Texas Dance Hall Preservation offers seed grants to help dance halls make repairs or help pay for a building condition assessment by a qualified architect or structural engineer. Preservation Fund grants have helped hall owners fix damage to roofs, dance floors, and other critical items. Although the Preservation Fund grants may not pay for an entire project, a small grant can help kick off a larger fundraising campaign.

Texas Dance Hall Preservation (TDHP) is pleased to offer matching grants of up to $10,000 for the restoration or renovation of historic Texas dance halls. Eligible applicants include public or private nonprofit organizations, or for-profit organizations (with IRS restrictions), that own or lease a qualifying hall and are TDHP members.

To qualify, the building must have historically hosted community dances, be largely intact, and feature a dedicated dance floor and stage. It may also include a bar or kitchen, but its primary function must have been as a dance or community hall—not a restaurant or bar. Halls may be freestanding or part of larger buildings. This is a $1-to-$1 matching grant, and applicants with matching funds in hand receive bonus points in scoring.

Applications are due Sept. 15, 2025 and the grant amount awarded can be up to $10,000,
depending on the number of eligible applicants we receive.

Quick Tips for Applicants

  • Start early; it may take several weeks to assemble the information you need for the application.

  • Get a written estimate from at least one qualified contractor.

  • Take new photos that clearly show the damage to be repaired. Work that has already been completed is not eligible for this program.

  • Include historic photos, before-damage photos, etc. to help us understand the problem.

  • Once you receive the grant, work must begin within three months and must be completed within 12 months. You also must submit a final report with in-progress photographs, invoices for the work completed, and proof of payment.

  • Contact us by email or call 512-400-4315 if you have any questions! We can also advise you on historically appropriate repairs, etc.

Support Texas Dance Hall Preservation

Your kind and generous help makes it possible for us to work directly with dance hall owners by providing technical consulting, financial assistance, business management advice, fundraising consulting, and moral support. Please become a TDHP Member and make a donation today.

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