The 4Culture Preservation Special Projects program funds research, documentation, planning, education, and advocacy to promote the preservation of historic places in King County, Washington.
Donor Name: 4Culture
State: Washington
County: King County (WA)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/11/2026
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
Funds may be used to create printed or digital resources such as research reports, building or landscape assessments, landmark nominations, books, guides, brochures, recordings, or educational exhibits focused on the historic built environment. Funding may also be used to produce special events and programs that highlight region’s historic places and encourage their preservation, such as advocacy initiatives, conferences, workshops, technical assistance programs, apprenticeship or training opportunities, guided tours, field schools and skill demonstrations.
Funding Information
In 2026, approximately $230,000 is available for Preservation Special Projects awards. This year, the maximum amount that you can request is $25,000. Awards typically range from $2,000 to $15,000.
Are You and Your Project Eligible?
You
- Individuals, organizations, community groups, municipalities, Tribal governments, or unincorporated or fiscally sponsored groups, located and operating in King County, may apply.
- Individual applicants must be at least 18 years old and a resident of King County, Washington.
- Organizations that receive 4Culture Sustained Support or Launch in 2025 OR 2026 are not eligible to apply. If you or members of your group are staff at a Sustained Support or Launch organization, let us know in your application.
- If you receive funding, individuals will need to provide us with your Social Security Number in order to receive payment. Organizations, community groups, and public agencies must operate within King County, and will need to provide us with an Employer Identification Number (EIN for sole proprietorship, LLC, S-Corp, General Partnership, nonprofit, etc.). Your EIN must be registered under the same group name as your 4Culture account.
- You may only submit one project proposal to Preservation Special Projects per year.
- You must be able to complete your project on a reimbursement basis.
- Current 4Culture staff, 4Culture Board members, or Advisory Committee members may not apply as an individual.
- Current employees, family members, or business partners of an employee of 4Culture may not apply.
- They do not fund schools or school districts. However, eligible applicants proposing the creation or enrichment of existing cultural programs in K-12 schools must partner with a King County public school or district.
Your Project
- Your project must contribute to the preservation of King County’s historic buildings, sites, neighborhoods, and/or landscapes.
- You can request funding to develop documentation, identification, research, analysis, landmark nominations, educational programming, and advocacy efforts focused on historic preservation issues and/or the history of the built environment.
- Your project must be accessible to and provide a public benefit for King County residents and visitors.
- Projects funded through this program, or portions thereof, may not begin prior to the award date of May 27, 2026, and must be completed by June 1, 2028.
- This grant may not be used for construction costs related to the stabilization, restoration, rehabilitation, or maintenance of historic buildings or landscapes, property acquisition, or new construction.
- If your project involves multiple disciplines—historic preservation, heritage, and/or the arts—it may be eligible for consideration under more than one 4Culture projects funding program. You may request funding for different elements of your project through the separate funding programs but must disclose in your application what other 4Culture funding you have requested, or will request.
Criteria
They award this grant through a competitive process, carefully evaluating each application. They want to see that you have a good plan behind your project, and that you’re exploring and sharing historic preservation in a tangible way.
For this particular grant, a panel of reviewers will evaluate your application based on the following criteria:
- Quality: your project directly addresses historic buildings or structures, older neighborhoods, or landscapes shaped by people. Your project aligns with best practices in historic preservation or shows innovation within the field. Your application is clear and complete.
- Public benefit: your project contributes to the preservation of historic buildings, sites, neighborhoods, or landscapes in King County. Your project provides compelling and feasible public benefit for residents and visitors of King County. Your project has the potential to expand the public’s understanding and awareness of historic places in the county and/or highlights historic places in innovative ways, and makes clear efforts to be accessible to many ages, disabilities, languages, and communities. Your project focuses on the long-term preservation and stewardship of one or more important historic resources.
- Advancing Equity: 4Culture’s mission focuses on racial equity and envisions a county where culture is essential and accessible to all. Your project specifically serves or collaborates with communities of color and/or historically marginalized communities. This is not an eligibility requirement for funding, but it is one of the factors the panel will consider.
- Feasibility: you are able to start your project soon after award notification and complete the project within 24 months as demonstrated through a realistic budget, prepared project team, and ability to complete the project on a reimbursement basis.
For more information, visit 4Culture.
