The Preserve America Initiative An Overview

The Preserve America Initiative An Overview

Preserve America Program White House initiative First announced by the First Lady March 3, 2003 President signed Executive Order 13287: Preserve America on same day

Preserve America Goals Promote appreciation for Nation's heritage Increase participation in preserving and using heritage assets Support economic revitalization Strengthen local identity and pride

Federal Partners for Preserve America White House Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Departments of -- Interior, Commerce, Agriculture, Housing & Urban Development, Education, Defense, Transportation National Endowment for the Humanities President s Committee on Arts & Humanities

Celebrating Community Achievements Designation of Preserve America Communities Cities, towns, counties, and tribes may apply -- over 600 designated to date. Astoria, Oregon -- a Preserve America Community Historic neighborhoods in cities of over 200,000 can also apply for designation. Applications at www. preserveamerica.gov

PA Community Designation Administered by the ACHP - not NPS Designation application separate from Grant application - honorary Designation deadlines: first of March, June, September, and December but ACHP will accept on a rolling basis CLGs must have designation form to ACHP by grant deadline to be eligible for funding All other communities must be previously PA designated before they can apply for funds

Recognizing Notable Projects and Programs Preserve America Presidential Awards Four awards annually Themes of heritage tourism & privately funded preservation Applications at www.preserveamerica.gov Oval Office Award Presentation to Texas Heritage Trails Program

Encouraging Learning Partnership with The History Channel Save Our History education campaign and grants program Partnership with the Gilder-Lehrman Institute of American History History Teacher of the Year awarded by First Lady

Funding Heritage Tourism: Preserve America Grants $7.5 million in FY 2008 to be awarded in two rounds Administered by National Park Service in consultation with ACHP Eligible applicants PA Communities Certified Local Governments applying for PA Community status State Historic Preservation Offices Tribal Historic Preservation Offices

Executive Order 13287 Federal agencies must take specific actions to: build preservation partnerships improve agency planning and accountability improve Federal stewardship of historic properties promote preservation through heritage tourism

Some Federal Funding Programs Related to Preserve America US Department of Agriculture Community Facilities Loan and Grant program Economic Development Administration public works and planning grants Department of Transportation Transportation Enhancements and National Scenic Byways Program National Endowment for the Humanities Interpreting America s Historic Places Planning Grants

Federal Funding and Technical Assistance Federal Programs that Can Support Heritage Tourism www.achp.gov/heritage tourism-assist.html Sources of Financial Assistance for Historic Preservation Projects www.preserveamerica.gov/ clearinghouse

Some Related Federal Agency Publications HUD: Preserving America NOAA: NOAA & the Preserve America Initiative DOD: Military Heritage Guidebook

For More Information www.preserveamerica.gov www.achp.gov ACHP Office of Preservation Initiatives 202-606-8505 ACHP Office of Communications, Education, and Outreach 202-606-8503

National Park Service Heritage Preservation Assistance Programs Historic Preservation Grants Division Preserve America Federal Grants Program

Preserve America Grants Focus on heritage tourism and economic development of communities Southeast Colorado Heritage Tourism Program Program of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, grants are managed by NPS Eligible to Apply: Preserve America designated communities and neighborhoods Certified Local Governments in the process of becoming Preserve America designated State Historic Preservation Offices Tribal Preservation Offices

What does PA fund? Support a variety of activities related to heritage tourism and innovative approaches to the use of historic properties as educational and economic assets.. Planning Grants in Five Categories: Research and Documentation Interpretation and Education Planning Marketing Training Rebuilding Mississippi s Heritage Tourism Industry Post Hurricane Katrina

PA Grant Requirements All grants require a dollar-for-dollar match Cash or in-kind, non-federal funds Only CDBG funds from HUD can qualify as match Show the match in hand or a plan for raising it Cannot assist with fundraising All consultants and project work must be selected competitively Projects should last no more than 2-3 years Work cannot take place prior to the grant award By law, only one PA award per project ONLY planning - no bricks & mortar

Preserve America Details $7.5 million to award in FY 2008 Applications available online, paper process Deadlines: Round 1: December 12, 2007, Awards made April 8 Round 2: June 30, 2008, Awards in early September Requires dollar for dollar non-federal match Minimum request $20,000 ($40,000 project) Maximum request $250,000 ($500,000 project) Can cluster projects or subgrant through SHPOs

Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office Wyoming Local Preservation & Tourism Training - $25,500 Training The State Office s goal is to educate the local preservation commissions in Wyoming on the basics of historic preservation and heritage tourism. Several one day training sessions will be held across the state and target existing Preserve America communities and Certified Local Governments.

Cheyenne, Wyoming Cheyenne Heritage Education Project - $52,500 Education & Interpretation As the capital of Wyoming, Cheyenne serves as one of the primary gateways to the State; however, it lacks signage that interprets and educates the public of its important heritage. Funds will be used to research and write interpretative and educational materials, design and install twenty-one historical markers, and print both walking and driving tour pamphlets for free distribution to the approximate 1.5 million yearly visitors to Cheyenne.

Evanston, Wyoming Evanston s Historic Roundhouse & Rail Yards Visitor Center Planning Project - $30,000 Planning The City of Evanston will develop a comprehensive architectural design plan that will enable the City to plan for the preservation and adaptive reuse of the Oil House as a visitor center.

State Historical Society of Colorado Southeast Colorado Heritage Tourism Program - $130,000 Marketing Create a regional marketing program for heritage tourism in a six-county rural region of Southeast Colorado. This public-private partnership will result in increased visitation and revenues to both historic sites and to local tourism supported businesses.

Simsbury, Connecticut Simsbury: New England Nearby - $50,000 Marketing

Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission Pennsylvania Rural History Project - $75,000 Research and Documentation Conduct a field survey of historic farming resources and a historical context of the agricultural development of Washington and Greene Counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Kansas State Historical Society Promotion of 18 Kansas Historic Sites - $100,000 Marketing Interpretive Exhibits for Fort Hays Guardhouse Site - $114,866 Interpretation and Education

Arkansas State Historic Preservation Office Developing Rural Heritage Tourism in the Delta - $150,000 Preservation Planning for Local Communities - $150,000 Planning

Mississippi Department of Archives & History Rebuilding Mississippi s Heritage Tourism Industry Post Hurricane Katrina $150,000 Research and documentation Assess the damage to culturally significant properties, examine means and resources, as well as the development of plans, for preserving the region s remaining cultural resources. Seek to identify previously under-recognized historic resources, and to promote the region s historic and cultural assets through a comprehensive heritage tourism plan.

Chesterfield, South Carolina Historic Chesterfield Marketing Project - $27,000 Marketing Marketing Chesterfield s unique and varied resources for increased heritage tourism.

City of Georgetown, Colorado Wayfinding and marker Project - $33,000 Marketing Place wayfinding signs and markers to guide the heritage tourist to the outstanding historic sites in the Georgetown portion of Colorado s Georgetown-Silver Plume National Historic Landmark District.

City of Rock Island, Illinois Hosting Heritage Tourism in Rock Island - $43,342 Planning Conduct the planning necessary to open and operate a satellite visitor center of the Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau in a designated landmark building in Rock Island that is currently threatened with demolition.

Preserve America to date. Over 600 PA Communities and Neighborhoods designated $30 million in funding requested 415 grant applications received Awarded a total of $13.4 million to 185 projects Grants awarded in 37 states

www.nps.gov/history/hps/hpg/preserveamerica For designation information contact the Advisory Council for Historic Preservation www.preserveamerica.gov (202) 606-8503