Greater Madison County Community Foundation
Cemetery Restoration Fund
The Greater Madison County Cemetery Restoration Fund was established in 2023 to provide financial assistance for cemetery boards, township trustees, and municipalities to assist in cemetery repair, restoration, and protection efforts. The goal in establishing the fund is to leverage tax-deductible contributions to match existing funds to assist in critical preservation and maintenance for Madison County’s over 50 documented cemeteries.
Eligible Projects
- Must benefit a documented cemetery in Madison County. (Check the Madison County Cemetery Locator)
- Funds from the Madison County Cemetery Restoration Fund must be matched by grantee funds (in-kind match is not allowed)
- Grant funds cannot be used to pay for supplies or equipment that are not directly needed to complete the project.
- Grant funds can only pay for labor that is done with a contracted professional.
What the Fund will Cover
- Stone Cleaning, Repair, Resetting, and Replacement – fund will cover up to 75% of that cost.
- Exterior Fence & Basic Access Gates – fund will cover up to 50% of that cost.
- Vegetation Clean-up (including tree removal that threatens stones, seeding, or site reclamation) – fund will cover up to 50% of that cost.
Who Can Apply
- Township trustees, or municipalities responsible for the care and maintenance of a cemetery
- Cemetery boards if they are a registered 501c3.
- Cemetery boards that are not a registered 501c3 can apply if they have a fiscal sponsor who is a 501c3 or a governmental body that will agree to receive and hold the funds.
Required Documentation
- Quote(s) or qualifying bid(s) for the proposed supplies, or project (s) (should not be more than 60 days old)
- Report the number of known damaged stones in the cemetery.
- Photographic documentation of the site before the project is initiated.
- Cemetery board that is a 501c3 or you are working with a 501c3 as your fiscal sponsor, must include their tax ID number.
Process
- Applications will be accepted before April 1st (or first business day after that date).
- Applications will not be accepted after October 31st (or first business day before that date).
- Complete application form
- Cemetery board that is not a 501c3: you will need to arrange a fiscal sponsor.
- Cemetery board that is a 501c3 or you are working with a 501c3 as your fiscal sponsor: please include a copy the 501c3’s IRS 990 Form (just the main form not all the supporting documents) or a copy of their current operating budget.
- Quotes or qualifying bid for the proposed supplies, project, or projects (should not be more than 60 days old)
- Photographic documentation of the site before the project is initiated
- Grant requests will be considered in the order they are received, but the Greater Madison County Community Foundation Board does have the right not to fund a particular project based on the quality of the application, grant distribution across the county, past project history, and availability of funds.
- Questions about this process should be directed to Greater Madison County Community Foundation Grant Administrator Ryan Marquardt (515) 462-1891, director@madisoncountydevelopment.com.
Project Reporting
- Complete short evaluation form.
- Final receipt(s) for completed work.
- Photographic evidence of the project completion.
- All photos will be used by the Greater Madison County Community Foundation to promote the fund and will be considered property of foundation upon submission.
Photos Courtesy of Colleen Peterson