The 2026 Maritime Washington Grant Program will support projects and programs that interpret our state’s maritime heritage. Below are answers to frequently asked questions. If your question isn’t answered here, we encourage you to check out the detailed Program Guide, join Maritime Washington staff for virtual office hours on April 1 at 4:00 pm (register here), or contact us at [email protected].
General
How do I apply for a grant?
All applications must be submitted through our online form. Please plan to submit your application in one sitting. We strongly recommend downloading a copy of the application questions and preparing your answers in a separate document in advance of completing this form. Download a copy of the application questions here.
How do I know if my project is eligible?
A few key elements of eligibility are listed below. For more information on eligibility requirements for the Maritime Washington Grant Program, be sure to check out our Program Guide.
- All applicants must be located within one of the 13 counties within the Maritime Washington National Heritage Area.
- Applicants do not need to be within the National Heritage Area’s boundary (one-quarter mile inland from the mean high tide line) to be eligible; however, projects must directly connect to Washington’s maritime heritage and/or resources located within the bounds of the National Heritage Area.
- Projects must relate to the mission and goals of Maritime Washington.
- Grant funds may be used for a wide range of interpretive project types connected to maritime heritage; however, they may not be used for capital projects, lobbying, or operational expenses (with the exception of staff time directly related to the proposed project).
When can I start my project?
We cannot reimburse expenses incurred before your grant contract has been executed (e.g., signed by both parties). We anticipate that contracts will be distributed to selected grantees in June 2026. Phases of your project can already be underway, but only post-contract expenses are eligible for reimbursement.
You may, however, use expenses incurred before the contract has been signed for the required matching portion of your grant, as long as they were incurred after October 1, 2025.
What do you mean by “maritime heritage”?
We define “maritime heritage” broadly as the history and connection that people have with the marine environment. It includes tangible and intangible resources and encompasses cultural, historical, and natural resources.
What do you mean by “interpretation”?
To borrow a definition from Washington State Parks, interpretation is “a communication process that provides opportunities for visitors to connect emotionally and intellectually with the world around them in meaningful ways.” This can include everything from exhibits and signage, to walking tours and educational programs, to webpages and podcasts—as well as all the work that goes into planning for these activities. If you have a project that will help share Washington’s saltwater stories and/or connect the public with our shores, we encourage you to learn more about this funding opportunity.
Finances, Matching, and Reimbursements
What does a grant “match” mean, and what is the match requirement for this program?
A grant match means that the grantee must also contribute funds of their own—either cash expenditures or in-kind donations—towards the project.
The Maritime Washington Grant Program has a 1:1 (e.g., one-to-one or 50%) matching component, meaning that for every grant dollar awarded, the grantee will need to match it with a dollar of their own money or with the equivalent value of donated goods, services, or volunteer labor. In other words, applicants may request up to 50% of their overall project expenses in grant funding.
For example: If an applicant is planning to implement a $10,000 project, they would apply for $5,000 from the Maritime Washington Grant Program and plan to use at least $5,000 of their own funds or in-kind donations as match.
A few additional details:
- Grantees cannot use federal funding for matching expenses.
- You must show your intended match in your grant application.
- Staff time can be paid for using grant funds or used as a source of match.
- Volunteer hours can be used as a source of match.
- Grantees will be asked to show documentation of all expenses to be reimbursed as well as all expenses or donations used as match upon completion of the project.
Grantees will allow the Maritime Washington National Heritage Area to use all non-federal project expenses (cash or in-kind), including those beyond the amount of the required match, as project match unless they are otherwise committed elsewhere.
Can I use volunteer time to match grant funds?
Yes! You can and should include the value of volunteer time in your budget. General volunteer labor is valued at $41.70 per hour. If someone volunteers their professional services towards your project, you can value their time using the hourly rate they would charge a paying client and/or the appropriate professional rate.
Can I pay for staff time using grant funds?
Yes! Your project budget can and should include staff time, including the time of full-time salaried employees. This staff time should be time spent directly on the project for which you are applying.
Can my match for this grant program be a retroactive expense?
Retroactive expenses can count towards your match as long as the following conditions are met:
- The retroactive expense occurred within the same federal fiscal year of the grant cycle. For our current grant cycle (2026), you can count any project-related expenses that occurred after October 1, 2025.
- The retroactive expense must be directly related to the proposed project.
However, expenses that you would like to have reimbursed through your Maritime Washington grant cannot begin until after your grant contract has been executed (estimated July 2026).
What is the process for receiving the grant money? How does reimbursement work?
Maritime Washington grants are reimbursement grants, which means that projects must be financed up front by your organization. Grant awards are only distributed on a reimbursement basis. Grantees may submit for reimbursement after their scope of work is complete. If needed, grantees may also choose to submit one midway reimbursement request following the completion of a progress report. Please note:
- Grant recipients must submit proofs of payment (such as an itemized receipt or an invoice accompanied by a canceled check or bank statement) for both grant expenses and matching funds to receive grant funds. Invoices and itemized receipts must detail the items purchased and/or work to be done.
- For projects that include multiple work elements within the overall scope of work, invoices and receipts must be organized according to the relevant work elements.
- Proofs of payment must show how the items or work was paid for, either with credit card receipts, canceled/cashed checks, or, in the case of paying in cash, a receipt indicating cash payment.
- If a credit card receipt is lost or an image of a canceled/cashed check is not available, bank statements (with private/unrelated information redacted as needed) can be submitted as proof of payment.
- If the grant recipient is requesting reimbursement for staff time and/or using staff time as match, they will be asked to submit documentation of time spent on the project and proof of payment, such as timesheets accompanied by canceled checks or pay stubs.
Will the Maritime Washington Grant Program award partial funding?
Maritime Washington prefers not to award partial funding. However, if your project is scalable, has several discrete parts, or you would otherwise wish for it to be considered for partial funding if full funding is not available, please note this in your application for consideration—particularly in the budget worksheet. See the second tab in the budget worksheet for an example project budget.
Where does this funding come from?
The Maritime Washington Grant Program is federally funded, with funding from the Heritage Partnership Program via the Maritime Washington National Heritage Area.
Eligibility and Multiple Applicants
Can an organization submit more than one application?
No, organizations are only allowed to submit one application for this grant cycle.
My organization/institution is not near the heritage area, but I want to do an eligible activity. Am I still eligible?
Yes, but only if your project interprets resources and/or events that happened within the heritage area. Please note organizations and institutions that are closer to the National Heritage Area will be prioritized.
My organization/institution currently has a grant open with Maritime Washington National Heritage Area. Can I apply for another?
No, organizations may only have one grant open with Maritime Washington National Heritage Area at a time. You will be able to apply for another grant with us only after your current grant project concludes.
My organization/institution is not an official partner of the Maritime Washington National Heritage Area. Will this affect my application?
No, this grant program is open to everyone regardless of their partnership status. That said, becoming an official partner allows you to connect with additional resources that can support your organization. If you are interested in learning more about the partner network, we encourage you to check it out here.
The mission of the Maritime Washington National Heritage Area is to support a network that strengthens the maritime community and connects people with the stories, experiences, resources, and cultures of our state’s saltwater shores and waterways. The Maritime Washington Grant Program is one of the ways in which we are working to achieve this mission. To learn more about the other ways in which we are working to achieve this mission, please explore our website at www.maritimewa.org/who-we-are.