Moton High School, Farmville, Virginia

photo by: Curtis Martin

Historic Preservation Fund

  • Let Congress Know You Support the Historic Preservation Fund!

    Ask your member of Congress to support the Historic Preservation Fund Reauthorization Act.

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Established in 1977, the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) is the principal source of funding to implement the nation’s historic preservation programs. Funding to preserve our nation's historic resources through the HPF comes from revenue generated by oil and gas leases on the Outer Continental Shelf, not from tax revenue.

The authorization to fund the HPF expired at the end of September 2023 after Congress did not act before the deadline. The HPF has historically been authorized at $150 million annually, an amount that we are working to increase. This authorization sets the amount Congress is approved to appropriate for the HPF each year. Your voice is needed to urge Congress to reauthorize the HPF and support the important work of the preservation movement to preserve the full history of our nation and the many important stories that contribute to the American experience.

Included Programs

Administered by the National Park Service, the Historic Preservation Fund makes many federal and state preservation efforts possible. The resources provided through the HPF are essential in supporting preservation initiatives across the nation.

Download this Historic Preservation Fund Fact Sheet for additional information.

  • State Historic Preservation Officers (SHPOs) administer federal historic preservation programs at the state and local level, as well as administer their own state programs. These programs help communities identify, evaluate, preserve, and revitalize their historic, archaeological, and cultural resources.
  • Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPOs) are officially designated by federally-recognized Native American Tribes to direct preservation programs approved by the National Park Service (NPS). The THPO assumes some or all of the functions and responsibilities of State Historic Preservation Officers on tribal lands.
  • The Save America’s Treasures (SAT) competitive grant program preserves nationally significant historic and cultural resources. Through funded projects and community engagement, SAT grants enable a richer and more diverse American history to be told.
  • The African American Civil Rights (AACR) Grant Program funds the preservation of the sites and stories associated with the African American struggle for equal rights.
  • The Semiquincentennial Preservation Grants marks the 250th anniversary of the United States by providing grants to restore and preserve state owned sites and structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places that commemorate the founding of the nation.
  • The History of Equal Rights (HER) Grant Program protects the sites important in securing civil rights for all Americans, including women, American Latino, Native American, Asian American, Pacific Islander, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and LGBTQ Americans. It was formerly called the Civil Rights for All Americans Grant Program.
  • The Underrepresented Community Grant Program supports projects to enables the National Park Service (NPS) to better recognize, preserve, and interpret the stories of historically disenfranchised and underrepresented groups.
  • The Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Grant Program supports historic preservation projects “honoring and preserving the unique and important role (HBCUs) played in advancing the realization of a more free, equal, and just society.”
  • The Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants Program provides competitive grants to revive historic properties in rural communities across America. The program, formerly known as the Historic Revitalization Subgrant Program, was renamed in honor of Paul Bruhn, the late executive director of the Preservation Trust of Vermont.

The Preservation Budget: Select Preservation Priorities for FY 2025 Appropriations

This report recommends funding for key agencies and programs that protect our nation’s historic and cultural resources, including the Historic Preservation Fund.

The Historic Preservation Fund Reauthorization Act (H.R. 3350) would reauthorize the HPF for ten years and increase its authorization from $150 to $250 million, annually. Join the National Trust in asking members of the House of Representatives to cosponsor and support the Historic Preservation Fund Reauthorization Act.

Ask your representative to Support the Reauthorization of the Historic Preservation Fund.

Take Action

The Preservation Budget: Select Preservation Priorities for FY 2025 Appropriations

Learn More

Updates

  1. Congress Acts to Address Annual Funding Deadline, Extension of Emergency HPF Funding Included
  2. Key Appropriations Bills for Historic Preservation Advance in the House and Senate
  3. Take Action Now on Annual Federal Historic Preservation Funding
See All Updates