Sharing this important information from the Ohio Department of Commerce - Real Estate and Professional Licensing's website.
If you are interested in applying for a 2025 cemetery grant, please read all of the information provided.
If you have any questions, please contact them.
Since this cemetery grant program began, many Ohio cemeteries have benefitted from it. Sadly, those that are most likely needing grants do not qualify for them under the state's guidelines: i.e. family cemeteries, cemeteries that have not had a burial in 25 years or longer, and For Profit cemeteries -- all of these do not qualify to have these grants awarded to them. I personally feel that is unfair that these cemeteries are left with no opportunities for additional funding unless provided in some way through their local communities (i.e. fund raises like "Go Fund Me" accounts, etc.). In essence, the State of Ohio does not recognize them as important enough to qualify in my opinion. But, for those that are eligible under the guidelines of this program and feel they have a good chance of being awarded a grant, please look into applying for one for 2025.
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The FY2025 cemetery grant application period opens July 1, 2024.
"Cemetery operators can sign-up for our cemetery stakeholder email list .
Once the application period opens on July 1st, the application can be found at:
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If you have any questions or require additional assistance, please contact the Division at: CemeteryGrants@com.state.oh.us
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https://cemeterygrants.com.ohio.gov/Home/ClosedLanding
CEMETERY GRANT
The application period for SFY2025 will open July 1, 2024. The grant announcement and all FY2025 grant instructions will be provided via the Division's website and via email. You may sign up for the email list here.
This grant is for qualifying not-for-profit and local government cemeteries and helps defray costs of exceptional cemetery maintenance or training cemetery personnel in the maintenance and operation of cemeteries.
Eligible applicants shall be cemetery operators properly registered with the Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing, be a documented not-for-profit entity under the IRS tax code and be in compliance with any applicable endowment and/or preneed cemetery merchandise and services trust accounts.
The grant program runs on the State Fiscal Year (July 1 - June 30).
Contact: CemeteryGrants@com.state.oh.us.
The Division’s cemetery grant program advances grants to properly registered cemeteries, except for-profit corporations, to defray the costs of exceptional maintenance or training of cemetery personnel in the maintenance and operation of the cemetery. A cemetery that has not had a burial in the last 25 years or is a family cemetery is exempt from registration and does not qualify for a grant.
Reasonable maintenance, pursuant to Ohio Revised Code section 4767.09, done in the day-to-day operations of a cemetery is not considered exceptional for purposes of awarding grants. Exceptional maintenance is construed broadly to cover non-routine, non-repetitive maintenance.
An operator may apply every other year for one grant of up to $2,500. Operators of five or more cemeteries registered with the Division may apply each year.
Grant funds cannot be used for activities or purchases prior to formal approval of the grant application by the Superintendent and the Division’s receipt of a signed grant award agreement."
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