The Maryland Historical Trust provides a diverse array of financial assistance programs to encourage a wide range of heritage resource activities. They include grants, loans, and tax incentive programs.

In the spring of 1996, the Maryland General Assembly passed legislation to transfer the Historical and Cultural Museum Assistance Program to the Maryland Historical Trust. As a result, the Maryland Historical Trust Grant Fund now includes both the Capital and Non-Capital Historic Preservation Grant Program and the Historical and Cultural Museum Assistance Grant Program. The MHT Grant Fund is a continuing, nonlapsing, special fund consisting of moneys appropriated by the State annually. Available funding for the FY2005 grant round totaled approximately $1,100,000.

Maryland Historical Trust financial assistance programs include:

Capital Historic Preservation Grants for the acquisition, rehabilitation, and restoration of historic properties.

Non-Capital Historic Preservation Grants for preservation activities, including research, survey, planning, and education.

Historical and Cultural Museum Assistance Grants for development of local heritage museums as tourism destinations.

Certified Local Government Grants for historic site research, National Register nomination, community planning, and public education.

Historic Preservation Loans to assist in the preservation of historic properties.

Rehabilitation Tax Incentives to encourage the preservation and rehabilitation of historic properties, and to develop local heritage areas.