African American Heritage Preservation Program
Bryan’s Chapel and Cemetery – Grasonville, Queen Anne’s County – AAHPP FY2024 
Henry’s Hotel, Ocean City, Worcester County – AAHPP FY2024 
Brewer Hill Cemetery – Annapolis, Anne Arundel County – AAHPP FY2024 
Jones & Moore Luncheon/Bambricks Cards & Gifts – Cambridge, Dorchester County – AAHPP FY2024 
Robert W. Johnson Community Center – Hagerstown, Washington County – AAHPP FY2024 
American Hall – Hagerstown, Washington County – AAHPP FY2024 
The Yellow/Hearse House – Chestertown, Kent County – AAHPP FY2024 
Historic Oliver Community Firehouse – Baltimore City – AAHPP FY2024 (Courtesy of AFRICAN AMERICAN FIRE FIGHTERS HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC.)
The goal of the African American Heritage Preservation Program (AAHPP) is to identify and preserve buildings, communities, and sites of historical and cultural importance to the African American experience in Maryland. This competitive program, offered once per year, is supported through an annual appropriation from the Maryland General Assembly, and is administered as a joint partnership of the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture (MCAAHC) and the Maryland Historical Trust (MHT). The Maryland General Assembly created the AAHPP during the 2010 session and reauthorized it, with modifications, as a permanent program during the 2015 session.
Starting in fiscal year 2024, the AAHPP has a new annual appropriation of $5 million– up from $1 million annually!
Grant awards can range from $10,000 to $250,000. Eligible applicants include non-profit organizations and local jurisdictions. Business entities and individuals may also apply for Program grants when seeking funds for a preservation or development project that serves a high public purpose. Eligible projects include acquisition, construction, capital improvement, and certain predevelopment costs for African American heritage properties. In the eight years since its inception, the AAHPP has awarded 106 grants totaling $8 million.
UPDATE:
The FY26 cycle is now open! Applications are due June 30, 2025 at 11:59pm.
Program guidelines and grant application information may be obtained from MHT’s website.
Register Now for the FY26 African American Heritage Preservation Program Webinars and In-Person Workshops
The African American Heritage Preservation Program (AAHPP) General Overview webinars and workshops will help applicants learn about eligibility of their organizations, properties, and projects; documentation required for the application; selection criteria; easement requirements; and more. Come to a Q&A Session ready to ask detailed questions about your project, general questions about the program, or just listen in.
Before joining a Q&A Session it is recommended to have participated in a General Overview Webinar event or an In-Person Workshop event, but it is not required. It is highly recommended that you attend a General Overview Webinar, in-person workshop, or Q&A session as you will have the opportunity to ask questions and speak directly to MHT grants staff and discuss the specifics of your project.
Virtual Webinars:
- April 25, 2025
- Virtual General Overview Webinar session | 1 PM – 3 PM
- May 9, 2025
- Application Q&A Webinar Session | 1 PM – 3 PM
In-Person Workshops:
- April 11, 2025
- General Overview Webinar | 11 AM
Harwood Nature Center at Lawrence Preserve, Chestertown - June 6, 2025
- Application Q&A Workshop | 10:30 AM
Banneker Douglass Tubman Museum, Annapolis
Register here: FY26 AAHPP Workshop and Webinar Registration
* Registration forms close at noon the day before each event *
Grant Reviewers Wanted
Don’t miss your chance to be a part of the African American Heritage Preservation Program’s grant review panel! The MCAAHC will seek volunteers who are passionate about Maryland’s African American history to assist with reviewing the FY 2026 AAHPP grant applications. Submit your application here: https://bit.ly/4i9v6Am.
AAHPP General Overview Webinar FY2026
The latest AAHPP news
- REGISTER NOW to Learn More About the African American Heritage Preservation Program FY26!
- Moore Administration Announces $5 Million in African American Heritage Preservation Grants
- African American Heritage Preservation Program Announces FY2025 Grant Workshops
- Governor Moore Announces $5 Million in African American Heritage Preservation Grant Awards
- MCAAHC Legislative Agenda for Maryland General Assembly 2024
AAHPP Annual Report to the Governor and the General Assembly