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Vince Dooley Battlefield Trust Fund Program (VDB Program)
Overview
Established under Georgia Code § 12-3-710 et seq. and House Bill 454, the Vince Dooley Battlefield Trust Fund Program (VDB Program) provides grants to eligible nonprofit organizations and state agencies for the permanent protection of qualified battlefield lands in Georgia.
The VDB Program solely supports (i) fee-simple acquisition or (ii) purchase of permanent protective interests in qualified Georgia battlefields identified in the following reports:
The Report on the Nation's Civil War Battlefields by the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission (Civil War Sites Advisory Commission/National Parks Service, 1993, as amended)
The Report to Congress on the Historic Preservation of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Sites in the United States by the American Battlefield Protection Program of the National Park Service (United States Department of the Interior/National Park Service, 2007, as amended)
These Reports are also available through DataStore on the National Park Service website.
To be eligible for the VDB Program, at least 50% of the property’s acreage must be within the boundaries of a Georgia battlefield identified in one of these reports.
Eligible Applicants
The following organizations are eligible for funding through VDB Program:
State agencies with the primary mission of preservation, protection, or conservation of natural, historical, or cultural resources.
Nonprofit charitable corporations or trusts, authorized to do business in Georgia, primarily focused on the acquisition and management of interests in land for historic preservation purposes.
Funding cycles
Funding cycles are offered annually and are administered on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to the availability of funds.
Funding Amount
VDB Program does not set minimum or maximum grant amounts. However, grant funding shall not exceed fifty percent (50%) of the appraised value of the land or permanent protective interest being acquired.
Matching Requirements
Applicants must provide at least $1.00 in matching contributions for each $1.00 received from the fund.
Required Perpetual Conservation Easement
Any organization acquiring property or an interest therein under this program shall grant to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR) or another qualified holder a perpetual conservation easement placing restrictions on the use or development of the property.
Applicants may apply for the grant by completing the online application form. Proposals are evaluated in accordance with priorities established in the Vince Dooley Battlefield Trust Fund Act and the eligibility and evaluation criteria contained in the program manual. Such factors include significance of the battlefield, degree of integrity, proximity to other conserved lands, threats to the historic setting and character of the battlefield property, and the potential for public access, education, recreation, research, or heritage tourism associated with the project.
Contact Information:
Rayne Gaston, Program Coordinator
Email: rayne.gaston1@dnr.ga.gov
Telephone: (404) 290-7958
Ouicia Jolly, Program Coordinator
Email: ouicia.jolly@dnr.ga.gov
Telephone: (404) 463-1779
Soheila Naji, Grants Unit Supervisor
Email: soheila.naji@dnr.ga.gov
Telephone: (404) 463-8570