Celebrating Presidents’ Day with Five History Grants

In commemoration of the first President of the United States, people began celebrating George Washington every year on his birthday, Feb. 22. The federal government later changed the day to the third Monday in February and renamed it Presidents’ Day. This change was made to include celebrations for former President Abraham Lincoln whose birthday was on Feb. 12.

Today, Presidents’ Day is a way to remember all former U.S Presidents and the work they did for the country. It is a reminder that acknowledging the past and studying history is important in making sure the future is promising. GrantWatch is remembering the day by sharing five history grants below.

Some Fun Facts About Our Former Leaders

1. George Washington was the only president unanimously elected
2. John Adams died on the same day as Thomas Jefferson
3. Obama worked at Baskin Robbins as a teen
4. Bill Clinton played saxophone and was in a band called “Three Blind Mice”
5. John F. Kennedy was also the first Boy Scout in the office

How to Celebrate Presidents’ Day

1. Watch a documentary on a former President
2. You can also write a letter to your current President.
3. Make an executive decision in your community to create change
4. Pick a former President and go to your public library to research their life
5. Teach your family the Presidents song.

Keep History Alive with These Grants

1. Firstly, there are awards of $1,000 and one award of $10,000 to recognize U.S. K-12 American history teachers for excellence in educating students. One nominee from each state will get the monetary prize, a certificate of recognition, an archive of resources in their name for the school library, an invitation to participate in a Gilder Lehrman Teacher Seminar, and recognition at a ceremony within their state. Each winner’s school will become a Gilder Lehrman Affiliate School.
2. Fellowships of up to $12,000 to U.S. graduate students, historians, authors, and journalists for research related to women’s history. Fellows will perform new and original research that will lead to the publication of an essay or article. Applicants should have the ability to perform in-person research at a National Archives facility.
3. There are also grants of up to $12,000 and grants of up to $40,000 to U.S. and territories nonprofits, government agencies, and IHEs for projects to preserve and improve accessibility to historical documents.
4. In addition, there are fellowships of $2,000 to U.S., Canada, and International individuals to create works related to pre-twentieth-century American history, culture, and literature. Eligible fellows include journalists, writers, filmmakers, and creative and performing artists.The fellowships will provide the recipients with the opportunity for a period of uninterrupted research, reading, and collegial discussion at the Society, located in Worcester, Massachusetts.
5. Finally, there are grants of $5,000 to U.S. graduate students for dissertation support. Funding is for students in history, area studies, political science, international relations, and economics. Research agendas should focus on U.S. foreign policy, U.S. grand strategy, and America’s role in the world.

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Looking for similar grants that provide funding to preserve or teach history this Presidents’ Day? GrantWatch has a category specifically education grants that include grants for history education and teachers. There is also a category for preservation grants that provide funding to maintain historical documents, museums, and art exhibits.