Beginning July 1, 2026, the Ohio Department of Commerce has grant funds available for Ohio non-profit cemeteries for special projects or repairs. Under Ohio law, “cemeteries” include traditional “in ground” cemeteries, columbaria, and scatter gardens. If your church has a cemetery, we urge you to investigate these available funds.

Grants awarded in the previous year were approximately $2,500 each and used for projects such as headstone repairs and restorations, tree removals, fence repairs, and purchases of lawn mowers. For 2027, the grants may be up to $5,000. The funds cannot be used for routine maintenance.

The grant application and additional information can be found here:

https://com.ohio.gov/lookup-and-locate/grants/cemetery-grant

Cemeteries must be registered with the Ohio Department of Commerce to qualify for these grant funds and additional requirements must be met. As a reminder, any entity that operates a cemetery needs to be registered and must submit an annual report by September 30 each year.

If you have questions regarding your parish’s operations of a traditional cemetery or columbarium, please contact Vice Chancellor Clare Long.

Deadline: July 31, 2026