West Chester, Pa (December 17, 2025) – Five Chester County historic organizations have been awarded more than $100,000 in total state funding through the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC), state Senator Carolyn Comitta said.
The investments, which come through the PHMC’s Cultural and Historical Support Grant Program, assist the general operations of eligible museums and official county historical societies. They are as follows:
- $30,000 for the Chester County History Center.
- $25,000 for the Graystone Society Inc. (The National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum)
- $25,000 for Historic Sugartown Inc.
- $15,000 for American Helicopter Museum & Education Center.
- $6,200 for the Oxford Area Historical Association.
“As we approach our nation’s 250 anniversary, the organizations that work to preserve and promote our local history continue to play a leading role in attracting visitors, educating the public, and ensuring that future generations know the stories that shaped Chester County and the United States,” Comitta said. “From the Revolutionary War to the Industrial Revolution to the Abolitionist Movement and Civil Rights Era and beyond, the story of Chester County is an integral part of the story of America.”
The Cultural and Historical Support Grant Program aims to strengthen Pennsylvania’s museum community by supporting eligible museums and official county historical societies that are not supported by other state agency funding programs. Under the program, museums must have an annual operating budget exceeding $100,000 (excluding capital and in-kind services) and at least one full-time professional staff person (or approved equivalent).
Award amounts are determined by a formula based on a percentage of the organization’s annual operating budget, with a maximum grant of $50,000 and a minimum grant of $4,000.
The grant funding is part of almost $4 million in total Cultural and Historical Support Grants awarded to 177 eligible museums and official county historical societies from 59 counties across the Commonwealth.
###