Preservation Works in Western Mass Bruhn Sub-Grant Program

PROGRAM SUMMARY

With a generous grant from the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants Program, funded by the federal Historic Preservation Fund and administered by the National Park Service (NPS) Department of the Interior, the Pioneer Valley Regional Ventures Center (Ventures Center) will provide $650,000 in sub-grants to competitively selected preservation and rehabilitation projects on National Register-listed historic community anchor buildings or built resources in Western Massachusetts. Projects will be in designated municipalities with less than 12,500 residents in Hampden and Hampshire Counties and West Central and Southwest Central Worcester County. These funds will have a long-lasting positive impact, support economic development, and will particularly benefit communities that have worked to honor historically significant resources with pursuit of National Register listings. There will be no matching funds required but project properties will be subject to monitored term Preservation Restrictions as a condition of the funding. The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) will manage the program.

The 40 Western, West-Central, and South-West Central Massachusetts rural communities eligible for this program have an abundance of locally valued National Register-listed historic resources considered to be community anchor buildings, tied to local heritage. Funding provided through this program is intended to serve as a catalyst for commercial and social activity and greater investment to benefit local economies.

KEY DATES

Expression of Interest Applications will be accepted until April 12, 2024
USE THIS LINK TO ACCESS THE EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
Final Applications are by invitation only and will be due by June 14, 2024
Sub-grant awards will be announced July 31, 2024
Sub-grant awarded projects must be completed by August 2026

PROGRAM GOALS

The Preservation Works in Western Mass Bruhn Sub-Grant Program will support the following goals:

Provide gap funding to preserve and rehabilitate underutilized or endangered historic community anchor buildings in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards.
Spur economic development and community placemaking.
Promote the value of documenting irreplaceable historic and cultural resources.
Support resiliency by connecting all applicants to educational resources for ongoing maintenance and protection.

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the NPS’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America's historic and archeological resources. Most communities across the country have examples of historic anchor buildings with distinctive architecture that are tied to local heritage and could be considered key resources to support a strong and stable economy. Projects proposed for this competitive sub-grant program must support the revitalization of National Register-listed historic anchor buildings that are significant to the community and, when rehabilitated, successful applications will demonstrate how rehabilitation will contribute to local economic development. Eligible applicants for this program’s competitive sub-grants will be private, public, or nonprofit owners of National Register-listed buildings which meet program goals and criteria. Applicants must own the resource proposed for rehabilitation and the resource must be accessible to the public. Eligible properties with pending National Register nominations will be considered but federal listing must occur by the end of the project.

Current property documentation and designation status can be confirmed through the Massachusetts Historical Commission Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System (MACRIS) or by checking a property address at MACRIS Maps. National Register-listed resources in the following 40 communities, with populations of less than 12,500 residents are eligible for this program based on location and population:

HAMPDEN COUNTY

Blandford Brimfield Chester Granville Hampden Holland Monson Montgomery

Palmer Russell Southwick Tolland Wales

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

Chesterfield Cummington Goshen Granby Hadley Hatfield Huntington

Middlefield Pelham Plainfield Southampton Ware Westhampton Williamsburg Worthington

WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTH WEST CENTRAL WORCESTER COUNTY

Brookfield Dudley East Brookfield Hardwick Leicester New Braintree

North Brookfield Spencer Sturbridge Warren Webster West Brookfield

ALLOWABLE PROJECTS

Sub-grant awards between $50,000 and $100,000 will be given to support work in compliance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Rehabilitation of Historic Properties. Eligible activities include roof repair or replacement; exterior rehabilitation such as painting, repointing, or historic siding restoration; structural repairs; window and door restoration; mechanical, plumbing, and electrical upgrades to bring buildings up to code; and life safety improvements to include fire suppression and ADA compliance. Pre-development and administrative costs may not exceed 20% of the total project costs. Monitored, term Preservation Restrictions will be required. No matching funds will be required.

Projects seeking support solely for pre-development activities are not eligible and requests for new construction, landscaping, building reconstruction, or paving will not be reviewed. Private homes are not eligible for consideration. Other ineligible uses of funds include payments for previous activities or projects; reduction of existing debt; indirect costs; purchase of real property; political or religious activities; additions to reserve funds or endowments; or regranting of award funds.