Kentucky Digitization Grant Program is sponsored by Kentucky Genealogical Society. Grants for digitizing genealogically significant Kentucky records to preserve and make them accessible.

Kentucky Digitization Grant Program - Kentucky Genealogical Society We Digitize Records of Genealogical Value in Kentucky Our Society has awarded grants to holders of genealogically significant Kentucky records for digitization.

Since 2019, the Kentucky Genealogical Society has proudly supported the digitization of genealogically significant Kentucky records through a grant program made possible by the generosity of our members and the public. These efforts have helped preserve records that might otherwise have been lost — and made them more accessible to researchers across the state and beyond.

In early 2025, the Society’s Board of Directors took time to carefully review and reflect on the program’s structure and impact. As a result, we’ve made a shift in how we support digitization work. Details about the new program will be available soon on our website.

Our Digitization Projects Since 2019, we have awarded grants to genealogical or historical societies and public libraries throughout Kentucky. Here are our past Grant winners.

2025 - Marion County Historical Society - A Rare collection of Business Records and African American Sunday School Records This collection consists of private and business documents that record the nature of daily life in the early settlement period of South Central Kentucky. Many residents of the area during this period are in various documents which are vital to genealogy researchers.

The records include slave sales records from the early nineteenth century, church records, distillery business license, and tax records from the mid-nineteenth century. Also included are early surveys with hand drawn maps, deeds, wills, statement of Revolutionary War service and letters describing life in the early settlement period.

2025 - Loretto Heritage Center - Original School Ledgers from 1838–1925 This record set contains recorded information about pupils in four Kentucky schools run by the Sisters of Loretto. Two types of records are included in this set: account ledgers and student newspapers. The account ledgers record information such as the names of students and parents, their years of attendance, and tuition transactions.

These ledgers are the only place where specific information about these students was regularly recorded and retained. The student newspaper provides information on students and student life and offers researchers unique genealogical information about students that may not be elsewhere available. 2025 - Marion County Public Library - Rare Catholic Church Records Spanning the 1800s to Early 1900s.

The records are pivotal to those relatives seeking birth, marriage, death, and baptismal information for their Catholic ancestor. The period of time that these records cover is significant in itself as we all know the information is hard to come across.

These church records are even more significant because of Marion County’s courthouse being burned by John Hunt Morgan which resulted in the loss of the county records from its founding in 1834 to July 1863 when the fire was started.

2024 - South Central Kentucky Cultural Center – Private and Business Documents This collection consists of private and business documents that record the nature of daily life in the early settlement period of South Central Kentucky. Many residents of the area during this period are in various documents which are vital to genealogy researchers.

The records include slave sales records from the early nineteenth century, church records, distillery business license, and tax records from the mid-nineteenth century. Also included are early surveys with hand drawn maps, deeds, wills, statement of Revolutionary War service and letters describing life in the early settlement period.

2024 - Historic Russellville Inc. dba SEEK Museum – Logan County School Documents This collection consists of over 5,000 pictures and obituaries of African Americans across the state of Kentucky, including many people from Logan and surrounding counties who have migrated across America. It includes original appointment documents and other papers related to the founding of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in Kentucky in 1866.

Also included are the Logan County School Census documents from the 1870s until the 1930s. 2024 – Woodford County Public Library – Newspapers Collection and Research Files The microfilm records of the Woodford County History Room contain vital records from Woodford County, local newspapers, collections of past community historians, and artifacts from the collection of the Woodford County Historical Society.

This collection contains a wealth of genealogical information for researchers in Woodford County and the surrounding area that is not available outside of the History Room.

2023 – Madison County Public Library – Guardianship, Apprenticeship and Related Documents This collection contains early Madison County records, including guardianships and apprenticeships, commissioner deeds, affidavits of descent, and guardian settlements, as well as records of enslaved people.

The records span from the early 1800’s to the mid-1900’s and primarily covers what was once the original Madison County geographic area in central and western Kentucky, formed from Lincoln county, the area that includes present day counties of Madison, Garrard, Clay, Estill, Rockcastle, and Jackson.

2023 – The Loretto Heritage Center – Sisters of Loretto School Records This collection contains the records of four Kentucky schools run by the Sisters of Loretto, including information about pupils, their parents, and employees at their institutions as well as financial documentation and transactions involving tuition payments, expenses, and in some cases transfer of property.

The record set spans a period between 1838 -1948 and covers the geographic area of Marion and Nelson Counties. 2023 – Hickman County Historical Society – Hickman County Gazette This collection contains newspapers published in the county, and Civil War ephemera.

In addition to valuable court records, the collection includes a hand-written letter from a Civil War Soldier, an original 1865 edition of a newspaper published in Columbus, Kentucky – a Civil War battle community, original editions of the newspaper Hickman County Gazette from 1899 to the time the paper ceased publication in 2017; and unique photos dating back to the flood of 1927.

This record set covers a geographic area including Clinton, Columbus and Hickman Counties, the Benge Route of the Trail of Tears, and the Jackson Purchase in Kentucky. 2022 - Cynthiana-Harrison County Library - Log Cabin Newspaper The Log Cabin was a local newspaper that was in print from 1896-1960.

This collection offers access and insight to information seekers regarding obituaries, special events, the pandemic of 1918 as well as both World Wars. Vital statistics that are integral to the continuation of genealogical research are often found in birth and marriage announcements as well as obituaries. 2022 - Greene County Library - County History This collection contains a variety of records from Greene County’s unique past.

Many printed record transcriptions, historic photos, oral histories, and other miscellaneous items. 2022 - Ballard Carlisle Historical and Genealogy Society This collection contains personal narratives, photos, maps, correspondence from the city.

It includes the following areas: Ballard County cemeteries, Bandana, Barlow, Blandville, Ceredo, East Cairo, Fort Jefferson, Gage, Hinkleville, Ingleside, Kevil, La Center, Lovelaceville, Monekey’s Eyebrow, Needmore, New York, Oscar, Slater, Wickliffe, and Wickliffe Mounds.

The following areas are also covered: Carlisle County, Carlisle County Cemeteries, Arlington, Bardwell, Burkley/Berkley, Cummingham, Kribyton, Laketon, McGee Springs, and Milburn. Some of these records are over 100 years old.

2021 - Filson Historical Society - Bullitt Family Papers Records of enslaved and free African Americans are found in various media in the Bullitt Family Papers, include correspondence, journals, memoirs, receipts, bills of sale, account and ledger books, court cases and depositions, and estate inventories and divisions.

This collection focuses on materials related to enslaved African Americans in the southeastern United States, with a focus on Kentucky. 2021 – Carroll County Public Library – Local Historical Records The collection contains one-of-a-kind original maps, drawings, photographs, genealogical records, family histories, historical writings, newspapers, scrapbooks, and other items of interest to researchers.

The records are old and fragile ranging from 30 to 100 years in age. 2020 - The Filson Historical Society - Baptist Orphan's Home Records As the first Baptist orphanage in the United States, the Louisville Baptist Orphan’s Home is the oldest continuously operating children’s home in the south. After the Civil War, the home was established to serve the many children who were left orphaned and impoverished.

By 1888, over 500 children had been admitted to the orphanage. Its mission in later years has included many other children in need. By 1969, the home had cared for an estimated 8,000 children.

Collection contains: Correspondence, 1873-1910, to Mary A.

Hollingsworth, matron, and others about the placement of orphan children, the occasional return of the same to the home, recommendations for foster parents, descriptions of children, medical treatment, accomplishments, etc. Miscellaneous bills and receipts, arranged alphabetically, 1871-1897, from Kentucky businesses concerning payment for food, fuel, repairs, equipment, etc., listings of donations from various churches and others.

2020 - Todd County Library – Frances Fox Collection This collection contains handwritten and typewritten documents from late local historian Frances Fox. The records are based on interviews and offer personal accounts and stories of Todd County families. Is your institution wanting to digitize your collection?

We have awarded grants for a variety of projects. Eligible records cover a wide variety of topics such as newspapers, directories, school or organization yearbooks, church records, trade or vocational records, funeral home records, and pension records. This list, however, only scratches the surface on the records in need of digitization.

Each year we accept applications from July through October. We have a grant application package available to those who are interested.