The Full Story
Cemetery Mapping Funding Playbook
Helping communities fund cemetery mapping and heritage preservation projects
Why Funding Matters
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Preserves local history and heritage for future generations
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Makes burial records accessible to families, genealogists, and the community
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Supports education, outreach, and regional partnerships
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Provides transparency and accountability for project costs
Key Iowa Grant Opportunities
Iowa Community Cultural Grant
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Supports arts, culture, and heritage projects
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Ideal for cemetery mapping, digitization, and preservation projects
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Learn more and apply: https://opportunityiowa.gov/community/arts-culture/grants-programs/iowa-community-cultural-grant
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SAPIC Grants (State Association for the Preservation of Iowa Cemeteries)
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Small grants for cemetery preservation and workshops
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Deadlines and details: https://sapiciowa.org/sapicgrantapplication.pdf
National and Regional Grant Opportunities
National Trust for Historic Preservation Grants
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Supports planning, preservation, and community heritage projects
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Daughters of the American Revolution Historic Preservation Grants
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Funds restoration, digitization, and monument conservation
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https://www.dar.org/outreach/historic-preservation/dar-historic-preservation-grants
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Historic Preservation Fund (via NPS)
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Supports surveys, planning, and preservation projects
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https://www.nps.gov/subjects/historicpreservationfund/project-grants.htm
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Save America’s Treasures
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Preserves nationally significant heritage sites
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Veteran Cemetery Grants & Restoration Programs
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Supports community efforts for veteran gravesites
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The Full Story
Using This Playbook
Helping communities fund cemetery mapping and heritage preservation projects
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Use our cemetery mapping calculator to estimate individual tax increase to support a cemetery mapping project: https://spatialagency.org/cemeterymappingcalculator
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Identify grants that fit your project type and scale
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Combine multiple sources for maximum impact (state, local, national)
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Leverage community partners and volunteer support to increase project reach
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Tip: Even small grants can act as seed funding and help attract additional funding and community support.
Contact: Allison L Hockey, Spatial Agency — allison@spatialagency.org