FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 13, 2008
IMLS Press Contacts
202-653-4632
Jeannine Mjoseth, jmjoseth@imls.gov
Mamie Bittner, mbittner@imls.gov
Apply Now to Become
a Preserve America Community
Next Quarterly Deadlines:
September 1 and December 1, 2008
Community leaders are encouraged to apply
for the Preserve America community designation, which
recognizes a community’s efforts to care for and
share its cultural and natural heritage. The designation
also makes the community eligible for special federal
funding. Preserve America is a White House initiative
conducted in cooperation with the Institute of Museum
and Library Services (IMLS) and other federal agencies.*
The last two 2008 application periods are September 1
and December 1. Applications
forms are available here.
Through participation in Preserve America,
communities share knowledge about the nation’s past,
strengthen local identities and local pride, increase
neighborhood participation in preserving the country’s
cultural and natural heritage assets, and support economic
vitality.
Once a community receives the Preserve America
designation, it is eligible to apply for Preserve America
grants, which may be used for research and documentation,
education and interpretation, planning, marketing, or
training. These grants, which must be matched by the community,
cannot be used for construction or repair projects. Last
year, the government awarded nearly $5 million in federal
funding for Preserve America grants. In 2008, $7.5 million
has been made available for the grants, which range from
$20,000 to $150,000.
Other benefits of the designation include:
- White House recognition, a certificate of recognition,
and inclusion in national and regional press releases;
- Official notification of designation to state tourism
offices and visitors bureaus;
- A Preserve America Community road sign and authorization
to use the Preserve America logo on signs, flags, banners,
and promotional materials;
- Listing in a Web-based Preserve America Community
directory; and
- Enhanced community visibility and pride.
The Preserve America program was established
by the Bush Administration in 2003 and, so far, Honorary
Chair and First Lady Laura Bush has awarded the designation
to more than 600 communities nationwide. This month, the
U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted to
authorize the program permanently.
To win the designation, applicants must
submit an application with written support from community
leaders and evidence of cultural or historic preservation
activities. Applicants must be:
- Municipalities or counties with an elected governing
official, or unincorporated communities within their
jurisdiction;
- Distinct neighborhoods within large cities or city-counties
with a population of 200,000 or greater; or
- Tribal communities (federally recognized) with an
elected governing official or subdivisions of such tribes.
*Partnering agencies include the Advisory
Council on Historic Preservation; the U.S. Departments
of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Housing
and Urban Development, Interior, and Transportation; the
General Services Administration; the National Endowment
for the Humanities; the President's Committee on the Arts
and the Humanities; and the President's Council on Environmental
Quality.
Further information is available at www.preserveamerica.gov
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