Established in 1987, the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation primarily supports the study of Long Island, New York, history and its role in the American experience.

To that end, the foundation invites applications for educational and preservation projects conducted by historical societies, historians, anthropologists, academic institutions, museums, and similar organizations with the potential to promote appreciation of the heritage of Suffolk County and/or preserve local historical collections and structures.

The foundation’s funding priorities include:

Objects Conservation: cataloging and digital imaging, conservation of objects, collections care, and acquisitions.

Historic Preservation: cultural resource/historic landscape survey, historic structure report/condition assessment, structural stabilization/restoration, and adaptive reuse/new construction (structural stabilization/restoration, adaptive use/new construction projects are defined as proposals seeking funding to restore or construct a new facility or add to a current facility or purchase equipment with an expected useful life of at least three years).

Programs: higher education, community education, primary/secondary education, outreach programs, research (including archeology), exhibition, and events/community activities.

Capacity Building: new technology equipment (e.g., computers); volunteer development; temporary consultants; strategic planning; staff training and internal operations planning, resource development planning; customer service and program delivery planning; marketing and communications planning; community engagement/partnership development; board, governance, or leadership.

Non-matching grants of up to $300,000 will be awarded in support of cataloging and digital imaging, conservation of objects, and collections care; grants of up to $100,000, with a 50 percent match, will be awarded in support of exhibitions and education; non-matching grants of up to $50,000 will be awarded in support of public programs, publications, and events/community activities; and grants of up to $500,000 with 50 percent matching will be awarded in support of structural stabilization and restoration and adaptive reuse and new construction.

Applicants must be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code to be eligible.

For complete program guidelines, application instructions, and information about previously awarded grants, see the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation website.

Click HERE for more information and to apply.