Grants to Massachusetts Nonprofits, Agencies, and Historical Commissions to Preserve Historic Sites and Buildings

Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) Survey and Planning Grant

Agency

State

GrantWatch ID#

126505

Funding Source

Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC)

Geographic Focus

USA: Massachusetts

Important Dates

LOI Date: 11/14/22
Deadline: 02/06/23

Grant Description

Grants to Massachusetts nonprofit organizations, agencies, historical commissions, and educational institutions to protect historic sites and buildings throughout the state. Applicants must submit a letter of intent prior to submitting a full proposal. Funding is intended to support efforts to identify and plan for the protection of the significant historic buildings, structures, archaeological sites, and landscapes of the Commonwealth.

As the State Historic Preservation Office, the Massachusetts Historical Commission is responsible for administering the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended. The Act authorizes the Secretary of the Interior, through the National Park Service and State Historic Preservation Offices, to grant funds to communities and private non-profit organizations for a wide range of preservation-related activities.

All projects must be consistent with the objectives of the Massachusetts State Historic Preservation Plan, 2018-2022 (available on-line at www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc), which stresses the need for identification, evaluation, and protection of the state's cultural resources. The following project types are considered eligible for funding:

Community-wide or targeted inventories of historic, architectural, landscape or archaeological resources, or planning (survey plans) projects to prepare for such inventories.
Preparation of National Register of Historic Places nominations.
Other planning projects relating to the identification, evaluation, and protection of National Register eligible resources. Examples include, but are not limited to: a communitywide historic preservation plan; development of local historic district design guidelines; preparation of historic preservation public information; studies of the feasibility of a proposed preservation planning policy or initiative at the neighborhood or community level; heritage tourism programs; and training and/or educational programs.
Studies necessary to enable future development or protection of a public or private nonprofit owned National Register-listed property, including conditions assessments, feasibility studies, and the development of plans and specifications for restoration or rehabilitation. (Only CLG applicants may apply in this category.)

For further details on the above project types, see https://www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc/mhcpdf/Guidelines_for_Applicants_and_Pre-application_form.pdf#page=1.

Recipient

Eligibility

Others (see text field entitled "Additional Eligibility Criteria" for clarification)

Additional Eligibility Criteria

Eligible Applicants for FY 2023 Survey and Planning Grant funding are:
1. Local historical commissions created under M.G.L., Chapter 40 sec. 8(d);
2. Historic district commissions or study committees;
3. City and town planning offices and boards or community development offices;
4. Regional planning agencies and state agencies;
5. Educational institutions;
6. Certified Local Governments of Boston, Bedford, Brookline, Danvers, Dedham, Eastham, Easton, Falmouth, Framingham, Gloucester, Grafton, Hingham, Holyoke, Lexington, Lowell, Marblehead, Medfield, Medford, Methuen, Nantucket, New Bedford, Newton, Plymouth, Quincy, Salem, Somerville, and Worcester;
7. Private non-profit organizations.

All applicants must be able to meet deadlines, monitor project work, and have a financial system that meets federal standards. If the applicant is not the local historical commission, the comments of the local historical commission will be required if the applicant is invited to submit a full proposal.

Pre-Application Information

The original copy of the letter of intent to apply for funds must be received by the MHC office by 5 p.m., Monday, November 14, 2022. No faxed or emailed applications are accepted.

Timeline:
- Pre-application (letter of intent) deadline: November 14, 2022
- Invitations for full applications issued: December 14, 2022
- Full application deadline: February 6, 2023
- Award selection: March 8, 2023
- Project end date: June 30, 2024

MHC staff and a subcommittee of the full Commission will evaluate pre- and full applications and proposals. The Commission will invite full S&P applications at its December 14, 2022 Commission meeting. The full application will be due by February 6, 2023. Grant awards will be made at the March 8, 2023 Commission meeting.

Applicants are strongly advised to discuss their proposed project with MHC staff prior to submitting a pre-application. Please email to schedule a phone conversation.

Grants are 50/50 % matching reimbursement grants.

Estimated Size of Grant

Grant requests should be for no less than $7,500 for a minimum total project cost of $15,000. Community-wide or targeted survey grant requests should be for no less than $12,500 for a minimum total project cost of $25,000. There is no maximum amount; however, most awards will likely be between $10,000 and $20,000.

Term of Contract

Projects must be from 6-12 months in duration and should be able to start administratively around July 2023. Consultant projects should be scheduled to begin work September 2023 following an open procurement process. Project work must be completed by June 30, 2024.

Contact Information

Letters of Intent and Proposals should be addressed to:
Michael Steinitz
Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer
Massachusetts Historical Commission
220 Morrissey Boulevard
Boston, Massachusetts 02125

Michael Steinitz
MHC
Massachusetts Archives Building
617-727-8470
michael.steinitz@state.ma.us

If you have any questions on a potential project scope of work, please contact the MHC by email, as MHC staff are working mostly on a remote basis at this time. Email to schedule a phone conversation:
- National Register projects: Ben Haley, Director, National Register Program (Ben.Haley@sec.state.ma.us)
- Preservation planning projects: Jenn Doherty, Local Government Programs Coordinator (Jennifer.Doherty@sec.state.ma.us)
- Survey projects: Peter Stott, Preservation Planner, (Peter.Stott@sec.state.ma.us)
- General questions: Michael Steinitz, Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer, (Michael.Steinitz@sec.state.ma.us)

Grants to Massachusetts Nonprofits, Agencies, and Historical Commissions to Preserve Historic Sites and Buildings

Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) Survey and Planning Grant

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