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Texas Court Records Preservation Grant Program

The Texas Court Records Preservation Grant Program was established in 2011 with the goal of helping county and district courts preserve their valuable historic court records. The foundation prefers to fund projects that take preservation and conservation action to prolong the life of historically significant and/or vulnerable public court records.

Court Records Preservation Grants are primarily made to Texas governmental entities and subdivisions, specifically state district and county courts. Grants to Texas nonprofit organizations recognized as charitable organizations by the Internal Revenue Service under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code may also be considered.

How to Apply

Download Texas Court Records Preservation Grant Application Packet:

The Historical Foundation considers and awards grants semiannually. Application deadlines are May 31st and November 30th of each year. At the sole discretion of the Foundation’s trustees, the Foundation may consider grant applications submitted outside of its annual grant application process.

Send completed, signed application and all required and optional attachments together in ONE ENVELOPE or PACKAGE to:

Texas Bar Historical Foundation
c/o State Bar of Texas Archives Department
P.O. Box 12487
Austin, TX 78711-2487

Next Grant Application Deadline: Tuesday, November 30, 2021, 5:00 p.m. (Central Time)

Previous Texas Court Records Preservation Grant Program Awards

Background

In 2009, the Texas Supreme Court commissioned the Texas Court Records Preservation Task Force to assess the status of Texas’ historical court records and develop a plan to address their preservation needs. The Task Force concluded that Texas’ historical state district and county court records, dating back to the Republic of Texas, are among the most important and endangered historical documents in the state.

Prior to the development of the Court Records Preservation Grant Program, the Task Force set out to demonstrate the importance of preserving Texas court records by identifying and preserving 21 historical court records that tell the history of the state of Texas. The cost of preserving the records was funded by Baker Botts, L.L.P. and the State Bar of Texas, under the leadership of State Bar President Bob Black.

In March 2012, the Texas Bar Journal published 21 essays highlighting the significance of each preserved court record. The stories told by this selection of preserved records made a strong case for the establishment of the Court Records Preservation Grant Program. Through this program, the Texas Bar Historical Foundation carries on the Task Force’s mission to help county and district courts preserve their valuable historic court records.

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