The ongoing federal government shutdown is having significant and immediate effects across agencies, including those central to historic preservation efforts. Now in its fourth week, the shutdown has furloughed over 700,000 federal employees and required nearly as many to continue working without pay.

Here's how key areas are being impacted:

Federal Workforce

Many agencies are now operating with only essential personnel. While active-duty military, air traffic controllers, and certain security roles continue, a vast number of federal employees have been furloughed—many of whom are essential to preservation work, including staff at the National Park Service (NPS), the Department of the Interior (DOI), and congressional offices. As of now:

• 700,000 federal employees have been furloughed
• 690,000 are working without pay
• 3 million active-duty service members remain on duty, awaiting pay
• 750,000 National Guard and Reserve personnel are also affected

Public Services and Federal Sites

Programs that rely on annual appropriations, such as the Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo, are closed. The NPS has furloughed much of its workforce, leading to site closures or reduced operations at many national parks.

As a result, critical preservation work—including maintenance, project reviews, and grant processing—is delayed or suspended.

• Technical Preservation Services (TPS) remains operational because it is funded primarily through application fees rather than annual appropriations. TPS administers the federal Historic Tax Credit program and provides essential guidance on the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.
• The NPS is reportedly losing $1 million per day in entrance and campground fee revenue.
• As of October 17, cumulative losses are estimated at $17 million State-Level and Fee-Funded Preservation Programs. Some programs, including State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs), continue to operate due to funding from sources beyond annual federal appropriations.

Looming Threat of Layoffs

The Department of the Interior announced on October 20 their plan to eliminate more than 2,000 jobs, which would include major reductions to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and the Office of the Secretary.

The proposed cuts would most heavily impact the Office of the Secretary (about 770 positions), followed by BLM (474), USGS (330), NPS (approximately 270), and the Fish and Wildlife Service (142).

Further disruption could be ahead. Despite a recent court ruling halting layoffs of nearly 4,000 federal employees, there are growing concerns that even more mass reductions in force (RIFs) could still be implemented. If carried out, these layoffs would severely impact staffing at the NPS, compounding delays and weakening the infrastructure that supports historic preservation nationwide.

We will continue to monitor the ongoing shutdown and court filings and will provide updates through our Action Center.

What We’re Hearing from the Community

We're hearing from preservationists across the country about how the shutdown is disrupting their work and stalling critical projects. Reviews are on hold, questions are going unanswered, and communities are feeling the strain of halted federal operations.

These stories underscore how much preservation work depends on reliable federal support and fully staffed agencies. The National Trust is continuing to collect examples like these to advocate for long-term, stable funding for the Historic Preservation Fund and other key priorities.

If your project or community is affected, we want to hear from you. Please email us at policy@savingplaces.org.

What Advocates Can Do Now

• You can take action on many preservation issues before Congress, like expanding the federal Historic Tax Credit, designating Route 66 as a National Historic Trail, and funding the Historic Preservation Fund by visiting our Action Center.
• Contact your members of Congress today to advocate for preservation priorities.
• Sign up for our advocacy newsletter and receive updates like this in your email inbox.