FY2022 Historic Preservation Fund - Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Subgrant Program | P22AS00457

Opportunity Information: Apply for P22AS00457

The FY2022 Historic Preservation Fund Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Subgrant Program is a National Park Service (NPS) discretionary grant opportunity designed to strengthen rural communities by investing in the rehabilitation of historic properties. The main purpose of the program is not simply to fund individual restoration projects directly, but to fund organizations that will run subgrant programs. In other words, NPS awards a grant to an eligible “pass-through” organization, and that organization then designs and administers a local subgrant program that provides funding for preservation work on historic sites. The broader intent is economic development in rural areas, using historic preservation as a tool to support revitalization, local jobs, tourism, and community reinvestment.

The opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number P22AS00457, CFDA 15.904) supports subgrant programs that pay for preservation activities tied to rehabilitating historic properties. The types of supported work include architectural and engineering services (such as planning, design, condition assessments, and construction documents) as well as physical preservation and rehabilitation work on historic sites. The focus is on tangible preservation outcomes that help keep historic buildings and places in active use, making them viable anchors for rural downtowns and community centers.

Eligible applicants are limited to specific types of U.S.-based entities that have the capacity and authority to run a subgrant program within a defined jurisdiction. These eligible applicants include State Historic Preservation Offices, Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, Certified Local Governments (CLGs), and nonprofit tax-exempt U.S. organizations (including those with or without a formal 501(c)(3) designation, as described in the opportunity text). The CLG eligibility is tied to the National Park Service’s Certified Local Government program, and the relevant list is referenced in the notice (go.nps.gov/clg). The key is that the applicant is expected to function as the administrator of subawards, meaning they must be able to solicit projects, evaluate and select subgrants, manage compliance and reporting, and oversee successful completion of preservation work.

The subgrant recipients and the properties they work on must meet clear eligibility requirements. Projects funded through the subgrant program must involve properties that are either listed in the National Register of Historic Places or determined eligible for listing in the National Register. In addition, the properties must be located in rural areas as defined by the U.S. Census, specifically communities with populations under 50,000 (the opportunity points applicants to Census QuickFacts as a reference source). Another important boundary is jurisdiction: the historic properties receiving subgrant support must be located within the grantee’s jurisdiction, reinforcing that the grant is meant to empower local or jurisdiction-based stewardship rather than fund projects outside the administering organization’s geographic or governmental scope.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a grant program in which the awardee is responsible for creating and managing a competitive and compliant subgrant program. That typically implies developing program guidelines, outreach to rural communities and property owners, application and review procedures, and oversight mechanisms to ensure preservation standards and grant requirements are met. While the notice summary highlights eligible costs like A/E services and physical preservation, the overall structure signals that strong program design and management capacity are central to being competitive, because the impact is achieved through multiple subgrants that collectively advance rural revitalization goals.

Key logistics included in the opportunity notice are the agency and timing details. The funding is administered by the National Park Service, the opportunity was created on December 7, 2022, and the original closing date listed is February 7, 2023. The award ceiling is $750,000. The notice also indicates expected awards, though the exact number is not specified in the provided text. The opportunity category is discretionary, and the funding instrument type is a grant, with the activity category listed under Arts, Humanities, and Other, reflecting the cultural resource focus of historic preservation paired with community development outcomes.

Overall, this program is best understood as a rural economic development and preservation initiative that uses a subgrant model to reach individual historic properties. NPS funds a qualified state, tribal, local government, or nonprofit administrator to deliver smaller preservation awards to eligible National Register (listed or eligible) properties in rural communities under 50,000 people, with funding supporting both professional design services and on-the-ground rehabilitation work.

• The National Park Service in the arts, humanities, other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY2022 Historic Preservation Fund - Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Subgrant Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.904.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-12-07.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-02-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $750,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

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