CLG Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1772 Foundation

Historic Properties Redevelopment Program: This program supports real estate “revolving funds," feasibility studies, real estate training, capital investments, and convenings
- Project Types: Historic property redevelopment program development/implementation
- Eligible Applicants: Nonprofits
- Link: https://www.1772foundation.org

Americana Foundation

American Heritage Grant Program: This program supports organizations that preserve, protect, and promote expressions of America’s heritage as a bridge to understanding place and identity.
- Project Types: Exhibits, educational programs, interpretation
- Eligible Applicants: Local governments and nonprofits
- Link: https://americanafoundation.org

Battle Creek Community Foundation

Barn Believers Grant Program: This program provides funding to organizations to support the assessment and care of barns for public use and the conservation of barn/farm history.
- Project Types: Capital projects, research, assessments, education
- Eligible Applicants: Nonprofits
- Link: http://barnbelievers.org

Institute of Museum and Library Services

Inspire! Grants for Small Museums: This is a special initiative designed to support small museums of all disciplines in project-based efforts to serve the public through exhibitions, educational programs, community outreach, collections management, curation, care, and more.
- Project Types: Lifelong learning, institutional capacity, collections stewardship and access
- Eligible Applicants: State or local governments, Tribal governments, universities, nonprofits
- Link: https://www.imls.gov

Museums for America: This program supports museums of all sizes and disciplines in strategic, project-based efforts to serve the public through exhibitions, educational programs, community outreach, collections management, curation, care, and more.
- Project Types: Lifelong learning, institutional capacity, collections stewardship and access
- Eligible Applicants: State or local governments, Tribal governments, universities, nonprofits
- Link: https://www.imls.gov

Main Street America

Hometown Grant Program: Main Street America has partnered with T‑Mobile to help build stronger, more prosperous small towns and rural communities.
- Project Types: Capital improvements, arts/culture, public space
- Eligible Applicants: Local govenrments and nonprofits
- Link: https://michiganarchitecturalfoundation.org

Michigan Architectural Foundation

Damian Farrell Architecture Awareness Grants: These grants provide financial assistance to organizations and individuals that organize, sponsor and promote events, lectures, publications and experiences that increase awareness of architecture.
- Project Types: Educational activities and publications
- Eligible Applicants: Nonprofits
- Link: https://michiganarchitecturalfoundation.org

Evans Graham Preservation Award: The program provides financial support and recognition to individuals and groups seeking to preserve historic Michigan architecture.
- Project Types: Development ("bricks and mortar") projects
- Eligible Applicants: Nonprofits
- Link: https://michiganarchitecturalfoundation.org

Michigan Arts and Culture Council

Experience Support Grant Program: The Experience Support grant program provides arts and culture-related project funding to Michigan organizations for which arts and culture is not the primary focus of the organization’s mission.
- Project Types: Operational support, facility enhancement, equipment purchases, professional/organizational development, transportation, arts education
- Eligible Applicants: Local governments, Tribes, schools/universities, non-arts/culture nonprofits
- Link: https://www.michiganbusiness.org/industries/macc

Mission Support Grant Program: The Mission Support grant program provides funding to eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts and culture organizations throughout the state of Michigan that have a primary charitable purpose related to arts and culture.
- Project Types: Operational support, facility enhancement, equipment purchases, professional/organizational development, transportation, arts education
- Eligible Applicants: Nonprofits
- Link: https://www.michiganbusiness.org/industries/macc

Michigan Barn Preservation Network

Educational Mini-grant Program: The Michigan Barn Preservation Network (MBPN) provides mini-grants to indiviuals and groups who organize educational workshops related to barn rehabilitation and preservation.
- Project Types: Educational activities
- Eligible Applicants: Private, nonprofits, other organizations
- Link: https://mibarn.net

Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development

County Fairs Capital Improvement Program: The program provides funding for building improvements or other capital improvements at county fairgrounds within the state.
- Project Types: Repairs, renovations
- Eligible Applicants: Local governments, fair associations
- Link: https://www.michigan.gov/mdard

Rural Development Fund Grants: The program provides funding that promotes the sustainability of land-based industries, including tourism, and support infrastructure that benefits rural communities.
- Project Types: Museums, tourism, heritage trails, business improvements
- Eligible Applicants: Local governments, Tribes, nonprofits, private, educational institutions
- Link: https://www.michigan.gov/mdard

Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy

Coastal Management Program: The Michigan Coastal Management Program (MCMP) provides grants to assist in the development of vibrant and resilient coastal communities through the protection and restoration of our sensitive coastal resources and biologically diverse ecosystems. This includes supporting historic and cultural preservation, restoration, and interpretation unique to Michigan’s coastline, with an emphasis on shipwrecks and lighthouses.
- Project Types: Planning, development ("bricks and mortar"), education
- Eligible Applicants: Local governments, Tribes, public agencies, nonprofits
- Link: https://www.michigan.gov/egle

Brownfield Program: Brownfield grants and loans are available from EGLE for projects that promote economic development and reuse blighted and contaminated properties.
- Project Types: Site assessments, lead/mold/asbestos abatement
- Eligible Applicants: Local governments, brownfield redeveopment authorities, economic development corporations
- Link: https://www.michigan.gov/egle

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

Lead Safe Home Program: The program provides funding for helping families identify and remove lead hazards from homes.
- Project Types: Lead abatement
- Eligible Applicants: Private
- Link: https://www.michigan.gov/mileadsafe

Weatherization Assistance Program: The program provides energy conservation and related health & safety services for eligible low-income households at no cost to the resident
- Project Types: Energy efficiency improvemnets
- Eligible Applicants: Private
- Link: https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Land and Water Conservation Fund: This program provides funding to develop public outdoor recreation facilities and to provide matching grants to local governments for the development of public outdoor recreation areas and facilities
- Project Types: Capital improvements
- Eligible Applicants: State and local governments, Tribes, regional recreation authorities, school districts
- Link: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr

Natural Resources Trust Fund: This program provides funding for natural resource protection and outdoor recreation facility development, including renovations.
- Project Types: Capital improvements
- Eligible Applicants: State and local governments, Tribes, regional recreation authorities, school districts
- Link: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr

Recreation Passport Grant Program: This program provides funding for the development of public recreation facilities, including new facilities and the renovation of old facilities.
- Project Types: Capital improvements
- Eligible Applicants: Local governments, regional recreation authorities, school districts
- Link: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr

Michigan Department of Transportation

Transportation Alternatives Program: The Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) is a competitive grant program that uses federal transportation funds for specific activities that enhance the intermodal transportation system and provide safe alternative transportation options. This includes supporting preservation of historic transportation facilities.
- Project Types: Planning and development ("bricks and mortar" projects) for historic transportation facilities
- Eligible Applicants: Local governments, road commissions, natural resource and public land agencies, Tribes, nonprofits with local transprotation safety programs
- Link: https://www.michigan.gov/mdot

Michigan Economic Development Corporation

Build MI Community Grant Initiative: The program helps emerging and small scale developers reactivate vacant or underutilized spaces into vibrant, walkable mixed use areas.
- Project Types: Capital improvements
- Eligible Applicants: Individuals and for-profit entities
- Link: https://www.miplace.org

Match on Main Program: The program services as a tool to support new or expanding place-based businesses by providing funding to support eligible small businesses across the state.
- Project Types: Design services, interior renovations, code compliance
- Eligible Applicants: Local governments, downtown development authorities, and community development organizations (on behalf of local businesses)
- Link: https://www.miplace.org

Michigan Community Revitalization Program: The program promotes private investment and community revitalization by providing performance-based gap financing to redevelop underutilized, blighted, functionally obsolete, contaminated, and historic properties in traditional downtowns and high-impact corridors statewide.
- Project Types: Capital improvements and associated work (e.g., plans and specs, site assessments)
- Eligible Applicants: Unrestricted (for-profit, nonprofits, public entities, etc.)
- Link: https://www.miplace.org

Public Spaces Community Places Program: Public Spaces Community Places is a grant match program that utilizes donation-based crowdfunding to generate public interest and funding to revitalize or create public spaces.
- Project Types: Place-based/public space improvements and rehab (e.g., community theater rehab)
- Eligible Applicants: Local governments, nonprofits
- Link: https://www.miplace.org

Redevelopment Ready Communities Technical Assistance Funding: RRC TA match funding may be used to help a community cover the cost of professional services for most items identified as unaligned in its RRC Community Snapshot.
- Project Types: Planning
- Eligible Applicants: Communities engaged in Redevelopment Ready Communities program
- Link: https://www.miplace.org

Michigan Historic Preservation Network

Intervention Loan Program: The Intervention Loan Program provides financial support for repairs to historic buildings. The primary aim of the program is to stabilize historic properties that are threatened by one or more failures of major building systems
- Project Types: Repair and replacement of critical building systems (e.g., structural elements, HVAC, roofing, plumbing, etc.)
- Eligible Applicants: Local governments, public agencies, religious organizations, and nonprofits
- Link: https://www.mhpn.org

Predevelopment Loan Program: The program provides financial support for projects rehabilitating historic buildings in Michigan. The loan fund covers reasonable third-party costs that occur in the early stages and are necessary in making the project happen.
- Project Types: Pre-development activities (e.g., marketing studies, plans and specs, appraisals, etc.)
- Eligible Applicants: Nonprofits and for-profit entities
- Link: https://www.mhpn.org

Michigan Humanities

Humanities Grants Program: Humanities Grants emphasize collaboration among cultural, educational, and community-based organizations and institutions in order to serve Michigan’s people with public humanities programming.
- Project Types: Educational activities, exhibits, cultural programming, and publications
- Eligible Applicants: Nonprofits
- Link: https://www.michiganhumanities.org

Michigan State Historic Preservation Office

Certified Local Government Grant Program: The Certified Local Government (CLG) program provides access to annual grant funding for historic preservation projects in participating communities across the state of Michigan.
- Project Types: Planning, development, and education projects as well as pre-development and development ("bricks and mortar") prjoects
- Eligible Applicants: Local governments and nonprofits
- Link: https://michigan.gov/clggrants

Federal Historic Preservation Tax Credit: Administered in partnership with the National Park Service, the federal historic preservation tax credit program provides property owners who rehablitate qualified historic buildings with a credit against their federal income tax liability.
- Project Types: Development ("bricks and mortar") projects
- Eligible Applicants: Private
- Link: https://www.michigan.gov/hpcredit

Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Program: The Michigan Lightouse Assistance Program (MLAP) provides grant funding for pre-development and development activities at historic lighthouses across Michigan.
- Project Types: Pre-development and development ("bricks and mortar") prjoects
- Eligible Applicants: Local governments and nonprofits
- Link: https://michigan.gov/saveourlights

State Historic Preservation Tax Credit: The state historic preservation tax credit program provides residential and commercial property owners who rehablitate qualified historic buildings with a credit against their state income tax liability.
- Project Types: Development ("bricks and mortar") projects
- Eligible Applicants: Private
- Link: https://www.michigan.gov/hpcredit

Michigan State Housing Development Authority

Community Development Block Grant Program: This program provides funding to non-entitlement Units of General Local Government (UGLG) in non-entitlement areas to develop and preserve decent, affordable housing for use by low- and moderate-income families.
- Project Types: Residential rehabiltation and renovation
- Eligible Applicants: Eligible local government
- Link: https://www.michigan.gov/mshda

MI Neighborhood Program: This program provides funding as a response to regional action plan strategic alignment with the Statewide Housing Plan.
- Project Types: Energy efficiency, accessibility improvements, rehabilitation
- Eligible Applicants: Local governments, nonprofits, for-profit developers
- Link: https://www.michigan.gov/mshda

National Endowment for the Humanities

Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions: These grants help small and mid-sized organizations preserve and manage humanities collections, ensuring their significance for a variety of users.
- Project Types: Preservation and collections care reports, assessments, supplies/equipment, workshops
- Eligible Applicants: States and local governments, Tribes, universities, and nonprofits
- Link: https://www.neh.gov

Public Humanities Projects: This program supports projects that bring the ideas and insights of the humanities to life through in-person exhibitions and historic site interpretations.
- Project Types: Exhibitions and interpretive programs (planning and implementation)
- Eligible Applicants: States and local governments, Tribes, universities, and nonprofits
- Link: https://www.neh.gov

Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections: This program helps cultural institutions meet the complex challenge of preserving large and diverse holdings of humanities materials for future generations by supporting environmentally sustainable preventive care measures
- Project Types: Preservation and collections care reports, assessments, supplies/equipment, workshops
- Eligible Applicants: States and local governments, Tribes, universities, and nonprofits
- Link: https://www.neh.gov

National Park Service

African American Civil Rights Grant Program: The African American Civil Rights (AACR) program documents, interprets, and preserves sites and stories related to the African American struggle to gain equal rights as citizens.
- Project Types: Planning, development, and research projects for historic sites including survey, inventory, documentation, interpretation, education, architectural services, historic structure reports, preservation plans, and "bricks and mortar" repair
- Eligible Applicants: States, Tribes, local governments, and nonprofits
- Link: www.nps.gov

History of Equal Rights Grant Program: The History of Equal Rights (HER) grant program provides funding to preserve and protect sites associated with efforts to achieve equal rights.
- Project Types: Pre-development studies, architectural plans and specifications, historic strutcure reports, and physical preservation projects
- Eligible Applicants: States, Tribes, local governments, and nonprofits
- Link: www.nps.gov

NAGPRA Grant Program: The goal of the NAGPRA grant program is to increase the number of successful returns of Native American human remains and cultural items.
- Project Types: Consultation/Documentation activities and repatriation activities
- Eligible Applicants: Museums with NAGPRA collections and Tribes
- Link: www.nps.gov

Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants Program: The Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant Program fosters economic development in rural communities through the rehabilitation of historic buildings in those communities. The program provides recipients (referred to as prime grantees) with a single grant that is then regranted in smaller amounts to individual projects (subgrants)

- Project Types: Architectural/engineering services and "bricks and mortar" preservation project
- Eligible Applicants: State Historic Preservation Offices, Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, Certified Local Governments, and nonprofits
- Link: www.nps.gov

Save America's Treasures Grant Program: The Save America’s Treasures (SAT) grant program was established in 1998 to celebrate America's premier cultural resources in the new millennium.
- Project Types: Preservation projects for properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places (individually or part of a district) for national significance or designated a National Historic Landmark
- Eligible Applicants: States, Tribes, local governments, nonprofits, educational institutions
- Link: www.nps.gov

Underrepresented Communities Grant Program: The Underrepresented Communities (URC) program works towards diversifying listings submitted to the National Register of Historic Places.
- Project Types: Surveys and inventories, National Register nominations
- Eligible Applicants: States, Tribes, Certified Local Governments, nonprofits
- Link: www.nps.gov

National Trust for Historic Preservation

African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund: Grants from the National Grant Program of the  African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund (AACHAF) are designed to advance historic preservation projects at sites related to Black history across the country.
- Project Types: Capital projects, organizational capacity building, project planning, and programming and interpretation
- Eligible Applicants: State and local governments, public agencies, public universities, and nonprofits
- Link: https://savingplaces.org

Backing Historic Small Restaurants Grant Program: Grants from this program are provided to owners of historic small restaurants to complete exterior work on their buildings, which help improve their businesses and positively impact their communities
- Project Types: Development ("bricks and mortar") projects
- Eligible Applicants: For-profit
- Link: https://savingplaces.org

Conserving Black Modernism: Conserving Black Modernism equips site stewards with funding, technical support, and training to preserve the heritage of modern architectural sites designed by Black architects.
- Project Types: Research projects, physical analysis of constructiom nmaterials, management plans, pre-development work
- Eligible Applicants: State and local governments, public agencies, public universities, and nonprofits
- Link: https://savingplaces.org

Cynthia Woods Mitchell Fund for Historic Interiors: The purpose of the fund is to assist in the preservation, restoration, and interpretation of historic interiors
- Project Types: Planning activities and education efforts focused on the prservation of historic interiors
- Eligible Applicants: State and local governments, public agencies, and nonprofits
- Link: https://savingplaces.org

Hart Family Fund for Small Towns: These grants are intended to encourage preservation at the local level by providing seed money for preservation projects in small towns with populations of 10,000 or less
- Project Types: Planning, pre-development, education, and outreach activities
- Eligible Applicants: State and local governments, public agencies, and nonprofits
- Link: https://savingplaces.org

Johanna Favrot Fund for Historic Preservation: These grants are intended to help save historic environments in order to foster an appreciation of our nation’s diverse cultural heritage and to preserve and revitalize the livability of the nation’s communities
- Project Types: Planning, pre-development, development ("bricks and mortar" projects), education, and outreach activities
- Eligible Applicants: State and local governments, public agencies, and nonprofits
- Link: https://savingplaces.org

National Trust Preservation Funds: These grants are intended to encourage preservation at the local level by supporting on-going preservation work and by providing seed money for preservation projects.
- Project Types: Planning, pre-development, education, and outreach activities
- Eligible Applicants: State and local governments,public agencies, and nonprofits
- Link: https://savingplaces.org

Preserving Black Churches: Grants from the Preserving Black Churches program are intended to preserve historically Black houses of worship and advance ongoing preservation activities at these sites.
- Project Types: Capital projects, financial sustainability, organizational capacity, programming and interpretation, and project planning
- Eligible Applicants: State and local governments, public agencies, public universities, religious organizations, and nonprofits
- Link: https://savingplaces.org

Partners for Sacred Places

National Fund for Sacred Places: The program provides capital supprot for historic houses of worship but is also designed to help congregations successfully navigate the capital project process through training, technical assistance, and planning support.
- Project Types: Pre-development (e.g., plans and specs, condition assessments) and development ("bricks and mortar") activities
- Eligible Applicants: Religous congregations or affiliated nonprofits
- Link: https://www.fundforsacredplaces.org

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program: This program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas.
- Project Types: Purachase or improve essential community facilities (e.g., town halls, courthouses, libraries, infrastructure, museums, etc.)
- Eligible Applicants: Tribes, public agencies, nonprofits
- Link: https://www.rd.usda.gov

Section 502 Loan Program: This program assists low- and very-low-income applicants obtain decent, safe and sanitary housing in eligible rural areas.
- Project Types: Home repair and renovations
- Eligible Applicants: Private
- Link: https://www.rd.usda.gov

Section 504 Home Repair Program: This program provides loans to very-low-income homeowners to repair, improve or modernize their homes.
- Project Types: Home repair and renovations
- Eligible Applicants: Private
- Link: https://www.rd.usda.gov

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Section 203(k) Mortgage Program: This program allows homebuyers and homeowners to finance up to $75,000 into their mortgage to repair, improve, or upgrade their home.
- Project Types: Home repair and renovations
- Eligible Applicants: Private
- Link: https://www.hud.gov

Section 504 Home Repair Program: This
- Project Types: Home repair and renovations
- Eligible Applicants: Private
- Link: https://www.rd.usda.gov

U.S. Lighthouse Society

Preservation Grants Program: The U.S. Lighthouse Society offers a competitive grants program to help lighthouse preservation groups across the country save the iconic coastal landmarks that help define the nation’s rich maritime history and legacy.
- Project Types: Pre-development (e.g., plans and specs, condition assessments) and development ("bricks and mortar") activities
- Eligible Applicants: Nonprofits
- Link: https://uslhs.org

Funding for Historic Preservation

1772 Foundation

Americana Foundation

Battle Creek Community Foundation

Institute of Museum and Library Services

Main Street America

Michigan Architectural Foundation

Michigan Arts and Culture Council

Michigan Barn Preservation Network

Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development

Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan Department of Transportation

Michigan Economic Development Corporation

Michigan Historic Preservation Network

Michigan Humanities

Michigan State Historic Preservation Office

Michigan State Housing Development Authority

National Endowment for the Humanities

National Park Service

National Trust for Historic Preservation

Partners for Sacred Places

U.S. Department of Agriculture

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

U.S. Lighthouse Society