Historic Preservation Grant Program (Environmental Protection Fund)

Historic Preservation Grant Program (Environmental Protection Fund) is sponsored by New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP). This matching grant program, part of the Environmental Protection Fund, supports projects enhancing parks and historic sites in New York.

Environmental Protection Fund - NYS Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation Environmental Protection Fund African American Heritage Grant Boating Infrastructure Grant Program Certified Local Government Program Environmental Protection Fund LWCF Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program Maritime Heritage Subgrant Program Municipal Parks and Recreation Grant Snowmobile Trail Grant Program Recreational Trails Program ZBGA Capital Grant Program ZBGA Operational Support Grant Program Title 9 NYCRR (sections 439.

1 – 443. 4) implements the Environmental Protection Fund Act of 1993 (Title 9 of Article 54 of the Environmental Conservation Law), which created OPRHP's program for Parks, Preservation and Heritage Grants.

The Environmental Protection Fund Grant Program for Parks, Preservation and Heritage (EPF) is a matching grant program for the acquisition, planning and development, and improvement of parks, historic properties, and heritage areas located within the physical boundaries of the State of New York. Funds may be awarded to municipalities or not-for-profits with an ownership interest.

The EPF legislation requires the public benefit from the investment of state funds. All properties acquired or developed with grant funds will receive long-term protections (samples below). The method and term of the protection is dependent upon the type of applicant and project undertaken.

Parks funding is for the acquisition, development and planning of parks and recreational facilities to preserve, rehabilitate or restore lands, waters or structures for park, recreation or conservation purposes and for structural assessments and/or planning for such projects.

Examples of eligible projects include: playgrounds, courts, rinks, community gardens, and facilities for swimming, boating, picnicking, hiking, fishing, camping or other recreational activities. Funds may be awarded for indoor or outdoor projects and must reflect the priorities established in NY Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) .

Historic Preservation funding is to acquire, improve, protect, preserve, rehabilitate or restore properties listed on the State or National Registers of Historic Places and for structural assessments and/or planning for such projects.

Properties not currently listed but approved for nomination in March or on the agenda for nomination at the June or September State Board for Historic Preservation meeting in the current calendar year, are eligible to apply.

Questions about, or proposals for, listing on the State or National Register should be directed to the OPRHP National Register Unit at (518) 268-2213, or contact the Survey & National Register representative for your county as listed at: Contact page. All work must conform to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.

Heritage Area funding is for projects to acquire, preserve, rehabilitate or restore lands, waters or structures, identified in the approved management plans for active Heritage Areas designated under section 35. 03 of the Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Law and for structural assessments or planning for such projects where an active management entity has endorsed the project.

For information about active Heritage Areas with approved management plans, including exact heritage areas boundaries and Heritage Area Contacts, go to Heritage Areas . How to Apply for EPF Funding Assistance Read the Environmental Protection Fund for Parks, Preservation and Heritage Program Application Guidance document for the current grant round in its entirety. View the recorded informational webinar for EPF.

Attend a Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) Workshop. Review the EPF scoring criteria for the current grant round before beginning the application. Questions specific to the proposed project not addressed in the above, can be emailed to the Regional Grants Administrator (RGA) for your project area, listed below.

RGA’s are available in the Agency’s Regional offices to offer assistance with applications and program details. All applicants must use the Regional Economic Development Council’s online application process, the Consolidated Funding Application (CFA). Visit the Consolidated Funding Application web page and click "Apply Now."

Complete the application by the deadline and include all relevant information. Information on 2025 Grant Round OPRHP is dedicating up to $26 million to parks, historic preservation, and heritage areas through the CFA for the Environmental Protection Fund Program.

The Environmental Protection Fund Grant Program for Parks, Preservation and Heritage (EPF) offers matching grants for the acquisition, planning, development, and improvement of parks, historic properties listed on the National or State Registers of Historic Places and heritage areas identified in approved plans for statutorily designated Heritage Areas. Funds are available to municipalities or not-for-profits with an ownership interest.

The maximum award is $675,000. The deadline for submission is 4:00 p. m.

Thursday, July 31, 2025. 2025 Environmental Protection Fund for Parks, Preservation and Heritage Program Application Guidance Document (pdf) Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) Workshops: May 21, 2025 – June 11, 2025 Visit https://regionalcouncils. ny.

gov for the CFA Workshop Calendar. View recorded informational webinar for “Parks: Environmental Protection Fund. ” 2025 REDC Webinars and FAQs | Regional Economic Development Councils Documents Required with Application Use the Attachment Checklist (pdf) to determine what documents you need to provide with your application.

Some documents are required of all applicants. Depending upon the particular circumstances of your project, other attachments may be required. Still other attachments, while not required, may be essential to support rating points.

All documents should be current to the grant cycle you are applying in. Applications lacking these attachments (or an acceptable explanation) are considered incomplete, and may cause the application to be deemed ineligible, or adversely affect the rating points assigned.

Template Documents to Provide with Application Environmental Review Form (Not-for-Profit Corporations only) (pdf) Municipal Endorsement (Not-for-Profits applying for Parks projects only) (pdf) Blank EPF Cost Share Summary (fillable pdf) | Blank EPF Cost Share Summary (xlsx) Blank EPF Cost Share Summary – (Sectarian projects only) (fillable pdf) | Blank EPF Cost Share Summary - (Sectarian projects only) (xlsx) Helpful Documents to Complete an Application Frequently Asked Questions (pdf) Cost Share and Budget Help with sample Cost Share summaries (pdf) Percent Below Poverty Level Table by ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) (pdf) Historic Preservation Work Detail (Planning, Construction, Sectarian) (pdf) Historic Preservation Terms and Professional Qualifications (pdf) Information and Instructions for Sectarian Projects (pdf) Photography Tips and Guidance (pdf) Using the Grants Map for CFA (pdf) Heritage Area Contacts for Endorsement Letter Documents Required for Successful Applicants Successful applicants will be notified of their award, including those elements of the proposed scope and budget that have been accepted for funding, as well as conditions of award specific to the applicant and the awarded project.

All successful applicants (grant recipients) are required to execute an agreement with the State, using The State of New York Contract for Grants . Certain conditions of award must be met to the satisfaction of OPRHP before a contract can be executed with the applicant/grantee. Grant recipients are advised NOT to begin work until a contract with the State has been fully executed.

Grant contracts will require that prior to commencement of project work, certain procedures must be followed and documentation provided to an approved by OPRHP. Project costs will be eligible for reimbursement only if the specified grant work is included in the approved contract, meets State standards and the expenditures are made in compliance with State requirements.

The EPF Application Guidance document provides general information for successful applicants (grant recipients). All grant recipients are encouraged to work closely with the Regional Grants Administrator for their project to ensure all conditions and procedures are followed to the satisfaction of OPRHP. Failure to comply with program requirements may jeopardize the grant.

Documents Required When Executing a Contract Authorizing Resolution and Certification (Not-for-Profit Corporations only) with Instructions (pdf) Authorizing Resolution and Certification (Municipal Entities only) with Instructions (pdf) Certification Under Executive Order No. 16 Prohibiting State Agencies and Authorities from Contracting with Businesses Conducting Business in Russia (pdf) Non-Discrimination Certification Related to Executive Order 177 (pdf) Prevention of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Policy (pdf) Opinion of Municipal Counsel (Municipal Entities only) Affidavit of Title (Not-for-Profit Corporations only) EPF Sign Order Form and Image (Historic Preservation/Heritage Area Projects) Sign Spec Form (pdf) HP/HA Sign Image (pdf) EPF Sign Order Form and Image (Parks/Heritage Area Projects) Sign Spec Form (pdf) Parks/HA Sign Image (pdf) Long Term Protection Documents To ensure the public benefits from the investment of State funds, all properties acquired or developed with grant funds will receive long-term protections.

The method and term of the protection is dependent upon the type of applicant and project undertaken. Generally, the long-term protections include: Grants under the Parks category are awarded on the condition that real property acquired, developed or improved with grant funds shall be publicly accessible and designated as parkland in perpetuity.

Such real property shall not be sold, leased, exchanged, donated, or otherwise disposed of, or used for other than public park purposes without the express authority of an act of the legislature, which shall provide for the substitution of other lands of equal environmental value and fair market value, reasonably equivalent usefulness and location, and such other requirements as shall be approved by the Commissioner.

For municipal parkland, information visit: Handbook on the Alienation and Conversion of Municipal Parkland Public access covenants or preservation covenants, for a specific term, conveyed to the State and recorded against a property deed, run with the land and apply to the grant recipient and all successive owners, operators and lessees.

Public Access Covenant (pdf) Preservation Covenant – Property listed on the Register (pdf) Preservation Covenant – Property eligible for listing on the Register (pdf) Perpetual preservation covenants or conservation easements conveyed to the State and recorded against a property deed, run with the land and apply to all successive owners, operators and lessees.

Conservation Easement-Preservation Covenant (pdf) Conservation Easement (pdf) Documents Required During the Life of a Grant Project Word Format (doc) Adobe Format (pdf) Standards & Procedures for Appraisal Reporting New York State Open Space Conservation Plan (OSP) 2010 Statewide Trails Plan Statewide Greenways Trails Plan 2020 Statewide Trails Plan The New York State Historic Preservation Plan Contact the Regional Grants Administrator assigned to the county in which your project is located.

Counties: Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren & Washington Saratoga Spa State Park 19 Roosevelt Drive Saratoga Springs, NY 12866-6214 Office (518) 485-8470 | Cell (518) 974-0223 Counties: Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga & Oswego Clark Reservation State Park 6105 East Seneca Turnpike Office (315)492-1756 | Cell (315)630-8128 | Fax (315)492-3277 Counties: Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca, Wayne, Wyoming & Yates 103 Commission House Road Office (716)773-5292 | Cell (716)961-8025 | Fax (716)773-4150 Counties: Nassau & Suffolk Office (631)321-3543 | Fax (631)321-3721 Counties: Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster & Westchester NYS OPRHP Taconic Regional Office Office (845)889-3866 | Cell (845)489-8223 | Fax (845)889-8321 Counties: Fulton, Herkimer, Montgomery, Oneida, Otsego & Schoharie Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site PO Box 539, 401 W Main Street Office (315)740-8100 | Fax (315)482-9413 Counties: Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, & Richmond Office (631)321-3543 | Fax (631)321-3721 Counties: Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis & St.

Lawrence Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site PO Box 539, 401 W Main Street Office (315)740-8100 | Fax (315)482-9413 Counties: Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Delaware, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga & Tompkins 2221 Taughannock Park Road Office (607)387-7041 | Cell (607)592-9830 | Fax (607)387-3390 Counties: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie & Niagara 103 Commission House Road Office (716)773-5292 | Cell (716)961-8025 | Fax (716)773-4150