Ohio Awards $366,970 in Cemetery Grants to 80 Cemeteries Across 49 Counties
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Commerce's Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing has awarded $366,970 to 80 cemeteries in 49 counties through its Cemetery Grant Fund for fiscal year 2027, to help preserve historic grounds, improve safety and assist with maintenance projects. Individual grants range from $2,500 to $5,000. Recipients in Ashland County include the Savannah, Hayes and Lulu Falls cemeteries.
According to the Ashland Times-Gazette, interest in the program increased this year: the division received 208 applications, up 21 percent from the 172 submitted in 2025. More than 4,100 cemeteries are registered with the division statewide. The annual program is funded through burial permit fees, with $9.50 of every $10 collected going toward the Cemetery Grant Program. Eligible recipients are properly registered cemeteries, excluding those owned by for-profit corporations, and the money covers exceptional maintenance projects and training for cemetery personnel.
"We're proud to partner with our cemetery partners across Ohio to help protect and maintain these important historic and cultural spaces," said Daphne Hawk, superintendent of the Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing. "Each of these cemeteries plays a meaningful role in telling the story of its community, and this funding helps to ensure they remain safe, secure, and welcoming for generations to come."
In addition to registering Ohio cemeteries, the division administers the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission, which works to resolve complaints against registered cemeteries through mediation and conciliation. (GSM, based on Ashland Times-Gazette reporting)
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：位于 Cincinnati 的 Spring Grove 墓园内战士兵纪念雕像秋景（资料图，该墓园为俄亥俄州登记墓园之一）。照片经维基共享资源发布。Photo: The Civil War soldier memorial at Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio, in autumn (file photo). Via Wikimedia Commons.
