Grants
The Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area has an annual cycle for our Heritage Grants. These grants are available to local organizations working to promote the mission of the National Heritage Area by restoring historic buildings, providing interpretation, restoring/promoting scenic and recreational resources or documenting culturally significant components of the way of life in the San Luis Valley. These efforts will support Heritage Preservation and Tourism and promote the counties of Alamosa, Conejos and Costilla, the Alamosa Wildlife Refuge, the Monte Vista Wildlife Refuge, the Baca Wildlife Refuge, the Rio Grande National Forest and Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.
Grants from the SdCNHA are intended to encourage local cultural and historic heritage preservation activities and educational programs. These may include projects dedicated to interpretation and way-finding, conservation, or recreation with a heritage or cultural emphasis. SdCNHA grants are awarded to help stimulate local discussion and participation and, at best, are the catalyst for community and partner collaborations. A small grant at the right time can go a long way toward inspiring a community or an organization to take action on a cultural or heritage project.
SdCNHA grants are not to exceed $25,000.00. A maximum request of 20% of the project budget (at or below the $25,000 limit) may be considered for projects with substantial community impact or preservation significance. The selection process is competitive, and applicants are encouraged to develop proposals carefully utilizing the Heritage Area Management Plan Goals and Objectives. You can find these resources on our Management Plan page. Follow the links below to download the application and guidelines.
SdCNHA Grant Application 2024: 2024 Grant Application
SdCNHA Grant Guidelines 2024: 2024 Grant Guidelines
Grant Recipients 2013
Spring recipients:
- Southwest Conservation Corps– Providing work experience for SLV youth
- Costilla County Economic Development Center – Sangre de Cristo Cultural Heritage Center
- San Luis WPA Museum – Restoration Phase II
- Colorado Open Lands – Acequia Congresso
- Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust – Garcia Ranch Conservation
- ASU Field School – Ft. Massachusetts
- SLV Local Foods – Master Planning
Fall recipients:
- ASU CASA – Horno project
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish – Heritage Language classes
- Town of San Luis – Mural Restoration
Grant Recipients 2014
- Alamosa Boys and Girls Club– Greenhouse Construction
- Adams State University Archeology Field School – Ft. Massachusetts,
- Conejos County Tourism – Renovation of five Conejos County Haberlein Murals,
- Great Divide/Colorado Humanities – Water Documentary,
- Local Foods Coalition – Seeds of Learning
- Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust – Conservation of the Rainbow Trout Lodge
- SW Conservation Corps – Careers on the Land Youth Corps
Grant Recipients 2015
- Hilo Culturales, Inc. – Culture Film Module Series, Marketing & Dissemination
- Adams State University – Fort Massachusetts Archeological Field School
- CO Rio Grande Restoration Foundation – Lower Rio Grande Study
- Adams State University – Lifeways of the San Luis Valley Course and Lecture Series
- Costilla County Economic Development Council – Construction Documents for the Interior Rehabilitation of the Sangre de Cristo Heritage
- Center for Conservation Legacy – Preserve America Youth Summit Next Generation Stewards
Grant Recipients 2016
- Town of Antonito – Antonito Depot
- Archeological Field School – Ft Massachusetts Arch Field School
- Colorado Open Lands – Valdez Rio Culebra Conservation Easement
- Rio Grande Watershed Cons & Education – SLV Culture and Environment Project
- SPMDTU – Develop Architectural Plans for the Interior/Exterior Rehab of SPMDTU
Grant Recipients 2017
- Sangre de Cristo Acequia Association– Congresso de Acequias
- Adams State University CASA– Cesar Chavez Week
- Costilla County– Rito Seco Trails
- Conejos Clean Water – Interpretive Signs
- Colorado University Boulder– Latino History Workshop
- Costilla County Economic Development Council– Heritage Center Interior Rehabilitation
Grant Recipients 2018
- Paleo Cultural Research Group – Archaeological Surface Survey in La Botica
- SPMDTU – Exterior Improvements to Concilio #1 in Antonito
- Town of Antonito – Antonito Depot Interior Restoration
- ASU Salazar Rio Grande de Norte Center– RG Natural
Grant Recipients 2019
- Fort Garland Museum– Boardlands
- Rocky Mountain Farm Park– Caminos del Valle
- Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad– Coach 256
- Colorado Tourism Office– Commercial
- Sangre de Cristo Acequia Association– Congresso 2019
- Economic Impact Study
- La Puente Home– Emperius Block Exterior
- Costilla County Economic Development Council– Nassario Gallegos House
- ASU – SLV GO– Portal Sign Installation
- Rio Grand and Conejos Rivers Steam Management
- Cache La Poudre National Heritage Area – Watering the West Documentary
Grant Recipients 2020
- RiGHT– Fox Creek Conservation Easement
- Maestas– Maestas Case Commemoration
- Town of Antonito– Warshauer Mansion
- Trailhead Institute- Youth Walking Leaders
Alamosa Boys and Girls Club Greenhouse
Adobe brick making for hornos
Fred Haberlein repainting murals
Hilios Culturales
Signature Projects
Signature projects are projects that have approved by SdCNHA during the grant application process and ones that SdCNHA wants to see completed and wants to be part of the decision making. A grant agreement will be negotiated, completed and signed by both parties. The grant recipient is fully responsible to see the project will be completed with monitoring by SdCNHA.
Sangre de Cristo Heritage Camp
Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area will be hosting a heritage camp for middle school and high school students to tour and experience the heritage in Alamosa, Conejos and Costilla County! This is a unique opportunity for youth to learn local history, heritage, traditions, and culture by visiting a variety of sites within the heritage area as historians will be able to elaborate on such topics and answer questions.
Caminos del Valle Youth Walking Tours
Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area is seeking six youth leaders (ages 16-18) to join our summer 2021 Youth Walking Leaders Program! Each student will be trained in group leadership roles that will lead walking tours in neighborhoods and public lands, cultural and historical nature, land and water conservation, nature-based education, walk facilitation, and tourism all within the heritage area. Students will choose the topics and locations they would like to lead tours in as well as becoming CPR certified, trained in public speaking, self-defense, history, culture, and traditions.
Each youth leader will receive a stipend!
