Five steps from
idea to award.
Click any card to reveal the specifics — checklists, timelines, and what your case officer will look for.
Check Eligibility
Confirm your county, population size, and tourism classification qualify for federal funding programs.
Eligibility Checklist
- County population under 50,000
- Registered tourism entity (LLC, nonprofit, or gov)
- Located in designated rural zone
- No outstanding federal compliance issues
Choose Your Program
Browse 14 active grant programs by project type — trails, historic districts, cultural preservation, and more.
Program Categories
- Trail & Outdoor Recreation ($15K–$500K)
- Historic District Preservation ($25K–$1.2M)
- Indigenous Cultural Heritage (up to $750K)
- Main Street Economic Revival ($10K–$300K)
- Agritourism & Farm Experiences ($5K–$150K)
Gather Documents
Prepare your application package. Most approvals require seven core documents — we list every one.
Required Documents
- Federal Tax ID / EIN verification
- Most recent audited financial statement
- Project narrative (max 10 pages)
- Letters of community support (min 2)
- Site maps or property documentation
- Budget breakdown with line items
- Environmental compliance certification
Submit Application
File through Grants.gov or mail a physical package to your regional Hearth office. Both are accepted.
Submission Options
- Online: Grants.gov portal (fastest)
- Email: applications@hearth.gov
- Mail: Regional office (see locator)
- In-person: 12 regional field offices
- Fax accepted for supplemental docs only
Track Your Status
Monitor your application through the Hearth portal. Average approval decision: 67 days from submission.
Review Timeline
- Days 1–15: Completeness review
- Days 16–45: Program officer evaluation
- Days 46–60: Committee scoring
- Days 61–67: Final approval / award letter
- Day 68+: First disbursement processed
Need help? Call a Hearth case officer at 1-800-HEARTH-1 · Mon–Fri 8am–6pm EST · Free consultation, no commitment required.
14 programs,
one application window.
Rural Tourism Development Fund
Supports physical tourism infrastructure — visitor centers, wayfinding, trailheads, and public amenities in rural communities under 25,000.
Historic District Preservation
National registry nominations, facade restoration, and interpretive programming for Main Street and historic corridor revitalization.
Indigenous Cultural Heritage
Translation of visitor guides into indigenous languages, cultural center development, and sacred site preservation.
Main Street Revival
Route tour buses through forgotten downtowns. Pedestrian infrastructure, signage, and small business tourism readiness.
Trail Restoration Initiative
Erosion repair, accessibility upgrades, and amenity installation for federally-adjacent trail systems.
Agritourism Expansion
Farm-to-visitor programming, on-site infrastructure, and agritourism marketing for working agricultural operations.
Real counties.
Real results.
From Appalachian trail towns to Gulf Coast parishes — communities that knocked on the right door.
We'd been trying to get the Blackwater Canyon Trail on the national registry for eleven years. Hearth's case officer walked us through the exact documents we were missing. Six months later, we had a $340,000 award in hand.
Patricia Holt
Director, Tucker County Tourism Board
Tucker County, WV · Trail Restoration Initiative
Our Main Street had three vacant storefronts for every open business. The Hearth grant funded a heritage walking tour infrastructure — wayfinding, lighting, interpretive panels. Tourist foot traffic doubled in the first season.
Marcus Delacroix
Mayor, Town of Breaux Bridge
St. Martin Parish, LA · Main Street Revival
The Indigenous Cultural Heritage grant let us publish our visitor guide in Ojibwe for the first time. We also built a proper welcome center. Our elders said it was the first time the federal government sent money that felt like it was meant for us.
Renata Bigboy
Tourism Coordinator, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
Cass County, MN · Indigenous Cultural Heritage
Everything you need
before you apply.
FY2026 Program Guide
Complete breakdown of all 14 active programs, eligibility requirements, and award ranges. Bring this to your next town council meeting.
County Eligibility Map
Interactive federal map showing every county's current eligibility status, funding tier, and open program count.
Find a Case Officer
Every applicant is assigned a dedicated case officer who knows your region. Locate your nearest field office — 12 locations nationwide.
Application Deadlines
Real-time calendar of all open application windows, rolling deadlines, and upcoming program launches for FY2026.