The History Fund's mission focuses on supporting the preservation and sharing of Ohio's heritage. It aims to fund local, regional, and statewide projects, programs, and events that highlight the extensive sweep of the state's history and pre-history. This initiative is crowd-funded, relying on voluntary contributions from Ohioans.
The Organizational Development grants are designed to enhance the capabilities of historical societies and similar entities. These grants support a variety of initiatives, including training for board and staff, addressing organizational challenges, refining governance structures, developing volunteer or membership programs, and facilitating strategic planning. The objective is to provide the necessary training and materials for these organizations to become self-sufficient. Applicants are required to outline the specific issues their organization is facing and how the proposed grant activities will address these challenges, ensuring that the solutions directly correlate with the identified issues. The grant covers 80% of the project's total costs, necessitating an applicant match of 20%. Funding is distributed in two installments, with half provided at the project's outset and the remainder upon successful completion and approval of the final report.