2011 Federal Historic Preservation Grants

Applications for the next funding cycle are now available.  Applications will be accepted until 5:00 PM, January 29, 2011.  Grants will be awarded in Spring 2011.

Historic Preservation Grants are federal funds from the US Department of the Interior, National Park Service, and administered by the South Carolina Department of Archives and History. 

There are two categories of projects:  (1) Survey and Planning Projects, and (2) Stabilization Projects.  Please note the differences between the two categories regarding eligible activities and eligible applicants.

Eligible applicants
Due to recent state budget cuts, the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) has been forced to allocate an increased portion of its federal grant funds to help pay for the costs of staff and programs.  The exact amount of funding that will be available is not known at this time, however, it is anticipated the SHPO will only be able to offer funding to Certified Local Government (CLG) projects.   Therefore, ONLY CLGs may apply for grant funding in 2011.  Projects undertaken by third-parties may be funded only if the CLG applies on their behalf and the Chief Elected Official of the CLG signs the application.  The CLG must accept the grant and accept administrative responsibility for the grant.  Matching funds may be provided by the CLG, the third-party organization or some other non-Federal source (except Community Development Block Grants and Tribal Funds).

The SHPO will update this page and make an announcement if funding for non-CLG projects becomes available later in the grant year.

South Carolina's twenty-eight CLGs are: City of Abbeville, City of Aiken, City of Anderson, City of Beaufort, City of Bennettsville, Town of Bluffton, Town of Blythewood, City of Charleston, Town of Cheraw, City of Chester, Town of Chesterfield, City of Columbia, City of Conway, City of Darlington, City of Dillon, Town of Fort Mill, City of Georgetown, City of Greenville, Horry County, City of Laurens, Town of Lexington, Town of McClellanville, Town of Mount Pleasant, City of Rock Hill, City of Seneca, City of Spartanburg, City of Sumter, and City of York.


Survey and Planning Projects
Eligible projects
Survey and Planning Grants can be used for a variety of historic preservation projects under the following categories:

• Identifying, Recording, and recognizing Historic Properties
  • Surveys to record historic properties with historical or architectural importance in a town or county
  • Studies that identify potential locations of archaeological sites
  • Archaeological surveys of multiple sites
  • National Register nominations for historic districts or multiple properties

• Planning for Historic Districts and Multiple Historic Properties
  • Plans for historic districts which may include recommendations for streetscape improvements, landscaping, traffic flow, parking, building use, guidelines for new construction, zoning, gateways, etc.
  • Recommendations for rehabilitating facades in historic districts
  • Preparation of an historic preservation overlay zoning ordinance
  • Preparation of, or revisions to, the historic properties sections of local comprehensive plans

• Strengthening Local Government Historic Preservation Programs
  • Development and publication of design guidelines for planning and reviewing changes to locally designated historic properties and new construction in historic districts
  • Writing or amending preservation ordinances 
  • Publications to inform and educate property owners in locally designated historic districts

• Preservation Education
  • Preservation workshops or conferences
  • Curriculum materials for public schools
  • Walking/driving tours of historic districts, which may include audio-visual programs
  • Publications highlighting historic properties identified through surveys
  • Audio-visual programs about local historic properties
  • Technical assistance programs for owners of historic properties

• Planning for Individual Historic Properties
  • Feasibility and adaptive re-use studies for a historic building
  • Conditions assessment for a historic building
  • Plans and specifications for repairs to a historic building
  • Studies and management plans for archaeological sites

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Stabilization Projects 
Building Stabilization Projects
CLG grant funds may be used to help pay for stabilization repairs to National Register-listed buildings (excluding churches and church-owned property). Examples of eligible projects include replacing a leaking roof, repairing the structural framework of a building, and repairing deteriorated doors and windows to make a building watertight. Routine maintenance, climate control, and plumbing/electrical are not eligible for funding. Interior work is not eligible unless it is structural.  All work must meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.

To be considered for funding, all applications for Stabilization projects must include complete “bid-ready” plans and specifications for proposed work prepared by an architect or appropriate qualified professional.

Grant Requirements
Match and reimbursement
Because these are 50/50 reimbursable matching grants, each grant applicant must demonstrate a dollar-for-dollar match and pay for the project costs up front. Matching funds must be from any non-federal source, except in the case of Community Development Block Grant funds and certain tribal funds. The South Carolina Department of Archives and History will reimburse grantees after it approves the project work and receives appropriate documentation of expenditures. 

Selection process
Grants are awarded on a competitive basis through a review process that considers the merits of each application based on the selection criteria (outlined below).  

A committee made up of SHPO staff will review applications. The committee will rank applications according to the selection criteria.  Applications will be funded in the order that they are ranked until all available funds are depleted. The SHPO will seek the concurrence of the South Carolina Archives and History Commission before awarding grants.  Grants will be awarded in Spring 2010 upon receipt of funding authority from the National Park Service (usually in May or June).  

Selection criteria
Threshold Criteria
Applications that do not meet all of the following criteria will be rejected:

• Application is completed and all blanks are filled in.
• Application is signed by the appropriate authority.
• All required attachments are included (résumés, photographs, maps, budget justification).
• The required number of copies of the application have been submitted.
• Application was received on time.

All projects that meet the Threshold Criteria will be rated according to these criteria:

• Project is well-planned, proposes a sound methodology, has an appropriate budget, and will use qualified personnel.
• Project will have a demonstrable benefit for the public and increase public awareness and involvement in historic preservation.
• Project will help implement the local comprehensive plan, or is the result of another larger planning process.
• Project involves historic or prehistoric resources threatened by neglect, development pressures, a lack of adequate funding, etc. 
•  Project involves historic or prehistoric resources significant at the local, state, or national levels, or resources significant for African American or Native American historical association, or resources significant for being among the last of their type existing.

Additional Criteria:  Where applicable, previous grant projects on the same property and/or the applicant’s past performance on grant projects will be considered.