HBCU Preservation Catalyst Grant

Purpose

As part of the fall 2026 grant cycle, the Fitch Foundation launches the HBCU Preservation Catalyst Grant to provide funding for historic preservation projects undertaken during summer 2027 by joint faculty-student pairs from architecture or Historic Preservation programs offered by Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The aim of this pilot grant initiative is to foster the development of strong preservation practitioners and educators at HBCUs, and to create learning and professional growth opportunities for students and faculty at HBCUs in the historic preservation field.

This award builds on recent initiatives of the Fitch Foundation to expand and diversify the preservation field, including a pilot partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation to provide scholarships and mentorship to HBCU students interested in preservation careers, and the creation of the Mary B. Talbert Prize for Heritage Justice, which recognizes innovative practitioners working in areas of neglected heritage, including cultural heritage. In its support of expansive and creative work in historic preservation and active cultivation of the next generation of preservation professionals, the Fitch Foundation is an incubator for preservation’s future

Grant Overview

The grant will support proposals from faculty-student pairs within HBCUs to undertake historic preservation projects during summer 2027. The project should contribute to historic preservation efforts and/or exemplify a preservation ethic in its research topic or approach. The project structure may take many forms, including but not limited to fieldwork, survey work, documentation, architectural design or planning, oral history, community engagement, traditional trades work, or execution/expansion of an existing preservation project. Faculty members teaching within historic preservation or NAAB-accredited architecture programs at HBCUs are eligible to apply along with a student partner enrolled in a graduate or undergraduate degree program at an HBCU who shows a demonstrated interest in the preservation field. The student is expected to participate in the project in a meaningful way as a research assistant or intern. Faculty-student pairs should submit a single, joint application for a maximum funding request of $15,000, of which two-thirds would support summer compensation for the faculty member and one-third allocated as stipend for student compensation. 

Criteria for Evaluation

Proposals will be reviewed by the Trustees of the Fitch Foundation. Preference will be given to projects aligned with the ethos of historic preservation, including cultural heritage and materials conservation, and to students with demonstrated career objectives in preservation and other design-oriented fields. Selections will be based partly on financial need and evaluated on the following criteria:

• The project will make a meaningful contribution to the academic and/or professional field of historic preservation;
• It will be advance the lead faculty member’s research interests and goals and provide a significant professional experience for the student partner;
• The project is realistic and viable to complete within the short summer work period, including demonstration of any necessary outside partnerships already established;  
• Within six months of completion of the summer grant period, the team will produce a report on the research project and student partnership experience for submission to a peer-reviewed journal. Student contribution to this report may take the form of co-authorship, preparation of visual information or graphics, or other academic credits.  
• Publication of the report and/or completion of the research project will help to advance both the lead faculty’s professional goals and the student’s professional development and career objectives.

Eligibility

• Grants are awarded only to individuals, not organizations. The Foundation does not fund university-sponsored research projects or dissertation research. Grants are not awarded for professional fees.
• Student/faculty pairs must be affiliated with one of the seven HBCUs with architecture programs accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). Faculty from those institutions may apply jointly with a graduate or undergraduate student partner (may be a recent graduate) with a demonstrated interest in the preservation field who is prepared to contribute substantively to the project during the summer work period as a research assistant or intern. 
• Applicants must be legal residents or citizens of the United States.

How to Apply

Applicants may only apply for one grant per year. Applicants are required to submit the following materials electronically in a single PDF document via Submittable:

1. Joint cover letter from faculty-student pair, including Project Title; Name of Applicants, including contact information for both team members (address, phone, email). Please specify which grant is sought and the total amount of funding requested. 
2. Faculty section to comprise:
   • Brief description of project, including the final work product and its plan for dissemination. Applicants are encouraged to be succinct and the project description is not to exceed three (3) pages. Should address how the project fits into professional goals and the student’s involvement in detail. Must include 2-5 visuals to better explain the project. 
   • Detailed work schedule and project budget, showing the grant amount requested from the Fitch Foundation and how this money will be spent. Of the total grant amount, roughly $10,000 is intended to support faculty summer compensation with the remainder allocated for student compensation, which may be structured as a stipend or based on hourly rate of $20). Specific budget structure is at the discretion of the applicant. Grant funds are intended to support direct research costs and should not be applied to university administrative fees.
   • Curriculum Vita, including professional and academic background, and past and present grants received.
   • Two (2) letters of support for the overall project to be included with the application. These may be emailed directly to Foundation staff (director@fitchfoundation.org) or submitted in pdf package. 
3. Student section to comprise:
   • Current resume and most recent academic transcript.
   • One letter of recommendation from someone other than the lead faculty member. May be emailed directly to the Foundation (director@fitchfoundation.org) or submitted in pdf package. 
   • Brief (one page) personal statement explaining the project in the student’s own words and why they would like to be involved.

Applications now being accepted. Proposals must be submitted using the Submittable portal by December 29, 2026 at 6PM EST.

Selection Process and Completions of Grant

Grants are awarded at the discretion of the Foundation. One grant to a faculty-student pair is expected to be awarded in this pilot year. Recipients will be notified by email in the spring. Projects must be completed within the summer period. All grantees will be assigned a Trustee advisor who will provide feedback and guidance throughout the project.

For any further questions, please reach out to director@fitchfoundation.org.