Small Matching Historic Preservation Grants

Formal Solicitation for Applications

September 1, 2011 – November 15, 2011

for Fiscal Year 2012-2013

The purpose of this notice is to formally announce that the Florida Department of State is currently soliciting applications for Small Matching Grant-in-Aid assistance for historic preservation projects.

The solicitation period begins September 1, 2011, and extends through November 15, 2011. A preview of the online application is available at: www.flheritage.com/grants and submissions of the application will be accepted beginning September 1, 2011. Applications must be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. on November 15, 2011. Application attachments must be delivered to the Bureau of Historic Preservation, R.A. Gray Building, 500 South Bronough Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0250 no later than 5:00 p.m., November 15, 2011, or be clearly postmarked on or before November 15, 2011, or show evidence of submission to an express mail service on or before November 15, 2011. Arrangements for the submission of paper applications may be made by calling: The Bureau at (850)245-6333 or toll free at 1(800)847-7278.

FUNDS AVAILABLE

Funding availability will depend upon legislative appropriation during the 2012 Legislative Session. Recommended grant awards will not exceed $50,000.00.

It is projected that approximately $118,250 will be made available for Certified Local Government (CLG) program grants for conducting survey and planning and community education projects. These funds will be comprised of the required 10% of Florida’s 2012 Federal Historic Preservation Fund apportionment, and will be available only to those local governments that are already certified or meet the requirements of item (d) below.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY

Eligible applicants include:

(a) Departments or agencies of the State of Florida (including state universities);

(b) Units of county, municipal or other local governments;

(d) Certified Local Governments or any local government that has received National Park Service certification by November 15, 2011.

Non-secular organizations are eligible to apply for grant-in-aid assistance. However, eligible development activities involving non-secular properties are limited to work on the exterior of the property and only those interior activities that are essential to the preservation of the structural integrity of the property.

PROJECTS ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING

Small Matching grant funds will be available to support both Acquisition & Development and Protection & Education activities.

Acquisition & Development projects include acquisition, preservation, protection, restoration, rehabilitation and stabilization of historical and archaeological properties; also the investigation of archaeological sites, the taking of photographs, the preparation of measured drawings and such other records as are necessary to record historical and archaeological sites and properties threatened with damage or destruction; and planning for eligible Acquisition & Development activities, such as the preparation of plans and specifications.

Protection & Education activities include survey and evaluation of historical and archaeological properties; preparation of data for and the actual listing or registering of historical and archaeological properties in the Florida Master Site File or the National Register of Historic Places; preparation of long-range historic preservation and management plans for historical and archaeological properties; development of automated information systems to facilitate the recording of property data or to facilitate the management of information on other subjects pertaining to historic preservation; community education and community relations projects promoting the preservation of historical and archaeological properties in general; research to study the effectiveness and results of historic preservation programs, methods and techniques; research of historical documents for the purpose of documenting and evaluating the significance of historical and archaeological properties; and use of staff or a private consultant hired through appropriate procurement standards to organize a Certified Local Government program or its components.

Other preservation activities may also be eligible for grant assistance. If you have a question about the eligibility of a project or work element, please call the Bureau.

GENERAL PRIORITIES

Historic Preservation

The goal of the Bureau is to locate, identify and protect the significant historic properties of the state as rapidly as possible to provide a basis for effective preservation planning throughout the state. In accordance with the application evaluation criteria outlined in Chapter 1A-39, Florida Administrative Code (“Division of Historical Resources Grants Programs”), projects within each category shall be compatible with the following priorities:

A. Survey Priorities

1. Surveys to identify, evaluate and document historic properties and archaeological sites associated with Florida’s minority heritage.

2. Surveys of broad areas where no previous surveys have been undertaken.

3. Surveys located in areas subject to intensive development pressure.

4. Surveys designed to complete comprehensive coverage of areas in which partial surveys have been made.

5. Surveys that address historic themes not covered or under-represented in previous surveys.

B. Registration (National Register) Priorities

1. Registration of historical resources identified by previous survey activity.

2. Registration of properties of national significance, and not previously listed in the National Register.

3. Registration of properties of statewide or local significance, and not previously listed in the National Register.

C. Planning Priorities

1. Development of historic preservation elements (or historic preservation components of coastal management, future land use or housing elements) of Local Government Comprehensive Plans.

2. Development of plans for informing the public as to the economic and other benefits of preserving historical resources.

3. Development of protection tools, such as local ordinances.

4. Implementation of automated information systems to facilitate the recording of site data or information on other historic preservation subjects.

D. Community Education Priorities

1. Historic preservation education programs for school children.

2. Projects having to do with minority historic preservation.

3. General publications about preservation.

4. Self-guided tours of historic areas.

E. Acquisition and Development Priorities

1. Assistance for stabilization or other appropriate preservation treatments for properties which are in imminent danger of being lost due to physical deterioration or planned development.

2. Assistance in the development of plans for the restoration or rehabilitation of properties, particularly those that will be placed in public use.

3. Assistance in the restoration and rehabilitation of properties for which appropriate preservation planning is complete or well underway, particularly those which will be placed in public use.

4. Assistance for restoration or rehabilitation projects which will yield technical innovations which will have application in other projects.

Applications for all types of eligible projects are earnestly solicited and encouraged and will be judged on their merits according to the criteria in Rule 1A-39.008, Florida Administrative Code.

SPECIAL STATEWIDE PROJECTS within the Small Matching Grant Program

Viva Florida 500 Special consideration will be given to proposals for a traveling exhibit that reflects the goals and purposes of the Viva Florida 500 Initiative. A maximum of $50,000 will be available for the project, contingent on appropriations from the 2012 Florida Legislature. Matching funds are not required for this project.

The exhibit should be of sturdy construction that can be easily shipped to three or four venues throughout Florida for approximately six weeks each from January to June 2013. Special consideration will be given to projects that include venues in small or underserved communities. It will be the responsibility of the grantee to arrange for the venues and the scheduling thereof. For information on topics central to Viva Florida 500, please visit: www.vivaflorida.org and www.fla500.com.

Florida Main Street Program

Newly selected Florida Main Street communities will be eligible for non-matching “start-up” grants of $10,000.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATION

Priority ranking during the Acquisition and Development review will be given to projects whose objective is in accordance with the first priority for Acquisition and Development projects: The stabilization or other appropriate preservation treatments for properties which are in imminent danger of being lost due to physical deterioration or planned development.

MATCH REQUIREMENTS AND PROJECT SUPPORT

The above special projects and applications submitted by local governments and not-for-profit organizations located in communities that are eligible to request a waiver or reduction of matching requirements as per Section 288.06561, Florida Statutes, are the only potential non-matching grants anticipated. All other funding will be awarded in the form of 50/50 matching grants. That is, funds will be given to support up to 50% of the cost of an eligible project, with the other 50% to be provided by the grant recipient (grantee) in the form of cash match or allowable in-kind and donated services match with a specified cash value. The required match must include a minimum cash contribution of 25%.

In computing grant match, please note that, while direct administrative costs for conducting grant activities will be considered allowable expenditures, indirect administrative charges or overhead will be considered on a case-by-case basis and may not exceed 10% of the grant award request. In valuing in-kind and donated services, please be sure to use a value that reflects a typical fair market value you would pay if you were purchasing such services. Also, please be aware that you may not use expenditures of any kind made prior to the grant period as part of your match.

It is important that the applicant document support for the project for which funding is requested. Several letters of support, endorsements, resolutions, and other documentation evidencing local, regional or statewide support for the project contribute significantly to the application review.

APPLICATION REVIEW AND PROJECT SELECTION

Applications must be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. on November 15, 2011. Application attachments must be delivered to the: Bureau of Historic Preservation, R.A. Gray Building, 500 South Bronough Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0250 no later than 5:00 p.m., November 15, 2011, or be clearly postmarked on or before November 15, 2011, or show evidence of submission to an express mail service on or before November 15, 2011.

All eligible applications will be evaluated on a competitive basis by Grant Review Panels appointed by the Secretary of State in public meetings scheduled for February 13 and 14, 2012, in Tallahassee.

The Grant Review Panels will prioritize all applications and recommend a level of funding (full or partial) for each project. In accordance with the Government Performance and Accountability Act of 1994, the Division of Historical Resources is mandated to increase the number of historic and archaeological properties protected or preserved for public use.

Please note that many projects may not be recommended for the full amount requested; rather, the Grant Review Panel members may recommend an amount intended as a significant contribution to the project. Final project selection will be made by the Department of State and will depend heavily upon the Grant Review Panels’ recommendations.

Projects selected for grant awards will be announced by July 1, 2012. Grant award agreements will be forwarded to grantees in July of 2012, and project work may not be initiated until a formal grant award agreement between the grantee and the Department is executed. No work begun before July 1, 2012, will be eligible for payment.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

If you have any questions regarding proposed projects or the application process, please call the staff of the: Bureau of Historic Preservation at 1(800)847-7278 (PAST) or (850) 245-6333. Questions regarding Acquisition & Development projects should be directed to Phillip Wisley, Eva Osborne or Jennifer Patnode. Questions regarding archaeological projects, historic structures surveys, or planning should be directed to: Sharyn Heiland. Community education projects should be directed to: Crista Hosmer. General questions regarding the grants program may be directed to: Sharyn Heiland, Crista Hosmer or Jennifer Patnode.

Please visit our Web site at: www.flheritage.com/grants for more information on the grants program and to begin the application process.