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Out(sider) Preservation Initiative (OPI) will award grants to creative, descendant-led projects that invite community members to return and increase public interest in historically Black settlements.
Successful proposals may include creative storytelling, commemorative events, and educating the public about historic Black settlements in ways that leverage the arts or technology (digital exhibitions, curation, mapping). Grant funds support descendants of community members with ancestral roots, residency, or kinship to founders of historic Black settlements and their anchor institutions (churches, schools, lodges, community centers, small businesses, and homeplaces).
For more information about grants, eligibility, and the application process, please visit the grant information page.
READ THIS BEFORE YOU BEGIN!
First, download both the budget and application templates. Here is the application template. Complete the application in the template. Then, copy and paste the text into the form below when you are ready to submit. If you close the browser window, you will lose your content.
Your application will be complete once you’ve uploaded your filled-in version of the budget template.
Feel free to add optional videos or documents to support your application at the end.
To ensure your documents are processed properly, please make sure you follow the instructions about naming your files in the Project Budget, Timeline, and Letter of Commitment sections.
Remember, you CANNOT save the form below & return to it later.
Applications will re-open on
September 5th, 2025.
Please read the eligibility requirements on the Grants page closely and watch the information session recording on that page before you begin. If you have difficulty completing the application on this page, get in touch with us.
grant application form
Please Note!
The number of applications accepted in this round is limited to 100. The application will close once we receive 100 applications or on November 3rd, 2025 - whichever comes first!
Number of Applications
6
As of Monday, September 22nd at 5:00 PM ET