Hillsborough Opens Applications For Historic Preservation Grants

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — Hillsborough County is now accepting applications for the Historic Preservation Challenge Grant Program for the fiscal year 2021 cycle of grants. The deadline to submit an application is Friday, May 7 at 5 p.m.

The Historic Preservation Challenge Grant Program promotes historic preservation, heritage tourism and economic development within Hillsborough County. Available grant funds are awarded to selected applicants on a one-to-one matching basis not exceeding $250,000 per applicant.

Projects eligible for funding must be located in Hillsborough County (incorporated or unincorporated) and fall within one or more of the following nonresidential project types:

• Rehabilitation or restoration of historic structures
• Compatible additions to historic properties
• Improvements to historic sites or grounds
• Heritage tourism projects

An applicant for construction projects may be an eligible nonprofit or private individual or entity.

An applicant for heritage tourism projects may be an eligible nonprofit organization only.

This is the first grant cycle that will be conducted entirely online. Applicants may register and apply through the Neighborly Software system.

The grant application, submission instructions and a summary of past awards are available online here.

The Hillsborough County Historic Preservation Challenge Grant Review Committee will hold a workshop from 1 to 5 p.m. on Thursday, July 15 in the 18th-floor conference room of the Frederick B. Karl County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd. in downtown Tampa, to review requests for funding applications and make recommendations for awards. If needed, a second, workshop is scheduled from 1 to 5 p.m. on Thursday, July 29 in the same location. Applicants and the public will be invited through the Zoom platform.

For additional Historic Preservation Challenge Grant information, click here or contact Rebecca Hessinger, economic development, at 813-272-5909.