Maryland African American Heritage Grants Offer Up to $50,000

Boyds Negro School in Montgomery County, photographed October 18, 2026. Photo: East Coast Eyes / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; cropped with graphic overlays. Photo adaptation under the same license; logos remain trademarks. The school is shown as heritage context, not as an announced recipient of this grant round.

Maryland African American heritage grants are open for a new noncapital funding round, offering up to $50,000 per project for work that supports the state’s Black history and culture. Applications are due November 20, 2026, at 11:59 p.m., according to the Maryland Historical Trust.

The $250,000 pool belongs to the Speaker Adrienne A. Jones African American Heritage Preservation Program. It can support staffing, planning and public programming at African American museums and historic sites. Applicants do not need to provide matching funds.

Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, local governments, businesses and individuals. Projects must take place in Maryland and show a direct connection to African American history, culture or heritage. Eligibility alone does not guarantee an award.

Support beyond a building project

The Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture announced the new funding in September, ahead of the October opening. The program’s new name took effect October 1, following legislation approved in May. The commission said funding decisions for this inaugural noncapital round are expected in March 2027.

The distinction between capital and noncapital support matters for smaller heritage organizations. Preserving a site involves more than repairs: the people who plan its future and develop its programs also shape what visitors can learn. This round creates a funding route for that organizational work.

The official guidance identifies staff or consultant support, preservation planning and education, storytelling or arts programs as potential uses. It excludes routine maintenance, fundraising costs and work that has already begun or finished. Applicants should review the full rules before committing expenses.

The state recommends reading the grant guidelines, watching its overview webinar and contacting program staff early. Required supporting materials can include estimates, photographs and letters of support. The application page links those resources and the grant portal.

For Baltimore organizations, the practical next step is to compare a defined project with the eligible costs and assemble its supporting documents before the deadline. This is a statewide opportunity, not a Baltimore-only allocation, and the published $250,000 figure describes the total pool rather than an individual award.