"More Than $100,000 in Grant Funding Awarded to Ohio Cemeteries to Support Maintenance and Training" - From the Ohio Department of Commerce's Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing

More Than $100,000 in Grant Funding Awarded to Ohio Cemeteries to Support Maintenance and Training

October 07, 2024

The annual grant is funded by $1 of every $2.50 from burial

permit fees received by the Division. Cemeteries that applied

and did not receive funding this year are encouraged to apply

again next year.

In addition to registering cemeteries in Ohio, the Division
administers the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission,

which assists in resolving complaints filed against registered
cemeteries through mediation and conciliation.

For more information on how the Division works with Ohio

cemeteries, visit com.ohio.gov/Real. 

CLICK HERE FOR DOWNLOADABLE SOTS

Daphne Hawk, Superintendent, Division of Real Estate
and Professional Licensing, Ohio Department of Commerce

Link for the .PDF full listing below.:

Reminder:  

Keep in mind that family cemeteries as defined by the

 Ohio Revised Codes and Inactive and thus Unregistered 

Cemeteries (no burials in the past 25 calendar years)

as well as For Profit Cemeteries are NOT eligible to 

receive these grants. There are no grants for them.

"(D) Sections 4767.02 to 4767.04 of the Revised Code do not apply
 to or affect a family cemetery or a cemetery in which there have
 been no interments during the previous twenty-five calendar years.

As used in this division, "family cemetery" means a cemetery
containing the human remains of persons, at least three-fourths
of whom have a common ancestor or who are the spouse or
adopted child of that common ancestor."

Remembering that OH HB 168 created the Cemetery Grant Fund for Active / Registered Not-For-Profit Cemeteries in Ohio - Yet Ohio's Inactive and Family Cemeteries still await help from the State of Ohio

First, starting off on a positive note, I'd like to share this wonderful spotlight story written by Bob Coupland of the "Tribune Chronicle" of Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio.

This extensive article gives a detailed description of the funds provided by the Cemetery Grant Fund that has been helping Active/Registered Not-For-Profit Cemeteries in Ohio since 2019.

Before this law was passed and enacted no such program was in place by the State of Ohio that helped any cemetery that has needed funding in a manner like what this law has accomplished.

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For additional reference.:

WFMJ in Youngstown (Mahoning County.:

https://www.wfmj.com/story/42772507/5-valley-cemeteries-receiving-funding-for-repairs-improvements

Excerpt: "The Cemetery Grant Fund, which was signed into law as House Bill 168, became effective Oct. 29, 2018. The funds are to be used for exceptional maintenance of cemetery grounds or training for cemetery personnel.

Any registered, non-profit cemetery may apply for the grant, which is funded by $1 of every burial permit fee received by the Division. Cemeteries that applied and did not receive funding this year are encouraged to apply again next year."

********

Further Link.: Ohio Cemetery Grant Fund Program details

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However, sadly, we still must be mindful and reflect on the fact that Ohio's Inactive Cemeteries are in the category of being Unregistered (AKA Not Registered) cemeteries - meaning no burials in the past 25 years,

Additionally:

Cemeteries or burial grounds deemed to be "Family Cemeteries" - as per the Ohio Revised Code stated in the following sections negatively affects them as well and leaves them out of the Registration process.:

(D) Sections 4767.02 to 4767.04 of the Revised Code do not apply to or affect a family cemetery or a cemetery in which there have been no interments during the previous twenty-five calendar years. As used in this division, "family cemetery" means a cemetery containing the human remains of persons, at least three-fourths of whom have a common ancestor or who are the spouse or adopted child of that common ancestor.

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Now, what the State of Ohio needs to do is to expand the Cemetery Grant Program to include cemeteries that are no longer Active and thus are relegated to being Unregistered that are deteriorating, and in so many cases disappearing, before it is too late for them and they are declared abandoned and thus become "fair game" for any sort of development because they are deemed to be a hazard to society. (See: https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/.../1953-2978.aspx)

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"Ohio Cemeteries Receive Funds for Maintenance and Training" - October 20, 2022 - Announcement from the Ohio Department of Commerce."

On October 20, 2022, the Ohio Department of Commerce's Media Center published a news update naming the 2023 recipients of Ohio Cemetery Grant funds. 

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"Ohio Department of Commerce awards $104,000 to assist 44 nonprofit cemeteries"

"COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Commerce’s Division of Real Estate & Professional Licensing awarded $104,000 in grants to 44 Ohio cemeteries through the Fiscal Year 2023 Cemetery Grant Fund.

The Division registers more than 4,100 cemeteries in the state and administers by the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission which assists in resolving complaints against registered cemeteries through mediation and conciliation."

“This is the fourth year the Division has awarded the grant for registered nonprofit cemeteries, which can be used for exceptional maintenance of their grounds or training of their personnel,” Division Superintendent Daphne Hawk said. “We are honored to provide funds to help Ohio’s cemeteries improve recordkeeping, restore monuments, repair fencing, and improve signage.”

"The grant is funded by $1 of every $2.50 from burial permit fees received by the Division. Cemeteries that applied and did not receive funding this year are encouraged to apply again next year."

"Grants were awarded this year to cemeteries in 32 Ohio counties. A full list of 2023 Cemetery Grant recipients is below.

For more information about how the Division works with Ohio cemeteries visit com.ohio.gov/real."

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I have been advised that if the cemetery grant is for over $1,000, the cemetery owner would have to match the grant dollar for dollar.

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Below are links to a sampling of news stories published regarding the 2023 recipients of the Ohio Cemetery Grants.:

WHIO TV in Dayton.
Lima Ohio.com.

 WKBN TV in Youngstown. 

 Sentinel-Tribune in Bowling Green.

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Quoting from the Wilmington News-Journal - Clinton County, Ohio.:

"One of those grantees is in Clinton County. 

The Jefferson Township IOOF Cemetery, operated by the township, will receive $2,500 to repair and seal the driveway and to install street and section signs."

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Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission

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Funds awarded to local cemeteries from the Delaware County Gazette - November 23, 2021

Funds awarded to local cemeteries

Sharing this expanded story by the Delaware Gazette about the cemetery grant program awards this year.  So pleased to read about these much needed funds going to Ohio's Active cemeteries.  As we know, however, sadly left out of the process are Ohio's Inactive Cemeteries which also includes family cemeteries and cemeteries that are deemed abandoned that also need routine care - and many require exceptional care due to years of gross neglect.

Updates: Ohio Department of Commerce - The Ohio Cemetery Grant Program Awards for 2021 AND "5 Valley Cemeteries Receiving Funding for Repairs, Improvements" - WFMJ in Youngstown, Ohio

These are the first announcements noted thus far identifying the cemeteries that have received grants from the Ohio Cemetery Grant Fund Program for use in the year 2021. 

Excerpts.:

"The Ohio Department of Commerce’s Division of Real Estate & Professional Licensing awarded $73,846 in grants today to 45 Ohio cemeteries through the 2021 Cemetery Grant Fund."

"Cemeteries receiving funding from this grant in the Valley included five cemeteries, including two in Mahoning and three in Trumbull County. The Valley will receive a third of all the funds,$25,069 out of $75,000 awarded, which is available for restorations and improvements."

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And!

From the Twitter account of the Ohio Department of Commerce's Department of Real Estate and Professional Licensing.:

We congratulate all of the recipients who received these much needed grants from the 2021 Ohio Cemetery Grant Fund Program! 

OHIO CEMETERY GRANT PROGRAM FOR 2021 - DEADLINE IS JULY 31 2020

From Ohio's  "REPL" - The Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing - of the Ohio Department of Commerce.:

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"PURPOSE OF GRANT"

"The Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing (REPL) is pleased to announce the availability of grant funding in State Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 for eligible applicants to defray the costs of exceptional cemetery maintenance or training cemetery personnel in the maintenance and operation of cemeteries. The grant cycle is July 01, 2020* to July 31, 2020." 
***(Take Note:)***
"Exceptional maintenance shall be construed broadly to cover non-routine, non-repetitive maintenance. 
Reasonable maintenance, pursuant to Ohio Revised Code (ORC) section 4767.09, done in the day-to-day operations of a cemetery is not considered exceptional for purposes of awarding grants. The amount of funding available for grant cycle FY 2021 is $80,000."

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"CEMETERY GRANT"

"The Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing (REPL) is pleased to announce the availability of the FY 2021 Cemetery Grant for qualifying not-for-profit and local government cemeteries. 

Allowable grant requests include those to 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 REPL, 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 REPL Superintendent is accepting only online applications.

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*****Please gather all information prior to application entry. 

Once you start the application, the information entered cannot be saved and if you exit out of the application you will lose all information previously entered. *****

The Cemetery Grant application instructions are being provided as a worksheet guidance document only. 

This will allow you to gather all of the necessary information prior to submitting the grant application online.

The application must be answered completely to be considered for grant funds and submitted no later than July 31, 2020." 

Contact: 

Laura A. Monick at (614) 466-5384" 

or 

CemeteryGrants@com.state.oh.us. 

Website:

https://cemeterygrants.com.ohio.gov/

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Link below to Instructions:

https://www.com.ohio.gov/documents/CemeteryGrantFinalInstructions21.pdf

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Please note that there is an "Apply Now" button on this link.:https://cemeterygrants.com.ohio.gov/

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THE CEMETERY GRANT APPLICATION

HB168 - Ohio Cemetery Grant Program - Recipients Listing Released

September 9, 2019: 

From the Ohio Department of Commerce

 Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing:
"The Division received 143 on-time cemetery grant applications! 

What a tremendous response to the first year of this grant program." 

October 9, 2019:

Sharing a Ohio Department of Commerce 

"News Release"

HB168 Ohio Cemetery Grant Program 

Listing of Recipients for 2020

If you have any questions or require additional assistance, 
please contact the Division at: 
614-466-5384 or 
CemeteryGrants@com.state.oh.us. Complete information and forms can be found at www.com.ohio.gov/real.

 

Please keep in mind that inactive cemeteries with no burials during the prior 25 calendar years, family burial cemeteries, and for-profit cemeteries are not eligible to receive a grant under this program. 

Ohio Administrative Code - 1301:13-7 Eligibility for Grants

Link to Cemetery Grant Forms
Scroll down to find the
 Cemetery Grant Application Instructions
and
The Cemetery Grant Application

From the office of Rep. Dick Stein – House Bill 168 Sponsor:“Each year/ grant cycle, $100k will be transferred from the Division of Cemeteries burial permit fund to the Cemetery Grant Fund. Annual issuance of burial permits exceeds the grant fund amount to ensure its future availability. There is an existing statute that caps distribution of many state grants to 80% of the total fund–this is to account for administering funds and financial market fluctuations. It is possible for leftover monies to carryover to the next grant cycle. We are very happy to see so much interest and hope those projects not funded this round have a future opportunity.”

The Ohio Division of Real Estate & Professional Licensing is NOW accepting applications for the FY 2020 Cemetery Grant Program

Sharing this information about the

Cemetery Grant Program

that came about from the passage of HB168 in 2018.:

NOTIFICATION - JULY 1, 2019:

Ohio Department of commerce:

 <webreal@com.state.oh.us>

Dear cemetery operators and stakeholders,

The Ohio Division of Real Estate & Professional

Licensing

is pleased to announce that we are now accepting

applications

for the FY 2020 Cemetery Grant Program.

Grant applications are available on our website

and must be submitted no later than:

AUG. 14, 2019 to be considered.

Please review the FY 2020 Cemetery Grant

Application package

in its entirety.

Click here to access the grant application instruction packet

Click here to access the grant application

Please be aware that this initial grant cycle is

somewhat abbreviated due to the timing of

implementation of this new program.

If you have any questions

or require additional assistance,

please contact the Division at 614-466-5384 or

CemeteryGrants@com.state.oh.us.

Complete information and forms can be found at:

www.com.ohio.gov/real."

Sincerely,

Anne M. Petit

Superintendent,

Division of Real Estate & Professional Licensing

Click here to access the Cemetery Grant applicationonline.

Ohio Department of Commerce

77 S. High Street, Columbus, OH 43215