National Trust for Historic Preservation: Return to home page

On January 5, 2026, Congress released the bicameral, bipartisan conference agreement for the FY 2026 Interior Appropriations bill, which includes a significant win for historic preservation. The conferenced language provides

• $205.059 million for the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF)—the highest funding level in the program’s history and substantially more than either the individual House or Senate bills proposed.
• A one-year extension of the HPF’s authorization and $8.285 million for the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), underscoring continued Congressional support for preservation programs.

With the current continuing resolution set to expire on January 30, Congress must act quickly to pass the remaining appropriations bills to avoid a partial government shutdown. A lapse in funding would impact Interior agencies, including the National Park Service, and could disrupt Historic Preservation Fund–supported operations and grants.

After delays to the FY 2025 Notice of Funding Opportunity and a recent 43-day government shutdown, State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOS, THPOS) are already taking steps to mitigate future disruptions, underscoring the growing operational challenges these funding uncertainties pose for staffing and program continuity.

The National Trust is closely monitoring developments, as ongoing funding uncertainty poses challenges for the stewardship of historic places and the delivery of preservation programs nationwide. Contact Congress today to let them know how important a robustly funded HPF is to your community.

A broad coalition of preservation organizations, businesses, agencies, and community partners has signed a national letter urging Congress to pass the Historic Preservation Fund Reauthorization Act. Submitted to the House Committee on Natural Resources on November 5, the letter calls for renewing and strengthening federal investment in the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF).

More than 300 signatories representing 46 states and the District of Columbia—including national and local preservation groups, State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, and other community-based partners—demonstrate widespread, nationwide support for stable long-term preservation funding.

For nearly 50 years, the HPF has been the primary federal source supporting State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, competitive grant programs, and local preservation and revitalization efforts. With its authorization having expired in 2024, swift congressional action is critical to ensure communities can continue this work.

The letter highlights strong bipartisan support for the Historic Preservation Fund Reauthorization Act (H.R. 3418), introduced by Representatives Mike Turner (R-OH) and Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM). The bill would reauthorize the HPF for 10 years and increase its annual authorized deposit from $150 million to $250 million to better meet current preservation needs.

Organizations that missed the initial deadline can still add their names as signatures continue to be collected. The National Trust will remain fully engaged and continue advocating for full reauthorization as Congress considers this essential legislation. You can access the full letter here.

The House and Senate have both advanced their FY 2026 Interior Appropriations bills, setting the stage for critical decisions about historic preservation funding in the months ahead. This funding bill has jurisdiction to set annual funding levels for programs and agencies housed within the Department of the Interior, like the National Park Service, as well as some independent agencies, like the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP).

Thanks to persistent advocacy, key programs are seeing continued support—though there’s still work to do. Check out this recent letter to Congressional appropriators, signed by over a dozen national organizations, urging robust funding for the HPF in FY 2026.

The House bill includes:

• $168.9 million for the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) — matching FY 2025 levels and rejecting the administration’s proposal to eliminate funding.
• A one-year extension of HPF authorization.
• Major cuts elsewhere: 33% cut to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) and 35% cuts to the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities (NEA and NEH).
• Provisions blocking funding for the Lava Ridge wind project, protecting the Minidoka National Historic Site, which was included on the 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list in 2022.
• A $213 million cut to the National Park Service, including a 21% reduction in park construction funding.
• $4.655 million for Japanese American Confinement Site grants, level with FY 2025 enacted funding.

The Senate bill offers:

• $168.246 million for HPF (slightly below FY 2025).
  • Increased funding for Tribal Historic Preservation Offices.
  • Level funding for Save America’s Treasures, African American Civil Rights Grants, HBCU Preservation, and other HPF subprograms.
• $15.6 million in new Congressionally Directed Spending for HPF projects.
• Level funding for the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.
• $207 million each for the NEA and NEH (much higher than the House bill).
• A robust $3.27 billion for the National Park Service — significantly more than the House or the President’s request.

While we aren’t seeing increases to preservation funding, these bills show that advocacy works. Your outreach—alongside national coalition efforts—helped protect the HPF from elimination and severe cuts and reinforced bipartisan support for preservation.

But we’re not done yet. The full House and Senate still need to pass their bills and reconcile funding level differences. With no floor votes scheduled and the Congress in recess until September, now is the time to speak up.

Let your members of Congress know that historic preservation matters. Urge them to:

• Protect and increase funding for Historic Preservation Fund
• Protect the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
• Support strong investments in preservation programs nationwide.

Send a message now and help ensure that America’s historic places have the resources they need to thrive.

Thanks to advocates like you, long-delayed FY 2025 funding for State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices is finally moving forward.

On July 1, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released the long-stalled Notice of Funding Opportunity for State and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (SHPO and THPO) to apply for their FY 2025 annual funding, despite being fully funded by Congress in March 2025.

Your voice made a difference.

But the future of preservation is still at risk. The Administration’s proposed FY 2026 budget would slash the Historic Preservation Fund almost entirely, threatening the places, stories, and communities we work to protect.

Congress is now deciding next year’s funding for federal agencies and programs.

Tell your lawmakers: robustly fund the HPF in FY 2026.

Across the nation, critical funding allocated for historic preservation has yet to be dispersed, and the impacts are already significant.

Many of the State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs) have yet to receive their FY 2025 funding allocations from the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF). These dollars were already appropriated by Congress, but bureaucratic delays threaten jobs, programs, and the places that tell our shared story.

In Ohio, one-third of the SHPO’s staff have been laid off, including 12 employees who played critical roles in reviewing historic sites and administering historic tax credit programs.

Several other SHPO offices warn of similar cuts if their allocated funding is not received in the next several weeks. These offices depend on HPF funding for up to 60% of their budgets, and without it, they cannot adequately meet their statutory obligations.

As we enter the final quarter of the federal fiscal year, SHPOs are making painful choices—cutting staff, shuttering programs, and delaying preservation work while they await their federal funding.

This puts nationally significant historic resources at risk and undermines programs like the federal Historic Tax Credit and National Register of Historic Places, which help preserve neighborhoods and fuel local economies.

At a recent congressional hearing, Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME) raised serious concerns about these delays with Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. Representative Pingree made it clear that SHPOs need these funds immediately to continue performing the vital functions of their offices. Despite Congress appropriating these much-needed funds, there is no clear timeline for their release.

Grassroots voices make a difference! Please contact your federal elected officials and share your story about the importance of the HPF, the critical need for release of FY 2025 funds, and the support for HPF funding in FY 2026.