U

Support

We Thrive

Through Education & Access

placeDECORDOVA SCULPTURE PARK & MUSEUM, LINCOLN, MA

Partnership
Grant Program

Designed to provide strategic investments in the natural, cultural, and historical resources that enhance the sense of place within the Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area, the Freedom’s Way Partnership Grant Program serves as a catalyst for new, creative programs and projects within 45 communities of the Heritage Area.

Reimbursable matching grants are offered in support of the goals and objectives outlined in the Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area Management Plan, approved by the Secretary of the Interior in 2015.

Click the button below to schedule an introductory call with us by sending an email to grants@freedomsway.org. All inquiries will receive a response; if you have not heard from us within a couple of days, please feel free to call the office.

schedule a call
APPLY

Information for Partners

2026 FUNDING PRIORITIES

A total of $75,000 has been allocated for this funding cycle and will be awarded on a rolling basis beginning on October 1, 2025 through April 15, 2026.

The Freedom’s Way Partnership Grant Program prioritizes programs and projects that:

  • Serve as a catalyst for interpretive sites within the region to develop new, creative projects and programs that showcase lesser-known stories and collections in their care,
  • Facilitate meaningful interpretive experiences that engage new and diverse audiences and support an inclusive and comprehensive narrative of the region’s history,
  • Cultivate a shared stewardship agenda for the Heritage Area through initiatives and programs that interpret, enhance, and preserve the natural and cultural resources of the region for current and future generations,
  • Support research, documentation and preliminary interpretation of stories that will lay the foundation for future programs and projects, and/or
  • Enhance collective memory, memorialization, civic and social engagement and discourse.

In 2026, every effort will be made to provide funding for projects to organizations and communities through the Heritage Area that have not participated in the Partnership Grant Program in the past.

PREPARING A PROPOSAL

We invite you to send us an email to set up a time to discuss the development of your proposal prior to submitting an online application beginning October 1st. It is our desire to provide as much support as possible to our partners through a collaborative, rather than competitive, process.

We are seeking a variety of proposals, diverse in scale and scope, within the categories of:

  1. Storytelling ($1,000 – $3,500)
  2. Education, Interpretation & Curation  ($1,000 – $3,500)
  3. Community Planning & Resource Conservation ($1,000 – $3,500)
  4. Historic Preservation ($1,000 – $3,500)
  5. Regional Cultural Events ($500 – $1,500)
  6. Freedom’s Way 250 ($1,000 – $3,500)

Applications will be accepted and awarded on a rolling basis beginning October 1st, 2025 through April 15, 2026.

A final report with accompanying documentation (as detailed in the Final Report Guidelines), is to be submitted within eight (8) weeks following the anticipated project completion date put forth in the grant proposal, or by September 1st, 2026—whichever comes first. Written requests for an extension due to extenuating circumstances will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Grantees will be acknowledged in the Heritage Area’s collateral and on its social media platforms.

GUIDELINES & APPLICATION

Please read the 2026 Partnership Grant Program Guidelines prior to preparing and submitting an application.

The Application and preliminary Project Budget Template are available to preview for your convenience.

A slide deck providing background information about the Partnership Grant Program as well as the mechanics of completing an application is available for download.

When you are ready to apply, you may do so via the online application form between October 1, 2025 and April 15, 2026.

Questions and inquiries may be directed to grants@freedomsway.org. We look forward to hearing from you!

Announcement

2026 Partnership Grant Program Application Opens October 1st

START PLANNING >

about-nature
For Reference

Partnership Grant Program Walk-through Slides

DOWNLOAD >

about-history

Partnership Grant Application FY2026

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
We invite you to email grants@freedomsway.org and set up a time to discuss the development of your proposal prior to submitting an online application. It is our desire to provide as much support as possible to our partners through a collaborative, rather than competitive, process.

A slide deck providing an overview of the program and walk through of the mechanics of the funding process is available to download here.

Important Materials:
Partnership Grant Program Guidelines
Project Budget Template (Check your computer's downloads folder)
Freedom's Way National Heritage Area Management Plan
Please choose a descriptive project title to be used in publicity announcing grant awards.
Projects must take place within and/or relate to one or more of the 45 towns and cities of the Freedom's Way NHA. Click to view a map of the Heritage Area.
Refer to page 5 of the Partnership Grant Program Guidelines for eligibility requirements. The reimbursement check will be issued to this entity upon successful completion of an awarded project.
Please include a copy of the fiscal agent agreement signed by an authorized representative of each party with this application.
This is generally a 9-digit number issued by the IRS, e.g. 52-1234567
Mailing Address*
Project Contact - Name*
Terms and Conditions*
Funding Opportunities*
Refer to the descriptions beginning on page 2 of the Partnership Grant Program Guidelines and select the funding opportunity that best aligns with your project.
Must be within the range associated with the funding opportunity selected above. An itemized list of project-related expenses anticipated to be reimbursed through the Partnership Grant Program must be itemized in the Preliminary Project Budget.
Please be reminded that per our agreement with the National Park Service, projects must be matched with third-party cash or in-kind contributions. Refer to pages 6-7 of the Partnership Grant Program Guidelines for details. Anticipated sources of matching funds and estimated amounts must be itemized in the Preliminary Project Budget.
Please provide an overview of the project, including how it relates to the goals, objectives, and interpretive themes described Freedom's Way National Heritage Area Management Plan.
Anticipated Project Completion Date*
If awarded, a final report with accompanying documentation will be due eight (8) weeks from this date, or by September 1st, 2026—whichever comes first.
Do you have all of the required permits and property owner permissions, if applicable?*
Should you encounter issues uploading attachments, please email them to grants@freedomsway.org. Please be sure to include the name of the project and the word "attachments" in the subject line. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Max. file size: 512 MB.
Max. file size: 512 MB.
Please upload a preliminary project budget, including estimated expenses and sources of matching funds, using the Project Budget Template.
Max. file size: 512 MB.
Letters of support from project partners and/or community supporters are welcomed though not required.

EXCEPTION:
If the project is located at a government-owned site or landmark, a letter of support must be obtained from the appropriate agency responsible for the site.
Drop files here or
Max. file size: 512 MB.
    Please upload any additional attachments (such as images, plans, reports) that help to illustrate your project and/or request.
    Drop files here or
    Max. file size: 512 MB.