Other Financial Incentives

Please note: the following descriptions are very brief and do not include all grant restrictions and requirements.

American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP) Grants: Federal, state, local, and tribal governments, nonprofit organizations and educational institutions are eligible for these grants. The grants are for projects that lead to the protection of battlefield land and sites associated with battlefields. Types of eligible projects range from historical research to archaeological surveys to preservation plans to public education. The grants do not fund land acquisition or capital improvement projects. Grant awards are made once each year. The average grant is around $25,000. The ABPP is a program of the National Park Service. For more information, visit the ABPP website at http://www2.cr.nps.gov/abpp/.

Preserve America Grants:  Eligible applicants for these federal grants include designated Preserve America communities and neighborhoods, Certified Local Governments (CLGs) in the process of applying for Preserve America designation, State Historic Preservation Offices, and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices.  The grants, which are administered by the National Park Service, support preservation efforts through heritage tourism, education, and historic preservation planning.  Each grant requires a dollar-for-dollar match.  The minimum grant request is $20,000; the maximum grant request is $150,000.  More information about Preserve America communities and the Preserve America grants program is available at http://www.preserveamerica.gov/.  

Preservation Services Fund Grants: Administered by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, these grants are awarded to nonprofit organizations and public agencies for preservation planning and education efforts. The matching grants range from $500 to $5,000 (typically from $1,000 to $1,500). Funds may be used to obtain professional expertise in areas such as architecture, archaeology, engineering, preservation planning, land-use planning, fund raising, organizational development, and law as well as preservation education activities to educate the public. Application deadlines are February 1, June 1, and October 1. For more information, contact the Southern Office of the National Trust for Historic Preservation at 843-722-8552 or soro@nthp.org and the National Trust website at http://www.nationaltrust.org/help/grants.html.

Save America’s Treasures Grants: These grants, which are administered by the National Park Service, are awarded for preservation work on nationally significant historic structures and sites. Grant amounts range from $250,000 to $1 million. All the awards must be matched. Nonprofit organizations, units of state or local government, federally recognized Indian Tribes, and some federal agencies are eligible to apply. The State Historic Preservation Office reviews plans for funded projects. More information about Save America’s Treasures grants is available at http://wwwnps.gov/history/hps/treasures/.

Please note: Properties are listed in the National Register at the local, state, or national level of significance. Most properties are listed at the state or local level. Only a small percentage meet the National Park Service standard for national significance. Check with the State Historic Preservation Office to determine if your property meets this standard before you begin the application process. You can contact Andrew Chandler at 803-896-6179.

South Carolina Conservation Bank Grants: The Conservation Bank was created to protect the state’s significant natural resource lands, wetlands, historical properties, and archaeological sites. The Bank will provide grants or loans for the outright purchase of a property or the acquisition of an easement to protect a property. Eligible recipients of the grants include not-for-profit charitable corporations or trusts whose principal activity is the acquisition and management of interests in land for conservation or historic preservation purposes; municipalities of the state; the SC Department of Natural Resources; the SC Forestry Commission; and the SC Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. There must be some provision for public access to the property that is protected. There are two application cycles each year with deadlines on March 31 and July 31.  For more information call Marvin N. Davant, Director of the SC Conservation Bank, at 803-734-3986, or visit the Conservation Bank website at http://sccbank.sc.gov/.

Transportation Enhancement Grants: These grants, administered by the SC Department of Transportation (SCDOT), can fund a range of activities to enhance the transportation experience. Eligible categories include [but are not limited to] acquisition of scenic or historic sites; historic preservation; rehabilitation and operation of historic transportation properties; archaeological research and planning; scenic or historic highway programs; establishment of transportation museums; and landscaping and streetscape improvements. All historic preservation projects must be directly related to the transportation system and involve properties that are listed in or eligible for the National Register. Local governments or state agencies are eligible to receive the grants. A 20% match is required. The State Historic Preservation Office reviews plans for funded projects that affect historic properties. Grants in urban areas are administered by the Metropolitan Planning Organizations. There is an annual statewide competitive grants cycle for projects in the rural areas. More information is available at http://www.dot.state.sc.us/community/tep.shtml.