Since 1991, the National Railway Historical Society has been giving away annual matching grants for projects which preserve, research, educate, or publish railway history. To date, the NRHS has provided a half million dollars to rail preservation efforts through hundreds of grants to NRHS Chapters and other organizations not affiliated with the NRHS.

The NRHS Railway Heritage Grants Program provides financial support to projects that contribute to preservation of, and education about, railway history. This includes grants for stabilization and restoration of railroad equipment, railway buildings and for the preservation and archiving of historical records and train pictures. Although most grants in the past have been made for preservation activities, we also encourage projects in research, education, and publications.

Applications will be reviewed for the quality and historical significance of the rail preservation project and the ability of the organization to carry it out, including ability to secure matching funds and volunteer labor.

For 2012, the maximum award for each project is $5,000. An organization may receive rail preservation grants in two consecutive years, but then must wait a year before submitting an application. Applicants must be 501(c)(3) organizations.

Application forms are now available on http://www.nrhs.com. Applications are due to the NRHS National Office in Philadelphia no later than Wednesday, April 25, 2012, at 5:00 PM EDT and may be sent via FedEx, UPS 2nd Day, USPS Priority Mail, or via email to info@nrhs.com. Grant awards will be announced at the Annual NRHS Convention in June 2012.

Direct questions to info@nrhs.com.

The largest rail enthusiast organization in the United States, the NRHS seeks to unite and engage the rail heritage community in preserving and promoting the nation’s shared but threatened railroad legacy. With its roots in the past and its eyes on the future, the NRHS is working to transform rail preservation in the U.S.

For those attending this year's NRHS convention two examples of restorations efforts for which NRHS grant funds were use will be in operation for several of the events. The consist for the inbound and outbound and some of the other trains will include the Dover Harbor and Cedar Rapids cars.... and there also is a car in Mt Pleasant, Iowa that received an NRHS grant that went towards its restoration.

Bob H