RURAL REVITALIZATION SUBGRANT PURPOSE

Colorado Preservation, Inc. (CPI) received an award from the National Park Service’s Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant to develop a subgrant program to support and stimulate historic preservation projects in Colorado’s rural historic downtowns. This subgrant program aims to broaden support and understanding for preservation by fostering key projects to spur and maintain local property investment, especially among private property owners. Private Property owners, nonprofit organizations, and municipalities are eligible to apply.

Colorado has a strong preservation ethic supported by organizations like CPI, incentives like the state’s historic preservation tax credit program, and grant funding through History Colorado’s State Historical Fund. But limited funding is available for private property owners (a majority of whom own contributing buildings in National Register Historic Districts). This lack of initiatives demonstrates an urgency for a subgrant program to spark community revitalization in rural Colorado of which there is an abundant stock of nationally significant buildings.

A review of Colorado’s National Register (NR) reveals there are currently over 200 individual National Register listings, of which 50% are within historic districts. In addition to the individually listed resources, there are hundreds of important buildings within rural Colorado that are listed as contributing buildings within historic districts. This subgrant program seeks to be a catalyst for positive preservation ethic in rural communities, support local economic development and provide critical funds to important projects statewide.

IMPORTANT DATES:

April 10, 2023: Applications Open

June 10, 2023: Application Deadline

August 10, 2023: Grant awards announced

July 1, 2025: Projects must be completed

GRANT REQUIREMENTS:

❑ Project must be within rural community in Colorado (defined as 50,000 >population)

❑ Projects must be listed or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places or a contributing building within a National Register Historic District. If eligible for listing the property must be officially listed by the end of the grant period.

❑ Grant awards will be between $10,000 and $150,000

❑ Grants awarded between $10,000 and $50,000 require a five-year Preservation Agreement that is not recorded with the deed

❑ Grant awards between $50,001 and $150,000 require a ten-year preservation covenant/easement (if one not already running with the property)

❑ Projects must comply with the Secretary of the Interior Standards

❑ Projects must exhibit strong public and community benefit

❑ $612,000 in total will be awarded to eligible projects

❑ There is a 25% match required for the grant award amount (note nonprofit and private property owner match is the same at 25% of the grant award).

REQUIREMENTS IF AWARDED FUNDING:

❑ Awarded projects will have a kickoff meeting with CPI before work begins

❑ Awardees must complete periodic progress reports throughout the grant period Awardees will be required to provide period progress photographs

❑ Awardees will be required to provide invoices & financial information to CPI for payment; funds will be paid on a reimbursement basis

❑ Awardees will be required to post a banner of notification of the award design provided by CPI

❑ Awardees allow CPI use of photographs of the project and other materials collected throughout the grant

Grant Selection Process

CPI anticipates a highly competitive application process in the awarding of the $612,000 to historic preservation projects in rural communities across Colorado. The information below highlights background on the award selection process.

Project Selection

❑ Priority will be given to privately owned properties in highly visible rural commercial areas and those that leverage existing partnerships and programs (such as historic preservation tax credits)

❑ Preference will be given to projects supporting the preservation of underrepresented and marginalized communities with resources representing Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) either through their history, current ownership, as well as current or future use of the building

❑ Applications for projects located within Certified Local Government jurisdictions and/or those with historic preservation boards and commissions will be given preference as well as those tied to programs like Colorado’s Main Street and Colorado’s Most Endangered Places Program.

❑ Projects that show strong public benefit and strong community impact will rank higher as well as those exhibiting strong urgency

❑ Projects will be selected through a committee made up of CPI board and staff, consultants as well as partner organizations such as Colorado’s Main Street Program, History Colorado, the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation as well as appropriate preservation nonprofit organization representatives

EXAMPLES OF INELIGIBLE PROJECTS:

Removal of historic elements; replacement of historic elements with non-historic alternatives; power washing or sandblasting of brick; new adobe/stucco/false fronts; painting of unpainted brick or other historic material, topically applied roofing insulation. Fire suppression, electrical panels, rewiring of the building electrical systems not associated with an improvement. All elements must be approved by historic preservation boards and meet Secretary of the Interior’s Standards.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications must be submitted by 5:00pm June 10, 2023. To be considered a complete application all questions must be answered.

Please check all boxes that describe the applicant:

National Register Status

To be eligible for funding the property must be listed on the National Register of Historic Places, eligible for listing or contributing to a National Register Historic District:

Individually listed

Determined eligible for listing (must be listed by the end of the grant period)

Contributing building

A request has been submitted for a determination of eligibility (must be listed by the end of the grant period)

Not Listed

Unsure

Check Certified Local Districts here https://www.historycolorado.org/certified-local-districts

Check Individually Listed Resources here https://www.historycolorado.org/national-state-register-listed-properties

Compliance with Standards

To be eligible for grant funds, your project must comply with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. Standards may be accessed here: https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1739/index.htm

Will your project comply with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards? Yes No

Unsure

Covenant/Easement Requirement

To be eligible for grant funds there is a covenant and/or easement requirement depending on the amount of awarded funds.

There is already an existing easement on the building

Yes, I understand and am willing to meet the requirement

No, I am not willing to meet this requirement

Project Budget

Grant Request Amount

Please check the range for your grant request

$10,000 to $50,000

$50,001 to $150,000

Project Completion Date

Will your project be completed by July 1, 2025?

Yes No

Project Type

Please select your project type(s)

Roof Replacement or Repair Foundation Work

Structural Repairs Façade Restoration or Repair

Window Restoration or Repair Other _____________________

Project Timing

Please confirm that work on your project has not yet begun.

Yes, work has not started Work has started

Total Project Cost

$

Amount of Available Match

Please note a 25% match on the grant award is required. Match is defined as the money the owner will have to put towards the grant project.

Grant Amount Requested

Do You Plan on Using In-Kind as Match?

Please note In-Kind is defined as work that will be invoiced by a qualified contractor

Yes, if yes what % match will be in-kind _________% No

Unsure

Do you plan to apply for State or Federal Historic Preservation Tax Credits? Yes No Unsure

Did you know Colorado has a 20-25% tax credit program designed to encourage the renovation and reuse of older buildings? This allows for a 20-25% state tax credit for the rehabilitation of historic, owneroccupied residences and a 20-25% tax credit for the rehabilitation of historic buildings used for incomeproducing properties.

Would you like more information on Colorado’s Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program? Yes No

Do you plan on applying for other grants for this project?

Yes, if yes please list which______________________________________ No Unsure

Preservation Ethic

Please describe your local community’s preservation ethic to the best of your knowledge (put n/a if you are not aware). Provide information on how historic preservation is seen locally, is it generally supported by the public, etc.?

500 word max

Project Significance & Community Impact

Historic Resource Description

Describe the historic resource and why it is important at the national, state, tribal and/or local level.

500 words max

Location

Describe the location of the historic resource and its placement within the community

500 words max

Rural Community Impact

Briefly discuss how the project will support the history of the local community and would enhance future generations.

1,000 words max

Economic Development Impact

Describe how the project will bring new or increased economic development activity to the community.

500 words max

Description of Restoration/Preservation Work

Please provide a brief description of the proposed rehabilitation/restoration work and how grant funds would be used. Discuss how the project will meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards. Have any engineering or architectural plans been developed to date? Have project estimates been secured? If so, please describe.

1,500 words max

Ownership

Who currently owns the building and are they in support of this application?

BIPOC

Does this building (in its history, current ownership, or use) have connections to marginalized voices of history? For example, Black, Indigenous or People of Color? If so, please describe.

500 words max

Funding

Has this project received other funding? Are there plans to apply for additional funding in the future? If so, please describe.

500 words max

Public Benefit

Describe the potential public impact if the project is funded. Please only add information not previously discussed.

1,000 words max

Please describe how funding could affect historic preservation awareness and sentiment in your community

1,000 words max

Does the project include any energy efficiency upgrades? If so, please describe.

500 words max

If energy efficiency upgrades will occur, how will the upgrades relate to the overall preservation of the building?

500 words max

Methodology

Project Team

Please describe who will be managing the grant if awarded the funds and their qualifications. Please also talk about contractor experience regarding their work with historic buildings.

1,000 words max

Timeline

Please provide a project timeline. The work must start after the grant award and will require federal review once the project is complete.

Urgency

Please describe why this project should be funded and the urgency of funding.

500 words max

Budget Narrative

Describe what steps have been taken to determine the project budget and ensure its accuracy. Please note any anticipated challenges.

500 words max

Project Partners and Supporters

Project Partners

Please Check all that apply

The building is in a Colorado Main Street Community

The building is in a Creative District Community

The building is listed as one of Colorado’s Most Endangered Places

The building has received State Historical Funding

The building has or will be going for State or Federal Historic Preservation Tax Credits

Please provide information for organizations or individuals providing support or have expressed interest in the project. Provide names, organizations if applicable, mailing addresses, emails and contact numbers. Please describe their involvement/interest in the project.

Are you familiar with the work of Colorado Preservation, Inc? Yes

Have you ever attended Colorado Preservation Inc’s Saving Places Conference?

Attachments

Plans

Engineering Places, Architectural Plans, and/or Cost Estimates

Photographs

Attach historic and current photographs of the building. Make sure to include context photos that show the property as it sits on the street and details of the work that needs to be completed.

Qualifications

Please attach any resumes and/or relevant information about contractors, architects, project managers, etc. who will be working on the project if awarded.

Letters of Support

Provide at least 3 letters of support for the proposed project.

Project Budget

Fill out the Project Budget Spreadsheet and attach it. If other funding has been secured please attach a sheet breaking down total awarded funds.

Protection Requirement

Please note that depending on the grant award amount a projection covenant or easement will be required (unless one already exists on the property). Grant awards less than $50,000 require a 5-year preservation agreement (not recorded with the deed) and awards over $50,000 require a 10-year preservation covenant/easement (recorded with the deed).

If the property is currently protected by a perpetual or other preservation covenant/easement that meets or exceeds the requirements of this grant program as determined by the NPS, no additional duration or restrictions are necessary.

Checking this box authorizes that you are aware of this requirement for grant funds and approve of the restriction. Please note, not checking this box will disqualify your application.

I understand the required restrictions and agree to their terms and conditions.

I do not agree to the terms and conditions required.

Typing in your name acts as your official signature. Your name certifies that you have personally reviewed this application and that the information presented is complete and accurate.