Grants to Cemeteries
Headstones in Spring City cemetery
Grants help cemeteries digitize their records
Phase 2 - Grants for digitizing cemetery records
Organizing and submitting data
Phase 1 - Cemetery survey
Before applying for a grant, you must complete and submit a Cemetery Survey Form.
We are collecting information about all the cemeteries in Utah--old and new, small and large, active and inactive, public and private. This information is made available to the public in the Utah Cemeteries Database.
Return the form to Amy Oliver, Utah Cemetery Inventory Project, 300 S. Rio Grande Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Phase 2 - Grants for digitizing cemetery records
After you have completed the Cemetery Survey Form, you may apply for a grant to digitize the sexton burial records, including names, dates of death, etc. Cities, counties, cemetery districts, private cemeteries, and others with a vested interest in cemeteries may apply for matching grants to conduct this phase. The maximum grant per project is $5,000. See the requirements for contractors or consultants who may be hired to assist with the project.
Please note: new funding will be available July 1, 2012.
Final products from Phase 2 may include:
- A database of all the burials in the cemetery. This database will be kept and maintained at the local level (usually by whomever is responsible for cemetery records). In addition, cemetery will upload the data to the statewide Utah Burials Database.
- A computerized GIS map of the cemetery. A GIS (Geographic Information Systems) map, linked to the local database, makes locating and tracking information about burials and plot ownership much easier. Many communities have found a GIS system to be well worth the expense of creating it.
- Successful transfer of the database to the Utah Burials Database. This statewide database is accessible to the public for research purposes.
- Timely completion: The project must be completed 12 months after the contract start date. No extensions will be given. Successful transfer of the data to the Utah Burials Database must take place before the grant money will be paid.
Get a Cemetery Grant Application
Requirements and guidelines
Consultant/contractor requirements
Computer consultants must have full-time, professional experience with GIS applications, preferably on cemetery projects. Before selecting a consultant, obtain at least two bids to help ensure the grant funds are well spent.
The local database application must be capable of exporting data in a format that can be easily imported into the statewide database. We will provide further details with the grant contract.
Database fields in the file sent to State History must conform to the standards of the statewide database (name, length, and type of fields) to facilitate transfer of data and to maintain a necessary degree of consistency. See information on how to organize and submit your data.
Grant requirements
- Grant recipients must get reasonably accurate cost estimates by obtaining at least two bids from qualified consultants.
- Grant amounts are limited to a maximum of $5,000 per cemetery.
- Grants will be formalized through a signed contract between Utah State History and the grant recipient. Distribution of grant funds can be made upon satisfactory completion of the project.
- Grants require a 50-50 match. the local match may include cash expenditures (for consultant services, paid staff, software or hardware purchases, etc.) or donated goods and services (volunteers, donated software, hardware, etc.). Only expenditures and matching contributions made during the contract period are eligible.
- Grant recipients must keep records documenting expenditures, staff hours, and donations associated with the project. Grant recipients will be reimbursed upon receipt of evidence of meeting agreed-upon program goals (or some part thereof), expenditures of local match funds and/or donated services, and upload of data to the Utah Burials Database. Forms to document donated services such as labor (professional salary rates must be verified with documentation acceptable for auditing purposes). Copies of invoices, receipts, and canceled checks or governmental payment ledgers documenting expenditures of funds are required.
Get a Cemetery Grant Application