A recent grant from the National Park Service (NPS) will make available up to $9.25 million in funding to provide recovery assistance to historic properties (including archaeological sites) damaged by hurricanes Florence and/or Michael that are listed or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
Funding from the Emergency Supplemental Historic Preservation Fund (ESHPF) administered by the NPS will allow the State Historic Preservation Office (HPO) to provide grants tied to historic properties in 61 counties in North Carolina that FEMA has declared eligible for federal disaster funding. The program is designed to address historic property needs unmet through other funding sources (FEMA, insurance, etc.).
Local governments and non-profit organizations are eligible to apply for the grants to fund repairs to historic resources (including archaeological sites) that sustained documented damage during either or both hurricanes.
“We are grateful for this grant program from the National Park Service, which will provide critical funding for repairs to storm-damaged historic properties in North Carolina,” said Susi H. Hamilton, secretary of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. “The Emergency Supplemental program will also provide funds for resiliency planning and surveys to help our state’s cultural resources be better prepared for future events.”
To be eligible, a project must be located in a county with a FEMA major disaster declaration for hurricanes Florence or Michael. A list of counties is available on the HPO website. The Florence and Michael ESHPF Hurricane Disaster Relief Grant is a competitive reimbursement grant program. The deadline for applications is 5 p.m. Aug. 14, 2020.
HPO will select applications for formal consideration according to a pre‐determined set of criteria, as outlined in the application package. For properties potentially eligible for listing on the National Register, eligibility determinations will be made by the NPS’s Keeper of the National Register prior to project funding.
Initially, $8.5 million will be available for brick and mortar grants, and $750,000 for survey and planning grants. All projects funded by the grant program must also result in plans that improve preparedness and substantially mitigate the threat of damage from future severe storm events.
More information and instructions for applying are available on the grant program website at https://www.ncdcr.gov/Hurricane-Recovery-Grants [u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net]. Questions about the program can be directed via email to hurricane.grants@ncdcr.gov (preferred), or by phone at 919-814-6591.
The federal grant establishing this program comes from the $47.8 million appropriated by Congress through the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) for assistance to communities impacted by hurricanes Florence, Michael and Typhoon Yutu. The HPF uses revenue from federal oil and gas leases on the Outer Continental Shelf, providing assistance for a broad range of preservation projects without expending tax dollars.
For more information about the NPS hurricane disaster grant program and the Florence, Yutu, Michael awards to states, please visit https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/-47-8-million-in-assistance-to-communities-impacted-by-hurricanes-florence-michael-and-typhoon-yutu.htm [u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net].