PHMC Awards Heritage Preservation Grants to Assist Pennsylvania Cities

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 29, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) has awarded $112,912 in Certified Local Government (CLG) grants to help municipalities with a wide array of heritage preservation activities.

Among the projects funded are a statewide conference on heritage, historic preservation planning, and training and technical assistance for Historic Architectural Review Boards.

PHMC awarded eight grants selected from 13 eligible applications. Grant amounts range from $3,000 to $25,000 and require a 50/50 match from the municipality. Grants are awarded through a competitive selection process.

The CLG program is a decentralized partnership among the federal government, states, and local governments.  PHMC administers the National Park Service's (NPS) grant program.  

CLG grants are awarded annually to support cultural resource surveys, National Register of Historic Places nominations, historic preservation planning, staffing and training, pooling grants, and third-party administration. 

To become certified, a local government must meet several requirements. Most importantly, it must have enacted a historic preservation ordinance and appointed a historic district (or preservation) commission with at least two members who meet NPS professional qualification standards.

One of the benefits of certification is a local government's eligibility to compete annually for CLG grant funds. Every year, the commonwealth makes at least 10 percent of its annual apportionment of the Historic Preservation Fund available to CLGs meeting minimum requirements.  There are currently 44 CLGs in Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission is the official history agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Visit PHMC online at www.phmc.state.pa.us

Media contact: Howard Pollman, 717-705-8639

Editor's Note: The following is a list of Certified Local Government Grant Awards for 2013 by municipality.

City of Allentown - $15,000
Funds will be used to hire a consultant to provide guidance and administrative assistance for the Historical Architectural Review Board district and sponsor four public workshops.

City of Bradford - $8,000
Funds will be used to hire a consultant to update an architectural survey, certify an amended local historic district boundary and provide training.

City of Easton - $17,456
Funds will be used to hire a consultant to produce a historic preservation-based comprehensive plan for the city as well as support a series of plan-related public meetings.

City of Harrisburg - $15,000
Funds will be used to support an urban and historic preservation planner position to provide technical and administrative assistance to the Historical Architectural Review Board and to develop an accessible historic resource archive.

City of Lancaster - $15,000
Funds will be used to support a historical preservation specialist position to provide technical and administrative assistance to the city, Historical Architectural Review Board, Historical Commission and property owners as well as add case study elements to the city's web site.

City of Philadelphia - $24,456
Funds will be used to support the 2014 National Alliance of Planning Commissions forum/statewide conference on heritage as well as provide attendance support/scholarships for certified local governments.

City of Pittsburgh - $15,000
Funds will be used to hire a consultant to conduct a survey of a priority neighborhood as identified in the city's Cultural Heritage Plan for incorporation into the city and PHMC's geographic information systems (GIS).

City of Williamsport - $3,000
Funds will be used to hire a consultant to provide technical, administrative and training assistance to the city and local Historic Architectural Review Board.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission