Sur Lighthouse’s Lantern Room and Upper Galley.
• Education Projects: $224,415 available, with subgrant award amounts ranging from $5,000 to $40,000 (for total project costs of $10,000 to $80,000). Under this category, as an example, the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum received $35,000 in 2015 to fund the development of the Spirit Dana Point Tall Ship Overnight Education Program.

A list of previously funded projects can be found on NPS’ National Maritime Heritage Grants Program History website. OHP expects to award grants by March 1, 2025, with projects needing to be completed within two years.

To learn more about the California Maritime Heritage Grants Program and to download forms and guidelines to apply, please visit the OHP website at ohp.parks.ca.gov/maritimegrants.