Arizona SHPO Awards $106,992 in Grants to Certified Local Governments

PHOENIX – The Arizona State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), a division of Arizona State Parks and Trails, has awarded $106,992 in grant funding to support eight historic preservation projects in local governments around the state. The grant funding comes from the National Park Service (NPS) through the Historic Preservation Fund, which supports historic preservation activities in all states and territories.

Grants awarded by SHPO support a wide array of historic preservation projects, from survey and inventory, preservation planning, educational projects, and National Register of Historic Preservation nominations. To be eligible for these grants, municipalities must be Certified Local Governments (CLGs), a program of the NPS to support local preservation programs.

CLGs work with SHPO to administer a historic preservation program in their city, town, or county. To be a CLG, a municipality must execute a historic preservation ordinance, maintain a local register of historic properties, and have an active historic preservation commission.

Eight different CLGs across the state received grants this year: Benson, Casa Grande, Clifton, Cottonwood, Florence, Pima County, Tucson, and Williams. In Cottonwood, grant funds will be used to support a survey of Old Town Cottonwood, a residential area with approximately 500 properties, about 80% of which are over 50 years old. In Tucson, grant funds will support a survey of Asian American historic resources from 1870-1980.

One of the grants was awarded to the city of Williams to create a photographic inventory to include every building in the Williams Historic Business District. Margaret Hangan, a member of the City of Williams Historic Preservation Commission, remarked that “our hope is this will be the first step in a multiple phased effort . . . which will help to guide and improve on the city’s approach to the historic preservation effort for the historic district.”

Annually, SHPO distributes thousands of dollars in grants to CLGs across the state, and is required to pass on at least 10% of their federally funded budget. Grant funding for Heritage Fund dollars is now open to eligible applicants. This competitive grant program helps protect and preserve resources that are representative of the state’s unique cultural heritage. For more information about available grant funding, please visit AZStateParks.com/Grants. 

Managing and conserving Arizona's natural, cultural and recreational resources for the benefit of the people, both in our parks and through our partners.

For information about all 35 Arizona State Parks and Natural Areas, the Trails and Off-Highway Vehicle Programs and State Historic Preservation Office, call 1-877-MY-PARKS or visit AZStateParks.com.

PRESS CONTACT: Michelle Thompson at (480) 589-8877 - Email: pio@azstateparks.gov