Press Release
May 28, 2026
Contact: Jessica Brogdon
Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 405-967-9487
[email protected]
okhistory.org/grants
Ottawa County Historical Society Awarded $24,994 Through the Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Historical Society is pleased to announce that the Ottawa County Historical Society has been awarded a $24,994 Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant to digitize, organize, and catalog 2,000 items from the Velma Nieberding Collection, improving access and preservation.
“We appreciate the support of the Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant to allow us to better serve our community and researchers,” said Jordan Boyd, director of the Ottawa County Historical Society. “The ability to share content from our archive and make it accessible is a great resource for our museum and society.”
“It’s important to preserve the history of the people that call Northeast Oklahoma home and who have ancestors with a rich heritage here,” said Rep. Steve Bashore of Miami. “This grant will help us tell these important stories to future generations. I’m glad the Legislature has been able to continue support for this important program and that this project was selected to receive funding out of so many worthy endeavors.”
The Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Program is the Oklahoma Historical Society’s primary tool for supporting grassroots history and preservation efforts across the state. Through this year’s competitive grant cycle, the Oklahoma Historical Society Board of Directors approved $509,439 in awards to 30 eligible organizations, helping communities throughout Oklahoma preserve their unique histories and make them more accessible to the public.“The organizations receiving these grants are doing essential work to preserve Oklahoma’s history at the local level,” said Trait Thompson, executive director of the Oklahoma Historical Society. “Whether caring for collections, improving exhibits, or expanding educational programs, these projects help keep our shared history visible, accessible, and relevant across the state.”
The grant program supports tribal and municipal governments and not-for-profit historical organizations throughout the state. Awards range from $1,000 to $25,000 for projects that improve collections stewardship, develop exhibits, expand public programs, and strengthen organizational capacity. Applications for the next grant cycle will open January 1, 2027. For more information, visit okhistory.org/grants.
The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve, and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications, the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit okhistory.org.
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