History is alive across Virginia, from museums and archives to tribal centers and cultural institutions. A new round of funding from the Virginia Museum of History & Culture will support those efforts, awarding more than $500,000 to 11 organizations dedicated to preserving and sharing the Commonwealth’s past.

The latest grants, the largest sum ever awarded through the Commonwealth History Fund, mark the fourth cycle of the program. Over its first five years, the fund is expected to distribute more than $2 million to historical societies, educational institutions, community centers and state-recognized Indian tribes.

“VMHC is proud to play a leading role in the enduring and far-reaching mission of saving and sharing Virginia’s history,” said VMHC President and CEO Jamie Bosket. “We are similarly proud to be able to provide meaningful financial support to our fellow history organizations—empowering great preservation and education efforts taking place in communities all across Virginia.”

More than 80 applications were submitted, requesting a total of more than $5 million. The 2025 grant recipients include the Fredericksburg Area Museum & Cultural Center, Historic Alexandria, Historic Richmond, Historic Staunton Foundation, Historical Society of Western Virginia (Roanoke), The JXN Project (Richmond), Monacan Nation Cultural Foundation (Amherst), Pamunkey Indian Tribe (King William), Toano Historical Society, Virginia Tribal Education Consortium (Ashland) and WHRO Public Media (Norfolk).

“The impressive projects chosen come from organizations of all sizes, are spread across every region of the Commonwealth and span a great deal of historical topics and time periods,” Bosket said.

Several grants will support Virginia’s Native American communities, including a documentary on Native identity since the 1924 Indian Citizenship Act, an apprenticeship program to preserve Monacan pottery traditions and an exhibition featuring modern Indigenous perspectives on westward expansion. Other projects will highlight overlooked stories from the American Revolution, African American history and key landmarks such as Alexandria City Hall, Monumental Church and the Cabell Log House.

More information about the funded projects is available at VirginiaHistory.org/HistoryFund.