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State, Tribal, and Local

All States and many Indian tribes and local governments have historic preservation programs. Like the Federal Government, they support private preservation efforts, fund the stewardship of government-owned historic properties, and offer incentives for preservation.

State Preservation Grants and Loans
State Preservation Tax Incentives
State Heritage Area Programs
Tribal Preservation Programs
Local Preservation Programs

State Preservation Project Grants and Loans

Among States, most administer historic preservation grant or loan programs. The majority of these are funded by Federal Historic Preservation Program funds, direct State legislative appropriation, and bond sales. Some programs receive a dedicated percentage of tax revenues from hotel/motel taxes, property taxes, real estate transfer taxes, and sales taxes, to name a few sources.

In Colorado, for instance, 28 percent of all State gaming tax revenues (about $15 million annually) go to the State Historical Fund grant program. Another source of dollars is State lottery proceeds, which are used to fund grant programs in Arizona and Oregon. In New Hampshire, a portion of the revenue from sales of a conservation license plate helps fund preservation programs.

To determine if your state has a grant or loan program, ask your State Historic Preservation Office. Contact information is available at www.ncshpo.org/stateinfolist/fulllist.htm.

State Preservation Tax Incentives
www.preservationnation.org/resources/find-funding/additional-resources/taxincentives.pdf (a State-by-State summary)

According to a 2007 survey by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, 30 states and the District of Columbia have state income tax credits for rehabilitation of historic properties. Unlike the Federal preservation tax credit, most State credits apply to both commercial and residential rehabilitations. States also use property tax abatement as a tool to encourage preservation projects.

State Heritage Area Programs

A number of states have created heritage area programs which share characteristics with their national counterpart. In some States, this includes dedicated State funding to support heritage area development and project implementation. Across the country, such as in Utah, Texas, Illinois, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, projects in State heritage areas are eligible for special State grants.

To determine if your State has a heritage area program, ask your State Historic Preservation Office. Contact information is available at www.ncshpo.org/stateinfolist/fulllist.htm.

Tribal Preservation Programs

To determine what financial assistance is available from an Indian tribe, contact the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer or officials identified in the National Park Service Native American Consultation Database at http://home.nps.gov/nacd/.

Local Preservation Programs

To determine what financial assistance is available from a local government, contact the historic preservation commission or agency, if one exists. Otherwise, check with the planning agency, community development agency, or other appropriate branch of local government. More than 1,200 local governments are Certified Local Governments (CLGs) that have preservation programs endorsed by the State and National Park Service as meeting certain criteria. For contact information for CLGs, visit http://grants.cr.nps.gov/CLGs/CLG_Search.cfm.

Updated May 19, 2008

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