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Cultural and Arts Programs

Historic properties, particularly the historic built environment, can benefit from Federal funding programs that support projects in the arts, humanities, and museum development. The following are programs with the most obvious applicability to preservation projects.

Challenge Grants
Federal Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities
Recipients: Public agencies or private nonprofit organizations (except elementary and secondary schools)
www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/challenge.html

Challenge grants help institutions and organizations secure long-term support for, and improvements in, their humanities programs and resources. Funds can be used to create endowments for maintenance of facilities. In special circumstances, challenge grants can help with limited direct costs, including construction and renovation of facilities and conservation of collections.

Preservation Assistance Grants
Federal Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities
Recipients: Nonprofit organizations or institutions; State and local government agencies
www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/pag.html

These grants fund the preservation and conservation of collections. They cannot be used for capital improvements of buildings or structures.

Collaborative Research Grants (Humanities)
Federal Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities
Recipients: Nonprofit organizations or institutions; State and local government agencies; individuals www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/collaborative.html

These grants support original research in the humanities. Eligible projects include archeology projects that interpret and communicate the results of archaeological fieldwork. Projects may encompass survey, excavation, materials analysis, laboratory work, and field reports.

We the People: Challenge Grants in United States History, Institutions, and Culture
Federal Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities
Recipients: Public agencies or private nonprofit organizations
www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/wtpchallenge.html

These grants are designed to help institutions and organizations secure long-term improvements in and support for humanities activities focused on exploring significant themes and events in American history. Grants can be used to support construction and renovation, acquisition of materials and equipment, and direct expenditures through long-term depleting or bridging funds. Grants also can be used to establish endowments that generate expendable earnings for program activities.

Interpreting America's Historic Places projects may interpret a single historic site or house, a series of sites, an entire neighborhood, a town or community, or a larger geographical region.

Grants for Arts Projects: Design
Federal Agency: National Endowment for the Arts
Recipients: Nonprofit organizations; State and local governments; Indian tribes
www.nea.gov/grants/apply/Design.html

According to National Endowment for the Arts guidelines, historic preservation organizations that focus on architecture, landscape architecture, or designed objects should apply for funding under this program. Two categories of grants are applicable: Access to Artistic Excellence (Stewardship), and Challenge America Fast-Track Review Grants. Under the former, a broad range of historic preservation activities are eligible for funding. Under the latter, architectural studies, design competitions, charettes (design workshops), or feasibility plans for the renovation, restoration, or adaptive reuse of facilities or spaces for cultural activities are eligible. Funding is not available for actual renovation or construction costs.

Museum Assessment Program Grants
Federal Agency: Institute of Museum and Library Services
Eligibility: Non-profit museums
www.imls.gov/applicants/grants/museumAssessment.shtm

Museums, including historic house museums, can receive grants to perform institutional, collections management, public dimension, and governance assessments.

Conservation Project Support Grants
Federal Agency: Institute of Museum and Library Services
Eligibility: Nonprofit museums
www.imls.gov/applicants/grants/conservProject.shtm

These grants help museums identify conservation needs and priorities and perform activities to ensure the safekeeping of their collections and the buildings (including historic buildings) that house them.

Conservation Assessment Program Grants
Federal Agency: Institute of Museum and Library Services
Eligibility: Nonprofit museums
www.imls.gov/grants/conservAssessment.shtm

CAP funds surveys of museums' collections, environmental conditions, and sites. Museums with buildings over 50 years old receive additional funds for an architectural assessor to identify priorities for care of the building(s).

Updated May 19, 2008

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