Home » Nearly $100,000 of investment to be realized from federal grants to Certified Local Government communities

Nearly $100,000 of investment to be realized from federal grants to Certified Local Government communities

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Nine grants that will generate investment of nearly $100,000 in historic preservation-related projects have been awarded to seven Certified Local Government (CLG) communities for fiscal year 2018-19 by the Kentucky Heritage Council/State Historic Preservation Office (KHC). The annual grants are part of a pass-through allocated from the federal Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) for state preservation offices to recognize, save, and protect historic places.

Grants totaling $58,468 went to Bardstown, Bellevue, Covington, Danville, Frankfort, Metro Louisville and Newport, which will require local matches totaling at least $38,980. The awards were approved earlier this year by the KHC board, with applications for the next funding cycle set to be distributed to Kentucky’s 23 participating CLG communities in November.

“October is National Community Planning Month, a good time for our CLG partners to consider how historic neighborhoods add to the overall vitality, livability, and desirability of their communities,” said Vicki Birenberg, CLG program and planning coordinator.

The grants will largely fund training and education initiatives but also be used to revise and update local historic district design guidelines, survey historic resources, and nominate a historic district to the National Register of Historic Places. A portion of KHC’s federal set-aside has also been made available to provide scholarships to local CLG program coordinators and board members to attend the annual National Trust for Historic Preservation National Preservation Conference, and KHC’s Kentucky Main Street Program annual spring meeting.

All grant activities must directly support goals outlined in “A Map Made of Memory: Kentucky’s State Historic Preservation plan, 2017-2021.”

CLG designation offers a way for local governments to develop a comprehensive approach to historic preservation and promote the integration of preservation interests into the planning process. To qualify, local governments must meet five broad standards, including enacting a historic preservation ordinance and appointing a professionally qualified preservation commission or architectural review board. In addition to grant eligibility, CLG benefits include access to technical assistance from KHC and the National Park Service.

City and county-wide historic preservation commissions that have earned CLG designation may apply for the annual grants. Qualifying projects require a local match of at least 40 percent. Grants cannot be used to acquire or rehabilitate historic buildings.

KHC is required to allocate at least 10 percent of its HPF apportionment to CLG grants. Those charged with training and implementing funded projects must adhere to the Secretary of the Interior’s standards and guidelines for the treatment of historic properties. For more information, visit www.heritage.ky.gov.