State, Tribal, and Local Plans & Grants
  • preservation work in action at Fort Davis

    Certified Local Government Program


    Cultural Resources National Park Service

Certified Local Government Program
& Local Preservation Tools

Preservation through Partnership: this is the goal of the Certified Local Government (CLG) Program.  Local, State, and Federal governments work together in the Federal Preservation Program to help communities save the irreplaceable historic character of places.  Through the certification process, communities make a local commitment to historic preservation. This commitment is key to America’s ability to preserve, protect, and increase awareness of  our unique cultural heritage found in the built environment across the country.

How
Jointly administered by the National Park Service (NPS) and the State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs), each local community works through a certification process to become recognized as a Certified Local Government (CLG). Once certified CLGs become an active partner in the Federal Historic Preservation Program. Each community gains access to benefits of the program and agrees to follow required Federal and State requirements. The How To Become a CLG page will help you get started.

Why
Community certification opens doors to funding, technical assistance, and other preservation successes.

  • Funding: States receive annual appropriations from the Federal Historic Preservation Fund.  States are required to give at least 10% of their funding to CLGs as subgrants.  These grants can fund a wide variety of projects including: surveys, National Register nominations, rehabilitation work, design guidelines, educational programs, training, structural assessments, and feasibility studies, to name a few.
  • Technical Assistance: As a CLG, communities have direct access to SHPO staff for assistance with their commission, building assessments, surveys and nominations, and general preservation assistance.  State staff and NPS offer regular training for CLGs as well, an added benefit of the partnership. Each SHPO has a designated CLG Coordinator.
  • Sustainability: Historic preservation has proven economic, environmental, and social benefits.  Studies show that historic districts maintain higher property values, less population decline, more walkability and greater sense of community.
Being a CLG demonstrates your community's commitment to saving what is important from the past for future generations. As a certified community it becomes easy to demonstrate a readiness to take on successful preservation projects, making your community able to compete for new opportunities!