Program: Heritage Grants

Heritage Grants

Heritage Grants

Since 1991, the National Railway Historical Society has been giving away annual matching grants for projects which preserve, research, educate, or publish railway history.

The deadline has passed to apply for 2024 Heritage grants.

Railway Heritage Grants

Since 1991, the NRHS has provided a half million dollars to rail preservation efforts, through hundreds of grants to NRHS Chapters and other organizations not affiliated with the NRHS.

The NRHS Railway Heritage Grants Program provides financial support to projects that contribute to preservation of, and education about, railway history. This includes grants for stabilization and restoration of railroad equipment like steam locomotives and steam trains and diesel locomotives, railway buildings and for the preservation and archiving of historical records and train pictures. Although most grants in the past have been made for preservation activities, we also encourage projects in research, education, and publications.

The largest numbers of grants have been for preservation of:

  • Rail equipment – locomotives (both steam and diesel), passenger cars, freight cars, cabooses and electric streetcars
  • Railway depots and towers
  • Archival documents, photographs and pictures (train pictures, railway pictures, photos of trains, etc.)

How to Apply for an NRHS Railway Heritage Grant

The NRHS’s primary concern is the quality and historical significance of the rail preservation project and the ability of the organization to carry it out, including ability to secure matching funds and volunteer labor.

The maximum amount that may be requested for a rail preservation project is $5,000. The amount of funds available each year is variable. An organization may receive rail preservation grants in two consecutive years, but then must wait a year before submitting an application.

Applying for a Grant

The deadline to apply for 2024 Heritage Grants has passed. Questions? Please contact Grants@NRHS.com.

Past Grant Awards

Here are downloadable .PDFs of current and past grant awards. Please click on the link to view/download.

2023 NRHS Heritage Grant Awards – Part 1

2023 NRHS Heritage Grant Awards – Part 2

2022 NRHS Heritage Grant Awards

2021 NRHS Heritage Grant Awards

2020 NRHS Heritage Grant Awards

2019 NRHS Heritage Grant Awards

2018 NRHS Heritage Grant Awards

2017 NRHS Heritage Grant Awards

2016 NRHS Heritage Grant Awards

2015 NRHS Heritage Grant Awards

2014 NRHS Heritage Grant Awards

2013 NRHS Heritage Grant Awards

2012 NRHS Heritage Grant Awards

2011 NRHS Heritage Grant Awards