Heritage Preservation Grant

Assistance

• ATTEND Virtual Open Office Hours every second and fourth Tuesday of the month from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
• SCHEDULE An In-Person Site-Visit or a Virtual Meeting to discuss a potential future proposal.
• For technical assistance with your application, email applicationhelp@thelongcenter.org. 

Applicant Eligibility

Eligible Applicants

• For-Profit 
• Nonprofit

Ineligible Applicants

• Applicants whose non-profit status has been revoked by the Internal Revenue Service.
• Applicants unable to demonstrate at least two years of operations within the Austin metro area.
• Applicants who are receiving or requesting funding from another Hotel Occupancy Tax-funded City of Austin program for the same proposal, same activities, and/or expenses within the contract period.  
• City of Austin Employees .
• Individuals younger than 18 years old .
• Owner-occupied (residential) stewards or properties.
• Applicants that are currently receiving or are applying for funding from another Hotel Occupancy Tax-funded City of Austin program for the same proposal, same activities, and/or expenses within the contract period. 

Eligible and Ineligible Projects

Eligible Projects

• Capital, planning, educational, and marketing project proposals must occur at a historic designated site or a site eligible for historic designation. Properties may be leased or owned with owner authorization. 
• In accordance with Texas Tax Code Ch 351, the proposal and application must meet the following two criteria: (1) The use must directly enhance and promote tourism and the hotel industry; (2) For historic preservation and restoration projects, the project must be: (A) at or in the immediate vicinity of convention center facilities or visitor information centers; or (B) located in the areas that are reasonably likely to be frequented by tourists. 
• Grounds must be accessible, open, and marketed to tourists with reasonable visitation hours.
• Projects that occur within an Austin City Council District or within Austin’s extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ), located downtown or in areas likely to be visited by tourists.
• Project proposal occurs at a historic designated or eligible site while promoting heritage tourism as its primary purpose.  Verify the historic designation of a site using the City of Austin Historic Property View Finder.  
• Properties listed as historically contributing to a historic district.
• Properties determined to be eligible for historic designation. If a property is not designated at the time of the application, the applicant must provide a determination of eligibility with the application and sites must be historically designated by the end of the grant contract term.
• Projects (Capital) must go before the City of Austin Historic Landmark Commission for historic review and approval. Additionally, the project must be evaluated by the Architectural Review Committee and meet The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties and Local Historic Building Standards. 
• Projects that are preservation-related or history-focused and are actively promoted to tourists, hotel guests, and convention delegates to expand audiences and tourists.
• Proposals with City-owned sites must submit a Community Activated Park Projects form. An approved City of Austin Parks and Recreation Community Activated Park Project Review Form must be submitted, reviewed, and approved before applying for a grant.   

Ineligible Projects

• Activities that occur outside Austin.
• Acquisition of property.
• Archeology excavation projects (archeology educational projects are eligible).
• Audits unless required by funding agreement.
• Capital projects that do not meet The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties or local Historic Design Standards.
• Community Activated Park Projects Proposals at City-owned historic sites that have not been approved by the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department.
• Consultants who are members of an applicant’s board.
• Existing deficits, fines, contingencies, penalties, interest, or litigation costs.
• Food and beverages.
• Fundraising expenses.
• Furnishings.
• Historic interiors (historic interior planning projects are eligible).
• Historic properties with fencing in front of, or near, the property that would obscure or prevent visual observation of the building from the public right-of-way.
• Landscaping or Cultural Landscape projects (cultural landscape planning projects are eligible).
• Mass-produced commercial products.
• Murals.
• New Neon Signage.
• New building construction or expansion.
• Owner-occupied properties or historic residential properties.
• Payments to students or interns whose employment is tied to class credit.
• Preservation, heritage, and historic projects not associated with a historic site.
• Projects with no historic designation or are not eligible for historic designation.
• Property Taxes or any other tax.
• Purchase of gifts, awards, cash prizes, scholarships, contributions, or donations.
• Purchase of gasoline.
• Supplementing staff salaries, board, volunteer, and docent activities.
• Travel-related costs.
• Wayfinding and right-of-way signage.

Project Categories include: 

Capital Projects

Capital Projects (Maximum award: $250,000)
Contractual preservation agreements to restore, preserve, and promote tourism-serving historic designated sites and structures. The project site must have a historic designation or be eligible for historic designation (designation must be completed within the contract term). The program supports exterior restoration projects. At least two contractor and subcontractor project bids are required for the preservation project. Detailed and thorough project bids must indicate how the proposed work meets the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.

All capital project proposals are required to be reviewed by the Architectural Review Committee (ARC) before or shortly after submitting a grant application for funding consideration. ARC project feedback must be incorporated into the proposal. To be placed on an upcoming agenda, please contact the Historic Preservation Office.

Capital Project types include:

• American Disabilities Act Exterior Access
• Awning Restoration / Repair 
• Cast Iron Restoration / Repair
• Door / Window / Screen / Trim Repair
• Exterior Light Fixtures
• Facade Elements / Exterior Walls      
• Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning   
• Historic Accessory Structure
• Millwork / Wooden Repair
• Paint (must be in kind)
• Pier & Beam / Foundation Stabilization
• Roof Repair
• Signs / Installation (on private property and must comply with local historic sign standards; new neon signs ineligible)

Planning Projects

Planning Projects (Maximum Award: $30,000)
Funding to secure property-specific professional planning expertise in areas such as preservation, architecture, engineering plans, historic designation nominations for tourism-serving sites or potential historic districts.

Projects must be historically designated or eligible for historic designation (designation must be completed within the term of the contract).

Planning Project types include:

• Architectural Design
• Heritage Tourism Assessment
• Historic Designation Nomination
• Historic Structures Report
• Interpretive Plan

Experiential Education Projects

Experiential Education Projects (Maximum Award: $250,000)
Projects that actively create experiences for tourists and residents to interact with historic places, events, or activities and the stories that  represent historic sites. The project site must have a historic designation or be deemed eligible for a historic designation (the designation must be completed within the contract term). 

Detailed and thorough project bid proposals by contractors, subcontractors, and/or vendors are required. Single bids will not be considered.

Educational Project Types include:

• Conferences or Workshops marketed regionally, nationally, or internationally 
• Events, Festivals, or Programs at a Historic Site or Historic District
• Heritage, Historic, or Interpretive History-Focused Exhibitions or Kiosks (eligible with owner authorization)
• Historic, Heritage, Legacy, Cultural, and Natural Resource Tour Development. Proposals must include a regular in-person component.
• Historic Marker (must indicate eligibility in advance)

Marketing Projects

Marketing Projects (Maximum Award: $30,000)
Projects that actively connect and market heritage and encourage residents and tourists to connect and engage with historic sites and heritage stories. The project must occur at a historically designated site and serve to expand audience and tourism participation. 

Marketing Project types include:

• Heritage Tourism: Destination Videos, Social Media, Advertising, or Marketing Campaigns 
• Marketing Content, Asset Development, and Distribution: Photography, Brochures, Maps, Guides, Rack Cards, Travel/Tour Itineraries, and Translation (print or digital)
• Website Enhancements (must be associated with an existing website and feature site history; operational costs are ineligible)

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Application  |  Eligibility  | Funding

 

Application 

Can you provide more detail on the bid requirements? 

The Heritage Tourism Division requires that all applicants obtain detailed and thorough project bids or quotes for any procurement of service from an outside contractor, subcontractor, or vendor proposed to support the project proposal. 

 

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Eligibility

How do I know if my property is eligible? 

A property can be designated at the local, state or national level. To verify the historic designation of a site, please visit the City of Austin Property Viewfinder, the Texas Historical Commission Sites ATLAS, or the National Register of Historic Places Database. Additional historical research resources can be found on the Historic Research Resources page. 

 

My non-residential property is eligible for a historic designation. How do I apply for a City of Austin historic landmark?

To be eligible for landmark designation, a building must be 50+ years old, retain historic integrity, and meet two of five criteria for significance: architecture; associations with important people, groups, or events; archeology; community value; or landscape feature. For information on the historic zoning application, visit the Planning Department Historic Preservation Office site.  

 

My project will include more than one site, but we do not need access to any of them to undertake the project. Do we need to obtain letters of consent from all the property owners of these sites?

Applicants may partner with a historic building, site, or district. Partner applicants must ensure that the owners of the property have consented to the project and are made aware of the application as it progresses.  

All projects must include a completed Owner Authorization Form.

For eligible proposals on historic City parkland that meet CAPP guidelines, a Community Activated Park Project Form must be submitted and approved by the Parks & Recreation Department before submitting a Heritage Preservation Grant application.  

 

Is the restoration of historic interiors an eligible expense within the grant?

No, the grant supports exterior renovation of historic designated sites promoted to tourists. Historic interior restoration, furnishing, or other related work are ineligible. In addition, all exterior capital project proposals must be reviewed and approved by the Architectural Review Committee and the Historic Landmark Commission.  

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Funding

What is the source of funding for this program? 

The Heritage Preservation Grant is funded through Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) authorized by Texas Tax Code Section 351.101(a)(5). Austin City Council Resolution No. 20181004-033 allocated 15% of the Historic Preservation Fund for the Heritage Preservation Grant and eligible historic preservation and preservation projects or activities. 

 

What is the maximum award under the Heritage Preservation Grant? 

The maximum grant awards range from $30,000 to $250,000 depending on the project type. 

 

How many recipients will be awarded grants? 

The number of grants will depend on the number of eligible applicants, final scoring, and available funds. 

 

Are matching funds required for this grant program? 

No, the grant may cover 100% of project-related costs. 

 

Can I submit more than one application per grant cycle?

Applicants may submit either a Capital, Planning, Educational, or Marketing project proposal per funding cycle. Only one application per historically designated project site will be considered.

 

I am not applying for a marketing project type specifically, but can marketing expenses be included in the project budget proposal to support our tourism marketing efforts? 

Yes. Expenses to market the historic project site to tourists are eligible expenses for all project types.