Virginia Department of Historic Resources
(dhr.virginia.gov)
For Immediate Release
June 2026

Contact:
Ivy Tan Ager
Department of Historic Resources
Marketing & Communications Manager
ivy.ager@dhr.virginia.gov
804-482-6445

Application Open for Funds to Document Areas Impacted by Hurricane Helene

—The Department of Historic Resources will review proposals to survey areas of Central, Southside, and Southwest Virginia impacted by Hurricane Helene in 2024, and nominate a property or district for listing on the National Register of Historic Places or undertake preservation planning—

RICHMOND – The Department of Historic Resources (DHR) is now accepting proposals for projects to document historic resources in 37 localities across central and southwestern Virginia named in FEMA Major Disaster Declaration DR-4831, the declaration for Hurricane Helene in Virginia. The projects will be funded by an award from the National Park Service’s (NPS) Emergency Supplemental Historic Preservation Fund (ESHPF). The Commonwealth of Virginia was awarded $2,000,000 from the fund earlier this year.

Proposals will be accepted from local governments, planning district commissions, state and federally recognized tribes, and nonprofit organizations. Eligible projects encompass a broad range of preservation activities to protect historic resources through identification, documentation, evaluation, and preservation planning in impacted counties to assist with recovery and future disaster planning initiatives. The funds will also support a National Register of Historic Places nomination for at least one historic district in the region. By building a more comprehensive inventory of historic resources in areas of Central, Southside, and Southwest Virginia affected by Hurricane Helene, DHR and local communities will be better prepared to respond to disasters and day-to-day threats. Projects like these also document the human history of an area, creating a written record of the community.

Proposals will be accepted through DHR’s grant management portal WebGrants and are due September 18, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. DHR will select and administer ESHPF projects under the supervision of the NPS with adherence to the HPF Grants Manual. All projects selected by DHR must be approved by the NPS before any work can begin.

Further information about the program, potential project examples, and the application process can be found on DHR’s website. Questions about the program can be directed to grants@dhr.virginia.gov.

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