New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency

New Jersey Historic Trust Announces Grant Money Available for Preservation Planning

For Immediate Release:
December 13, 2017
Contact:
Lisa Ryan
(609) 292-6055

TRENTON - The New Jersey Historic Trust (Trust) today announced a new grant round for the Preserve New Jersey Historic Preservation Fund that will provide up to a total of $1 million in Historic Site Management matching grants. Applications for funding are due May 3, 2018.

Historic Site Management grants help owners and stewards of historic properties gain a better understanding of preservation needs, enhance long-term planning for the operations and programs, and broaden public awareness and enjoyment of historic sites. The planning grants range from $5,000 to $50,000 and require a match from the grantee of at least $1 for each $3 in request.

“Planning grants enable historic site managers to hire professional assistance for their projects and prepare for repair, restoration, and rehabilitation work,” explained Dorothy P. Guzzo, the Trust’s executive director.  “We see stronger ‘bricks and mortar’ applications for historic preservation when the proper planning has been done.”

Eligible properties must be listed in the New Jersey or National Register of Historic Places, contribute to the significance of a historic district listed in the New Jersey or National Register of Historic Places; or be certified as eligible for listing by the Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer by August 1, 2018. Eligible applicants are agencies or entities of state, county or municipal government, or nonprofit organizations which are certified tax-exempt and comply with New Jersey charity registration laws. Owner consent is required to apply.

Eligible project proposals are non-construction activities related directly to preservation activities: feasibility studies, existing conditions documentation, planning for ADA compliance, National Register nominations, maintenance plans, disaster preparedness plans, master or strategic plans, and heritage tourism plans.

All projects selected for funding by the New Jersey Historic Trust’s Board of Trustees will require the approval of the Garden State Preservation Trust, the New Jersey Legislature and Governor before grant funds can be released.

Grant Round Schedule

Wednesday, December 13, 2017 - Applications and guidelines are available on the Trust's web site: www.njht.org. Applicants may request a paper copy by calling (609) 984-0473 or by emailing njht@dca.nj.gov.

Wednesday, January 24, 2018 – Potential applicants and professional consultants are encouraged to attend an applicant workshop at 1 p.m. at the Rutgers Eco-Complex in Bordentown. Historic Trust staff will review the application and guidelines for this grant round, and additional featured topics will address archaeological expectations, the standards for preparing preservation plans and historic structure report, and improving site interpretation. (Snow date is Tuesday, February 6, 2018). The workshop is free. Seating is limited. Register at the Eventbrite link posted on www.njht.org/applguid

Thursday, May 3, 2018 (4 p.m. deadline) – Final and complete applications may be mailed to NJ Historic Trust, Box 457, Trenton, NJ 08625. Alternatively, applications may be delivered in person to the Historic Trust’s Trenton office at 101 South Broad Street. Applications may be submitted prior to the deadline. No late submissions will be accepted.

Established in 1967, the New Jersey Historic Trust is the only nonprofit historic preservation organization in New Jersey created by state law.  An affiliate of the Department of Community Affairs, the Trust’s mission is to advance historic preservation in New Jersey for the benefit of future generations through education, stewardship and financial investment programs that save our heritage and strengthen our communities. Since 1990, the Historic Trust has awarded more than $145 million in matching preservation grants to sites in every county of the state. Visit www.njht.org for more information about other funding opportunities, or call (609) 984 0473.