Grant Guidelines
The following general standards guide the Commission in making its decisions
"Preservation, not adaptation." Grants are intended to fund efforts to preserve historic structures. The Commission does not grant monies for parking lots, driveways, security systems, access adaptations, or "modernization" generally.
"Bricks and mortar." For example, artifacts, display cases and other furnishings, carpeting and draperies, appliances, documents, publications, recordings, audio or visual equipment are NOT eligible.
"Structure, not infrastructure." We DO grant monies for restoration of walls, doors, floors, roofs, ceilings, chimneys, foundations, and windows. We DO NOT grant monies for such items as wiring, plumbing, heating and cooling systems including boilers and air conditioners.
"Landscape elements, not landscaping." Landscape elements include vegetation that is known to have been planted on-site at a given period of a site's history; structures that form a part of an overall, historically authentic, landscaping plan are also eligible. General landscaping - e.g., erosion control, plantings for exclusively aesthetic purposes, and so on - is not eligible.
It is also important to note that NOT EVERY ELIGIBLE PROJECT WILL NECESSARILY RECEIVE A GRANT. Grant monies are limited, and we typically receive requests totaling as much as 50% in excess of the available funds. The judgment of the Commission with respect to eligible projects is determined by a number of factors, including but not necessarily limited to historic significance, urgency of need, and geographic distribution throughout the County.
Your application needs to be complete and on time when submitted. Items missing from the application could be grounds for denial.