Funding News & General Resources

Below you will find articles and press releases about historic and cultural funding news, restoration efforts across the United States, financial resources, and information of interest to the historic preservation and cultural resources community.

We have also collected the best general resources that will assist you in learning more about national funding programs (with some great programs in Canada, too!). There is information on working with the National Park Service, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, to name a few.

Funding In The News

Below are links to recent news articles related to financial resources and funding sources for historic preservation, building restoration, cultural resource preservation, and the arts. Topics include: tax credit information; grants, loans and other financial services; historic preservation successes and threats; and work-training and educational program announcements and information.

New links to articles added multiple times weekly!

• Mass Layoffs at Government Services Administration Threatens Historic Preservation
  "Over the last few weeks most historic preservation staff at the General Services Administration (GSA) has been laid off. The GSA manages and preserves hundreds of historic government buildings. This also includes historic artwork that is under the care of the GSA. Lack of historic preservation staff at GSA jeopardizes the agency's significant historic resources..."
  Posted:

  5/29/2025

  Source:

  Preservation Action
• Mass Layoffs at Government Services Administration Threatens Historic Preservation
  "Over the last few weeks most historic preservation staff at the General Services Administration (GSA) has been laid off. The GSA manages and preserves hundreds of historic government buildings. This also includes historic artwork that is under the care of the GSA. Lack of historic preservation staff at GSA jeopardizes the agency's significant historic resources..."
  Posted:

  5/29/2025

  Source:

  Preservation Action
• The World Monuments Fund Joins the L.A. Conservancy to Support Recovery Following the Wildfires
  "World Monuments Fund (WMF) and the Los Angeles Conservancy are thrilled to announce a coordinated effort, alongside the National Trust for Historic Preservation, to document and assess heritage sites affected by the devastating wildfires that swept through Los Angeles County in January. The fires, which burned over 50,000 acres and destroyed more than 16,000 structures, have inflicted a severe toll on the region’s cultural heritage..."
  Posted:

  5/29/2025

  Source:

  Los Angeles Conservancy / World Monuments Fund (WMF)
• Action Alert: Cuts and Mass Layoffs Threaten National Parks
  "In recent weeks the Trump administration has announced mass layoffs at the National Park Service (NPS) and other federal agencies, impacting historic and cultural sites across the country ahead of the busy summer travel season. NPS manages National Parks, most National Monuments and numerous historic properties across the country..."
  Posted:

  5/28/2025

  Source:

  Preservation Action
• Preservation South Carolina to Receive $200,000 For Taveau Church from African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund
  "Since Preservation South Carolina purchased Taveau Church in June 2023 from the United Methodist Conference, $800,000 has been raised to support continued rehabilitation of the ca. 1835 structure. This number being raised by $200,000 just this month with a grant award from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund of the National Trust for Historic Preservation..."
  Posted:

  5/28/2025

  Source:

  Preservation South Carolina
• Advocacy Alert: State Bill Threatens Landmark Designation
  "This is an update on the state bills impacting landmark designation. On March 10, state representatives in the House voted to pass Substitute House Bill 1576. Senate Bill 5554 was not moved forward by the Senate so that bill is no longer in play..."
  Posted:

  5/27/2025

  Source:

  Historic Seattle
• Advocacy Alert: State Bill Threatens Landmark Designation
  "This is an update on the state bills impacting landmark designation. On March 10, state representatives in the House voted to pass Substitute House Bill 1576. Senate Bill 5554 was not moved forward by the Senate so that bill is no longer in play..."
  Posted:

  5/27/2025

  Source:

  Historic Seattle
• Lawmakers Question HPF Funding Delay at Budget Hearings - Keep Up Your Advocacy
  "This week, Department of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum testified before the House and Senate Appropriations Committee on the Administration's FY26 budget request..."
  Posted:

  5/25/2025

  Source:

  Preservation Action
• Updates on HTC-GO and Threats to the Historic Preservation Fund
  "It’s difficult to track moving legislation, especially during budget season. We are monitoring the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act (HTC-GO) as well as the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF). Here’s what you should know and how it affects you..."
  Posted:

  5/25/2025

  Source:

  Heritage Consulting Group
• Urge Your Member of Congress to Join the Historic Preservation Caucus
  "Historic Preservation Caucus recently sent a dear-colleague letter inviting Representatives to join the bipartisan Caucus. The Historic Preservation Caucus was first formed in 2003 and brings together members of Congress who understand the value of America’s historic places as definers of our national character. Its members support and encourage preservation and thoughtful economic development in their states, districts, and territories as a matter of national policy..."
  Posted:

  5/25/2025

  Source:

  Preservation Action
• Four Oregon Heritage Grants Open for Applications
  "Are you seeking funding for museum, cemetery, archaeology, or historic property projects? Our partners and collaborators, Oregon Heritage, have opened applications for the majority of its state-funded grant programs. Their website provides all of the basic information. Free, online workshops are being offered for each program. And Kuri Gill, the grant manager, is available to talk through project ideas and provide support..."
  Posted:

  5/14/2025

  Source:

  Restore Oregon
• Threatened Historic Japanese American Buildings on Terminal Island One Step Closer to Preservation
  "Great news! Yesterday, in a press release, Councilmember Tim McOsker, Council District 15, introduced a motion to designate two historic buildings on Terminal Island as a Historic-Cultural Monument (HCM)..."
  Posted:

  5/14/2025

  Source:

  Los Angeles Conservancy
• Historic Preservation Under Threat - Take Action Today
  "Federal historic preservation programs are in crisis. Historic preservation continues to face substantial challenges from funding delays, cuts, staff reductions at the National Park Service, and more. Now, the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), which is the cornerstone to carrying out the federal historic preservation program is under direct threat..."
  Posted:

  5/12/2025

  Source:

  National Trust for Historic Preservation
• National Independent Venue Association Responds to Proposed Elimination of the National Endowment for the Arts
  "As the threatened elimination of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) looms over cultural institutions across the country, the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) has issued a response from Executive Director Stephen Parker to the first wave of funding slashes..."
  Posted:

  5/12/2025

  Source:

  Relix
• National Park Service To Be Hit With 1,500 Additional Layoffs And Deep Budget Cuts, Reports Say
  "Roughly 1,500 National Park Service staffers are expected to be fired as Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency reportedly plans to slash $26 million in grant funding to the agency ahead of the busy summer season..."
  Posted:

  5/11/2025

  Source:

  Forbes
• National Endowment for the Arts Cuts Millions in Grants
  "Scores of National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grant awardees, including the Print Center New York, received a Friday night email from an unmonitored NEA email address rescinding part or all of their funding..."
  Posted:

  5/7/2025

  Source:

  Hyperallergic
• Judge Halts Trump’s Cuts to Museum and Library Funding Agency
  "The temporary ruling comes as Trump moves to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the National Endowments of the Arts and Humanities in a newly released budget proposal..."
  Posted:

  5/4/2025

  Source:

  Hyperallergic
• Legislation to Establish and Expand HTCs Introduced in Arizona, Hawaii, Illinois, and Maine
  "State legislative sessions are underway in states across the country. In many places bills to establish and expand state level historic tax credits have been introduced. Last month, legislation (H.B 2275) was introduced in the Arizona House that would establish a 20% state historic tax credit with a 5% bonus for affordable housing projects. Under the legislation, the program would be capped at $30 million annually..."
  Posted:

  5/2/2025

  Source:

  Preservation Action
• Series of Executive Orders and Actions Impact Historic Preservation
  "President Trump was officially sworn-in as President last month. Since then President Trump has issued a series of Executive Orders and agencies have issued Secretarial Orders that affect historic preservation priorities. Preservation Action is paying close attention to these actions and working to better understand the potential impacts..."
  Posted:

  4/30/2025

  Source:

  Preservation Action
• History Colorado’s State Historical Fund Awards Nearly $5.6 Million in Preservation Funding
  "History Colorado’s State Historical Fund has awarded $5,592,801 to 36 preservation projects across the Centennial State. Of these projects, nearly half are located in rural counties, which amounts to an investment of more than $2.5 million into the prosperity of rural Colorado..."
  Posted:

  4/28/2025

  Source:

  History Colorado

General Funding Resources

Below is a short list of agencies, organizations and resources that can provide general information about financial resources for historic preservation, cultural resource management, and the arts.

National Park Service:

• Technical Preservation Services
• Tax Incentives for Preserving Historic Properties
• Historic Preservation Tax Incentives
• 20% Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit
• State, Tribal, and Local Plans and Grants
• National Register of Historic Places
• Technical Preservation Services Publications

*Please note: The National Park Service frequently changes the URLs for their resources. Please alert us if you find a broken link. You can also do a web search by looking up the name of the resource listed above, as the resource most likely is still online (just in a new location).

National Trust for Historic Preservation:

• African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund
• Find Preservation Funding
• The National Main Street Center
• National Fund for Sacred Places
• Historic Tax Credits

Partners for Sacred Places:

• Partners for Sacred Places: Fundraising Guide

PreservationDirectory.com:

• Grants & Funding Sources
• Directory of State Historic Preservation Offices

Tax Credits & Incentives:

• See resources under "National Park Service" listed above
• Rehabilitation Tax Credit (Historic Preservation) FAQs (Internal Revenue Service)
• Rehabilitation Tax Credit - Real Estate Tax Tips (Internal Revenue Service)
• Rehabilitation Tax Credit PDF (Internal Revenue Service)
• Historic Preservation Tax Credits 101 (Heritage Ohio)
• Historic Preservation Tax Credits 201 (Heritage Ohio)
• Historic Tax Credit: Mini Edition (YouTube Presentation by Preservation Buffalo Niagara)

Preservation Easement Programs:

• Easements to Protect Historic Properties: A Useful Historic Preservation Tool with Potential Tax Benefits, prepared by the National Park Service, Technical Preservation Services
• Establishing and Operating an Easement Program to Protect Historic Resources by Elizabeth Watson and Stefan Nagel, updated by Julia H. Miller and Ross M. Bradford, with contributions by Thompson Mayes

Building Arts & Traditional Building Resources:

• Advisory Council on Historic Preservation: Traditional Trades Training Programs & Resources
• National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (National Park Service)

Arts Funding:

• Americans for the Arts: Funding Resources
• Grantmakers in the Arts
• National Endowment for the Arts: How the US Funds the Arts

Canada: General Funding Resources:

• National Trust for Canada: Regeneration Works - Find Funding
• National Trust for Canada
• The Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals

*Please note: The HistoricFunding.com database doesn't currently include resources for Canada, but we did want to provide some general resources to assist our friends to the North!