Grant Opportunities for Descendant-Led Initiatives 

The Texas Freedom Colonies Project (TXFCP) is expanding nationwide through the (Out)sider Preservation Initiative, with support from the Mellon Foundation. OPI offers grants for descendant-led projects revitalizing historic Black communities through storytelling, arts, and preservation. Dr. Andrea Roberts, now at the University of Virginia, leads this effort, reaching communities in Virginia, Louisiana, California, Maryland, Washington, DC, North Carolina, and Black settlements in Canada.

Two grant types are available:

• Innovator Grants: $250–$10,000 for small, capacity-building projects.
• Arts-Based Place Activation Projects: $25,000–$75,000 for larger creative initiatives that reconnect communities through events, storytelling, and the arts.

Who Should Apply: 

These grants are open to artists, grassroots preservationists, and nonprofit leaders who are descendants or part of anchor institutions (churches, schools, mutual aid societies) in these historic communities. Ideal applicants include:

• Painters, singers, dancers, filmmakers, visual artists, and land stewards.
• Leaders of initiatives highlighting migration, origins, and untold histories between Emancipation and the Civil Rights Movement.

How to Apply:

Visit www.outsiderpreservation.com for details.

• Review eligibility requirements on the “Grant Information” page and watch an instructional video on the application process.
• Start your application on the "Apply" page.
• Submit by January 17, 2025, at 11:59 pm EST.
• For more information or questions, email CCLEvents@virginia.edu

Let’s work together to honor and rejuvenate the stories and spaces that embody our shared history.