Emergency Supplemental Historic Preservation Fund

The objectives of this supplemental funding is to provide for necessary expenses related to the consequences of disasters, including costs to States, Tribes, and territories. Funds may be used for historic and cultural resource preservation work in t

This Assistance Listing provides disaster recovery grants to support the preservation and repair of historic and cultural resources listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places or equivalent Tribal register. Funding may be used for preservation work eligible under the National Historic Preservation Act (54 USC 3001 et seq.) that also meets the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation. Eligible projects include physical repairs to historic properties, survey and inventory of historic and cultural resources, compliance activities, disaster planning, and administrative and capacity support within areas receiving major disaster declarations. Funding should substantially mitigate disaster-caused damage and future risk.

Eligible applicants are defined as applicants in either the National Historic Preservation Act (54 USC 3001 et seq.), appropriations law and/or congressionally approved spending plans. They may include: State Historic Preservation Offices in the 50 states, 5 territories, 3 Freely Associated States, and District of Columbia (SHPOs); States; Tribal governments with signed Memorandum of Agreements with the National Park Service to assume the duties of the State Historic Preservation Office on Tribal lands, as defined in 54 USC 3001 et seq. (THPOs); Federally-recognized Tribes, Alaska Native Villages/Corporations, and Native Hawaiian Organizations as defined by 54 USC § 300309, 54 USC 300313 and 54 USC 300314 (Tribes); local governments (including Certified Local Governments); and/or nonprofits. Some programs may not be open to all of these entities, dependent on Congressional intent. Eligible projects must be for sites listed in or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, or similar Tribal register, and must be located within areas receiving FEMA major disaster declarations under the Stafford Act. If not listed, projects must prepare a nomination and secure listing by the NPS prior to the completion of the grant project.

States and Tribes

Emergency Supplemental Historic Preservation Fund (ESHPF) grants must be used to preserve historic and cultural resources located in areas that have received major disaster declarations and are listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places or similar Tribal register. Grants assist in physical repairs to historic properties, survey and inventory of historic and cultural resources, compliance activities, disaster planning, and administration activities necessary to carry out the preceding activities. All funded projects must follow the applicable Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation. In accordance with 54 USC 302902, grantees must agree to assume, after completion of a rehabilitation project, the cost of the continued maintenance, repair, and administration of the property in a manner satisfactory to the Secretary of the Interior. Restrictions on the use of funding are set by Congress and the parameters of the specific supplemental appropriation as well as in the National Historic Preservation Act (54 USC 3001 et seq.), 36 CFR 61, the Historic Preservation Fund Grants Manual, and 2 CFR 200. Acquisition, local government certification, and tax incentives are not eligible activities. Project work must comply with what is popularly referred to as Section 106 (54 USC 306108) and Section 110 (54 USC 306107) of the National Historic Preservation Act as well as the National Environmental Policy Act (PL 91-190).

Funding is available for an initial 3 years of obligation. Assistance is released on a reimbursable basis as costs are incurred. Within 1 year from award, projects must show substantial progress or NPS may consider recapture and reallocation of funds. For no year funding, NPS will again assess progress at 3 years and consider recapture and reallocation of funds as needed. Additional extensions of performance period may be approved by NPS if there has been substantial progress on the project. If no substantial progress has been made, NPS may consider recapture and reallocation of funds.

Specific evaluation criteria are included in the funding announcements posted on Grants.gov. They generally include significance of the resource, threat to the resource, feasibility of the project, and sustainability after the federal investment. NPS may also use planning numbers derived from US Census and FEMA data to guide allocation of funding across affected areas.

A supplemental appropriation is allocated by Congress to the National Park Service under the Historic Preservation Fund for disaster recovery in areas that have received a major disaster declaration pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.). Grants may be awarded through competitive and/or formula criteria, which may vary by appropriation. Merit review of applications under defined criteria will be undertaken by qualified federal staff. Review may use planning numbers derived from US Census and FEMA data to guide allocation of funding across affected areas. Recommendations are sent for NPS Director approval and grants announced first to Congress and then publicly. Each appropriation may have unique review criteria and funding limitations based on statute and congressional intent.

From 120 to 180 days. The date range for approval or disapproval varies depending on the type, complexity, and number of applications received. Review of applications and award announcements generally within 6 months of the application due date, depending on any additional review by the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, or Congress.

Grants may be extended on a case-by-case basis should there be documented progress, more time for project work is warranted, and is allowed for the period of obligation.