RoamNebraska Grants

RoamNebraska Grants is sponsored by Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation. Supports museums, historical societies, libraries, and community partners in delivering education, preservation, and interpretive programs.

RoamNebraska - Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation Photo Courtesy of Durham Museum RoamNebraska Discovery Program Applications for the RoamNebraska Discovery Program are now open. Grants of up to $1,000 will be awarded. Applications must be received by September 15, 2026 and grantees will be notified in October 2026.

The focus for the fall cycle is Education and Access and the main areas for grant distribution will be: School visits, field trips and transportation Youth and family engagement Festival or milestone event support Professional development and conference registrations RoamNebraska Impact Program Applications for the RoamNebraska Impact Program are now open. Grants of up to $3,000 will be awarded.

Applications must be received by March 31, 2026 and grantees will be notified in May 2026. The focus of RoamNebraska grants is education and access .

Milestone Events or Festivals Historically Focused Youth and Family Programming Funding Support for Traveling Exhibits and Speakers Publication Support for Historically Focused Materials School Field Trips including Transportation Costs and Admission Fees Professional Development and Conference Registrations Gage County Historical Society & Museum RoamNebraska (formerly the NSHSF Statewide Grants Program) was developed in July 2020, with the guidance of Michael J.

Smith, former CEO of the Nebraska State Historical Society, to address a critical funding need for local historical and educational organizations across Nebraska. Through this program, grants support museums, historical societies, libraries, and community partners in delivering core education, preservation, and interpretive programs that bring community history to life.

Since 2021, RoamNebraska has awarded 299 grants totaling more than $340,000 to museums, libraries, and local historical organizations across the state. These investments have strengthened communities by funding technology upgrades, supporting festivals and public programs, purchasing exhibit cases, facilitating classroom visits, and expanding access to Nebraska’s shared heritage.

The Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation is committed to advancing efforts that build respect, dignity, fairness, equality, and self-esteem. We value diverse life experiences and are devoted to fostering inclusive and equitable environments where all Nebraskans can see their stories reflected and honored. Help us continue this momentum.

Your support fuels local preservation, empowers community storytellers, and ensures that Nebraska’s history remains vibrant in every corner of the state. Make a gift to RoamNebraska today and be part of strengthening Nebraska’s communities — one story at a time.

Since 2020, the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation has awarded more than $340,000 in grants to organizations across Nebraska, helping communities upgrade technology, create engaging exhibits, inspire students, preserve local history, support festivals, and strengthen heritage tourism.

Before the Foundation launched the RoamNebraska Grant Program, Nebraska was one of the few states without a statewide grants program dedicated to supporting local history organizations such as museums, archives, libraries, and historical societies. While other states have long invested in preserving local history through grant funding, Nebraska's community history organizations often had to move forward without those resources.

The RoamNebraska Grant Program is changing that. By investing directly in local projects, the Foundation is helping communities preserve their unique stories, celebrate their heritage, and create meaningful experiences that connect people with Nebraska's rich history. We believe history belongs to everyone.

Through the RoamNebraska Grant Program, the Foundation is committed to expanding access to history and creating opportunities for all Nebraskans to explore, preserve, and share the stories that define our state.

Leslie Fattig, NSHSF Executive Director Congratulations to our 2026 Spring recipients: American Historical Society of Germans from Russia Arnold Area Historical Society Buffalo County Historical Society and Trails and Rails Museum Dixon County Historical Society Florence Historical Foundation Friends of the Axtell Public Library Friends of the Historic Midwest Theater Front Street Cowboy Museum, Inc Gage County Historical Society and Museum Gering Public Library Foundation Great Plains Welsh Heritage Project Hastings Memorial Library Hitchcock County Historical Society Holt County Historical Society Legacy of the Plains (Japanese Hall) Madison County Historical Socity National Willa Cather Center Nebraska Game and Parks with Ash Hollow State Historical Park North Platte Public Library Operation Christmas Card: North Platte PowWow Pierce County 4-H Council (NE 4-H Foundation) Polk County Historical Society Saint Edward Library Foundation Saline County Historical Society Saunders County Historical Society and Museum Seward Library Foundation Sherman County Historical Society Silver Creek Historical Committee Steinauer Community Heritage House Strategic Air Command and Space Museum The House of Afros, Capes and Curls York County Historical Association Click Here To Learn More About The 2024 Grant Recipients Click Here To Learn More About The 2023 Grant Recipients Click Here To Learn More About The 2022 Grant Recipients Click Here To Learn More About The 2021 Grant Recipients Our Resources page includes more information for local historical societies, museums and libraries to find other means of funding.