Letter from State HPO April

Letter from State HPO April

Office

of the

STATE
HISTORIC
PRESERVATION
OFFICER
for Connecticut
59 SOUTH PROSPECT STREET - HARTFORD,

CONNECTICUT 06106 - TEL: (203) 566-3005

April 1980

Dear Sir or Madam:
The Connecticut State Historic Preservation Office announces that applications
are now being accepted for the 1981 Historic Preservation Survey and Planning
grants. Funding for these grants is provided by the Heritage Conservation
and Recreation Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior. In order
to be considered for the initial award of these grants, which will be
after October 1, 1980, applications must be received by June 15, 1980, The
grants, which are made on a reimbursable basis, may be awarded for up to
50% of the costs of projects and may be matched with cash or in-kind
contributions.
In the past, these grants have been used primarily for surveys to identify,
locate and describe Connecticut's historic, architectural and archaeological
resources. This work is mandated by the U.S. Department of the Interior to
continue. We therefore encourage grant-in-aid requests from organizations
or municipalities to identify Connecticut's cultural resources. Grants
have also been made to study and develop special preservation tools, such
as revolving funds; to produce preservation plans for historic districts
and municipalities; and to prepare feasibility studies for the rehabilitation
of abandoned historic properties. Also, several preservation organizations
have received technical preservation services grants for advisory work in
their communities.
In addition to all of these types of projects, this office encourages the
submission of applications for innovative projects and programs. Projects
which address energy conservation, banking strategies for use of historic
preservation grants-in-aid in providing housing for the elderly and low
income persons, and the creation of educational tools, such as books, films,
and slide show presentations or tours, are all eligible. This office may
also fund 50% of approved predevelopment costs, such as the preparation of
plans and specifications for National Register property owners wishing to
apply for development grants during the coming year.

STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER: The person responsible for implementation in Connecticut of the National Historic
Preservation Act of 1966 administered by the Department of the Interior, Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service, Washington, D.C.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AGENCY

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"
These funds are from a Federal agency. Therefore, the accounting
requirements and contract responsibilities of grant recipients are
extensive. Enclosed is a fact sheet for your information.
In general, a survey of archaeological resources includes an inventory
form (format provided by the Connecticut Historical Commission) with
attached photographs for all archaeological resources identified and an
evaluation of the survey. The final report should include an analysis
of the extent of correlation between the research procedures and the
final survey results, as well as recommendations to facilitate the
development of future survey strategies.
The application requirements for archaeological projects are twofold.
First, the completion and signing of the application form. Secondly,
the submission of a thorough but succinct archaeological survey proposal.
The survey proposal should explicitly identify, at a minimum, the
following areas: 1) review of relevant survey literature; 2) theoretical
approach/research strategy (ecological, oral history, historical literature,
predictive modeling, tabula rasa, etc.); 3) sampling design; 4) field methodology;
5) specific breakdown of budget information supplied on the application form.
In addition, curriculum vitae should be submitted for all supervisory
personnel, such as principal investigators, field directors and special
consultants.
If you are interest in applying for a survey and planning grant-in-aid,
please request an application and submit it by June 15, 1980.
For f urther i nformation c oncerning a rchaeological g rants-in-aid, p lease
contact David A . P oirier, A rchaeologist.

Sincerely,

ohn W . Sh/mnahan
State Historic P reservation
Officer

PTY/eb

NOTE:

If you wish to receive a Grants Manual, including an application
form, please write to this office and request one.

Questions and Answers About Historic Preservation Grants

Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service
Historic Preservation Grants-in-Aid
Administered by the Connecticut Historical Commission

Q. WHAT IS THE STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE?
A. Each state and territory in the United States has a State Historic
Preservation Office responsible for administering the provisions of
the National Historic Preservation Act (1966).

In Connecticut, this

office is part of the Connecticut Historical Commission.

These

responsibilities include 1) the review of federally funded or licensed
projects; 2) the nomination of properties to the National Register of
Historic Places and 3) the administration of the historic preservation
grants-in-aid program.
Since listing on the National Register of Historic Places is a
prerequisite for some grants, you may be interested to know whether
your property is eligible for this designation.

Material about this

program is available from our office by requesting the National Register
information brochure.
For grants-in-aid, in addition to this fact sheet, we publish a
comprehensive guide to the Historic Preservition Grants program, the
Connecticut Grants Manual.

It includes a description of the Federal and

State requirements, procedural guidelines and sample application forms.

Q. WHAT IS THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION GRANTS-IN-AID PROGRAM?
A. It is a program which provides for 50% matching fund grants to the
states and territories to assist in the identification, acquisition,
protection, rehabilitation and reconstruction of properties listed
in the National Register.
If you are allocated a grant award, you may not begin work on the
project until approval is received from this office.

Although up to

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50% of allowable costs for approved work may be funded, most grants are
less than half the total project cost.

This is a reimbursable grant

program; that is, proof of payment of the total project expenditures must
be submitted to the Commission prior to the release of funds.

Q. WHAT WORK IS ELIGIBLE?
A. There are two main categories of historic preservation grants-in-aid:
1. Acquisition and Dvelopment grants
2. Survey and Planning grants
ACQUISITION AND DEVELOPMENT GRANTS - Matching grants can be used to
acquire, protect, stabilize, preserve, rehabilitate, restore or
reconstruct properties listed on the National Register of Historic
Places.

The grantee must adhere to specific historic preservation

standards and no project work may begin until approval is received
from this office.
•
SURVEY AND PLANNING GRANTS - Cultural resource surveys, the preparation
of community preservation plans, feasibility studies, archaeological
surveys, plans and specifications and historical research necessary
for the restoration or rehabilitation of a property.

Technical Assistance

such as courses on proper restoration techniques, neighborhood design consultations and information leaflets are among those areas eligible for funding.
O. HOW CAN I APPLY?
A. For development projects:

Owners of properties listed in the National

Register of Historic Places either individually or as part of a
district may apply.
For acquisition projects:

Interested individuals, organizations and
,

local units of government are eligible to apply.
For survey and planning projects:

Interested individuals, organizations

and local units of government are eligible to apply.
"

•

PLEASE NOTE:
Applications and sample applications for both survey and planning and
acquisition and development projects are in the Appendix of the
Connecticut Grants Manual.

Simply fill them out and send them to:

Connecticut Historical Commission, 59 South Prospect Street, Hartford,
Connecticut 06106.

Q. WHEN SHOULD I APPLY?
A. The grants deadline is established in the spring or summer of each
year so that the amount requested for funds to the Department of the
Interior can be prepared.

Applications received after June 15, 1980

for this year are considered as late applications with some penalty
attached to them.

Periodic program readjustments and reallocations

often occur making additional monies available during the course of
the year.

Q. WHEN WILL I BE NOTIFIED ABOUT MY APPLICATION?
A. Historic Preservation funds are appropriated each fall by Congress
for allocation among the states and territories.

Connecticut is usually

informed of its funding level in late November or December.

Grant

awards are made by the Connecticut Historical Commission at its next
scheduled monthly meeting following the notification fron Washington,
Thus, we expect to notify grant applicants of the Connecticut Historical
Commission's decisions during winter, 1981.

Q. WHAT ELSE SHOULD I KNOW?
A. If you would like further information, please request a free copy of
the Connecticut Grants Manual, and read it carefully.

Staff members

are available to discuss the grant program with you:

Paula Yellraan,

Grants Administrator; Thomas Fisher, for acquisition and development
projects; and Judith Paine for survey and planning activities.

We

hope you will

join with us in encouraging historic preservation throughout Connecticut.