Historic Preservation Capital Grant Program

The Historic Preservation Capital Grant Program is administered by the Maryland Historical Trust, the State Historic Preservation Office operating within the Maryland Department of Planning. The agency’s mission is to preserve and interpret Maryland’s historical and cultural heritage through research, conservation, and public engagement. This grant program is designed to support the preservation of historic properties across the state that provide a clear public benefit. The program emphasizes projects that protect historically significant structures while enhancing public access, education, and community value. The primary purpose of the program is to provide financial assistance for capital projects that preserve historic properties. Eligible activities include acquisition of historic sites, rehabilitation and restoration of historic buildings, and certain predevelopment activities such as architectural and engineering planning. However, predevelopment costs are only eligible for nonprofit organizations and local governments. All funded work must comply with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, ensuring that preservation efforts meet nationally recognized guidelines. Projects must represent new phases of work and cannot include activities already underway or completed prior to the grant award. Funding is structured to support discrete, construction-related preservation efforts with long-term impact, requiring that projects have an expected useful life of at least fifteen years. The program provides individual awards ranging from approximately 10000 to 100000 dollars, with a total program funding pool of approximately 1000000 dollars. Matching requirements vary by applicant type; nonprofit organizations are not required to provide a match, while all other applicants must provide a one-to-one match, which may include cash or in-kind contributions that are properly documented and directly tied to the project scope. Eligibility for the program includes nonprofit organizations, local governments, business entities, and private individuals. To qualify, properties must be listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places or the Maryland Register of Historic Properties. Property owners must provide written consent and agree to convey a historic preservation easement to the Maryland Historical Trust if funding is awarded. Special eligibility considerations apply to religious properties and cemeteries, with restrictions on interior religious spaces and requirements for clear ownership documentation. The application process is conducted entirely online through the Maryland Historical Trust grants portal. Applicants are required to submit a complete application including detailed project descriptions, budgets, photographs, proof of ownership or site control, and letters of support. Additional required components include cost estimates, documentation of matching funds where applicable, and organizational information. Applicants are encouraged to attend pre-application workshops and consult with program staff during project planning. Applications must be submitted by the specified deadline and must include all required documentation to be considered. Applications are evaluated based on several criteria, including the level of preservation impact, urgency of the project, readiness and feasibility of the project timeline, financial capability, and the public benefit provided by the project. Additional evaluation factors include the educational value, community impact, and the significance of the historic property. The program also considers the applicant’s administrative and professional capacity to manage the project successfully. Funding decisions are reviewed by the Maryland Historical Trust Board of Trustees and approved by the Secretary of Planning. The application timeline follows an annual cycle. Applications typically open in early February, with a firm deadline in mid-March. Award announcements are made in early summer, followed by grant agreement execution and project initiation. Funded projects must generally be completed within a two-year period following award. Applicants are strongly encouraged to engage early with program staff and ensure compliance with all eligibility and documentation requirements to maximize competitiveness in this highly structured preservation funding program.

Contact MHT staff early; ensure project complies with Secretary of the Interior standards; clearly demonstrate public benefit and project urgency; provide complete documentation including match verification