Save America’s Treasures Announces $15 Million in Preservation Grants

April 13, 2004

Save America’s Treasures Announces $15 Million in Preservation Grants
April 13, 2004 – National Park Service program Save American’s Treasures (SAT) announces $15 million in grants to help communities and organizations preserve nationally significant historic buildings, documents, artifacts and other tangible pieces of our Nation’s past.

SAT grants are administered by the National Park Service in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.

"Save America’s Treasures is one of the best things we do," said National Park Service Director Fran Mainella. "With the support of the Congress who has funded this program since 1999, our State and Federal partners, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and local groups who raise funds to match these grants, Save America’s Treasures is doing just that – saving places like Daniel Boone’s home in Defiance, Missouri, and a collection at the University of North Carolina of 5 million archeological artifacts documenting 12,000 years of history."

Over the last 5 years SAT has awarded more than $187 million in support of "bricks and mortar" preservation in communities around the country. In 2003, the average Federal grant award to collections was $172,000, and the average award to historic properties was $268,000. Grants require at least a dollar-for-dollar nonfederal match so the actual value of the preservation projects funded is much higher.

"Through this innovative Federal partnership, we are making critical investments in the preservation of our Nation’s most significant and endangered cultural treasures, those places and things that illustrate, interpret, and embody the great events, ideas, and individuals that contribute to America’s history and culture," said Henry Moran, Executive Director, President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.

Eligible SAT applicants include U.S. nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c) organizations, units of State or local government, and Federally recognized Indian Tribes. To be considered for a SAT grant, the collection or historic property that benefits from the funding must be nationally significant and meet the other selection criteria. More information on the program including guidelines and application materials for the 2004 grants and a listing of all previous grants are available on the National Park Service Website at www2.cr.nps.gov/treasures/index.htm.

Applications for the 2004 grants must be received by 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings time, Wednesday, May 19, 2004.