WASHINGTON – The National Park Service (NPS) announced nearly $9.7 million in Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants to 13 subgrant programs in 12 states today to support economic development through the preservation of historic buildings in rural communities across the country.

These grants mark the fifth year of funding for the program honoring the late Paul Bruhn, executive director of the Preservation Trust of Vermont for nearly 40 years.  State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, Certified Local Governments, and nonprofits were eligible to apply for funding to create a subgrant program to fund multiple preservation projects in their rural jurisdictions.

“This National Park Service program is helping rural communities strengthen their economies through historic preservation,” said NPS Director Chuck Sams.  “The subgrant programs being carried out at the local level are supporting improvements to historic buildings and fostering economic development across the country.”

Grants awarded in this round will allow state and local governments and nonprofit organizations to develop subgrant programs and select individual projects in their rural communities for physical preservation projects that will contribute to economic vitality.
Some projects from this year’s grants include:

Montana – The Red Lodge Area Community Foundation will provide subgrants to renew community anchors in a flood-ravaged, historic community that serves as a gateway to Yellowstone National Park.

New York – The Erie Canalway National Heritage Area will provide subgrants for physical preservation of historic properties located in rural communities adjacent to the Mohawk River/New York State Barge Canal System in central New York.

Virginia - The Virginia Department of Historic Resources will provide subgrants to public and nonprofit-owned buildings in 25 rural counties in the Appalachian region of the state.

Congress appropriates funding for the program through the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF). The HPF, authorized through 2023, uses revenue from federal oil and gas leases on the Outer Continental Shelf, providing assistance for a broad range of preservation projects without expending tax dollars.   For more information about the grants and the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants program, please visit nps.gov. Congress has appropriated $12.5 million for FY23 funding with applications planned to be available in the fall of 2023.