Historic Preservation Fund Grant (HPF)
Applications will be accepted December 1, 2024 through February 1, 2025.
Federal Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) grants are matching grants and will reimburse up to 60% of the costs of approved costs for projects with a public benefit. The remaining 40% must be provided by the grantee as matching funds. Grant applications for the next round should be open December 1, 2024 - February 1, 2025, based on federal budget approvals.
The selection process will emphasize projects that provide the most public benefit such as architectural and archaeological surveys, design guidelines for historic districts, and restoration of historic buildings that are listed in the National Register and have a public use. For financial incentives for commercial properties, see here for information about the Federal Historic Tax Credit. Priorities for grants will be based on the State Historic Preservation Plan. Based on these priorities, privately owned or commercially focused projects have not been able to be funded. Examples of publicly focused projects include:
- Architectural survey of areas experiencing rapid growth and development, other threats to cultural resources, and areas where there are gaps in knowledge regarding cultural resources and for communities in the Certified Local Government program. For proposed survey projects, the projects should identify and record historic districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects and built over 50 years ago. Surveys may be for a specific geographic area or for properties associated with themes or events important in the state’s history, such as post World War II residential development.
- Preservation plans for towns, neighborhoods, and historic districts
- Preparation of nominations to the National Register of Historic Places
- Restoration of historic buildings listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Projects must follow the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.
Frequently Asked Questions
For FY 25-26 the Tennessee Historical Commission will open applications for the Historic Preservation Fund grant program based on the availability of federal funding. Each year funds are provided to each state and territory from oil and gas lease revenues (not tax dollars) to assist with the implementation of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. In Tennessee, the funds are focused on survey and planning projects and to help restore historic properties that have a demonstrated public benefit. Ten percent of the funds we receive must be provided to one of the fifty Certified Local Government programs: communities that have demonstrated a vested interest in historic preservation through local zoning.
Survey and planning projects-National Register of Historic Places nominations, local architectural surveys of counties, cities, or neighborhoods, local historic preservation design guidelines and more Restoration projects. To qualify for funding a property must be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The grants are to be used for Historic Restoration / Rehabilitation Projects. Properties will score highest in the grant ranking process that have a demonstrated public benefit. Examples of a public benefit include but are limited to historic National Register-listed properties that are museums, courthouses, and libraries. The scoring process is based on goals established in our Historic Preservation Plan.
Applications will be open December 1, 2024 - February 1, 2025.
No. The grants may be used only for historic survey, planning or documentation, and restoration projects. Funds are not available for building acquisition.
This grant program prioritizes properties with a public use. Privately owned residential homes have not been funded in the history of the program. If your house will ultimately have a commercial use, more information about the historic tax credit program is here.
The grants require a 40% match.
Following the close of the application process a THC grant review team will review and score the applications and submit the top scoring projects with our funding application to the National Park Service. Following their approval, we will expect to make final award announcements in the second half of 2025.
To apply, please visit TDEC's grant management home page for instructions and further information regarding the grant management system (GMS). It is very important before you apply to be affiliated within GMS with your organization and then to apply "under" that affiliation (you can change to your affiliated organization with the building icon in the upper right hand corner of GMS) to make sure your grant application is started correctly.
The THC State Historic Preservation Office staff offered online training sessions on applying for Tennessee's Preservation Grant Program. The first webinar was designed for all applicants with helpful tips and tricks about application process and the Smart Simple grant management system. The video can be viewed here.
This program receives Federal funds from the National Park Service. Regulations of the U.S. Department of the Interior strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination in departmental federally assisted programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, age or disability. Any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against in any program, activity or facility operated by a recipient of Federal assistance should write to: Director, Equal Opportunity Program, U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, P.O. Box 37127, Washington, D.C. 20013-7127.
| Contact |
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| Holly M. Barnett Assistant Director for Federal Programs (615) 770-1089 Holly.M.Barnett@tn.gov |