Grants for Cemetery Upkeep

There are grants that help maintain the beauty of a cemetery.new orleans cemetery image by Alexandra Cockfield from Fotolia.com

Families primarily assume responsibility for the upkeep for their loved ones' cemetery plots. Over time, as the family line dies off, cemetery plots begin to look overgrown and poorly maintained. Historical cemeteries, especially, face continuous problems in keeping their grounds looking respectable. Ground shifts cause the cemetery monuments to sink and often crack. Weather elements commonly deteriorate the quality and appearance of monuments, as well as the landscaping. There are several programs, along with training, that are funded by government and trust fund grants to help maintain the beauty of a memorial park.

Adopt A Plot Program

Many major cities have started the Adopt A Plot Program for their historical cemeteries.family burial plot . image by Tom Oliveira from Fotolia.com

Across the United States, many major cities have started the Adopt A Plot Program for their historical cemeteries. These programs are funded by government grants and give people the opportunity to adopt a cemetery plot. When someone chooses to adopt a plot, they have access to a variety of equipment funded by the grants to help improve the overall appearance a section of the cemetery. This includes sonogram machines to help raise severely sunken cemetery markers, preservative chemicals that clean and restore old monuments and general maintenance tools to groom the landscaping of the area. The Adopt A Plot Program offers people an opportunity to maintain a piece of history in their area by volunteering their time.

Perpetual care is the long-term care that is provided by every cemetery.Copp's Hill Burial Ground image by Charlie Rosenberg from Fotolia.com

Perpetual care is the long-term care that is supposed to be provided by every cemetery. This care includes maintaining the overall beauty of the cemetery, repairing broken cemetery markers and restoring monuments as they age. Many cemeteries fail to uphold their standards because of financial difficulty. Perpetual care grants are offered by several financial backers. They begin a trust fund for the area, and each year a percentage is devoted to cemetery upkeep. Cemeteries also have the option to use a portion of the money they earn directly from property sales to contribute to the trust fund, and the financial backers will match the money invested. The funds are commonly used to restore old sections of cemeteries as well as purchase new maintenance equipment.

Much can be learned from the detail and sculptures on cemetery monuments.madrid monuments image by Stanisa Martinovic from Fotolia.com

Gravestone Preservation is a program that is funded by government grants and offers training courses on the proper techniques for monument preservation. The primary goal of this group is to preserve the history present in historical cemeteries. Much can be learned from the detail and sculptures on historical cemetery monuments, and this organization trains people to carefully restore and preserve these precious historical landmarks. The government grants supply materials and fund transportation to certain areas where cemetery preservation is underway, such as Greenwood Cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia. The work is strictly volunteer, but each trip offers education and insight about history and many famous historical figures. The company also specializes in using sonograms to help lift cemetery markers that have sunken in over time. They work with local stone companies to help restore and rebuild stone fences that may have broken, as well as damaged areas of stone monuments.