Preservation Opportunity Fund

Preservation Opportunity Fund is sponsored by Preservation League of New York State. Supports capital improvement projects on historic properties in New York State, including roof repair and replacement.

Preservation Opportunity Fund — Preservation League of NYS Preservation Opportunity Fund Support for Arts-Based Community Preservation Projects Support for Pre-Construction Studies Northeast Heritage Economy Program Technical Assistance Grants Artist-led Community Engagement Preservation Professionals Digital Guide Resiliency & Disaster Planning in Historic Preservation Future of Preservation Webinar Series Northeast Regional Initiative for the Preservation Trades Pillar of New York Awards The Preservation Opportunity Fund: Supporting capital improvement projects at significant historic properties in NYS Click here for a downloadable PDF of the 2026 POF grant guidelines .

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations and municipal governments with an ownership interest in, or a long-term lease of, a historic property requiring preservation, restoration, or rehabilitation, are invited to apply. The deadline for LOI submission was Monday, September 15, 2025 at 5:00 p. m.

Invitations to apply will be emailed by October 24. The full application deadline is Friday, November 21, 2025 at 5:00 p. m.

Applicants will be notified of grant decisions via email in February 2026. POF funded projects may begin upon the applicant's signing and return of the grant award letter. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations Municipal governments (city, village, town, county) Ineligible applicants: private owners, state agencies, groups that steward state-owned sites, school districts, and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) designation.

Additional Applicant Requirements Applicant must be incorporated in NYS Applicant must own, lease, or operate the building/resource under a formal long-term (6+ year) stewardship agreement Prior Preservation League grant(s) must be closed prior to application deadline Applicant may apply for only one project per grant cycle Eligible Buildings/Historic Resources Owned by a nonprofit or municipality 50+ years old (historic designation not required) Ineligible: state and privately owned properties The POF grant will support shovel-ready capital projects on historic buildings, sites, structures, and objects.

Work may be part of a larger capital project but the scope of work for which POF funding is requested must be broken out as a discrete project.

Eligible work may include but is not limited to: Window repair and restoration Masonry repair and repointing Roof repair and replacement Structural repair and stabilization Historic exteriors, interiors, and finishes Electrical and HVAC systems and energy efficiency improvements Additional Project Requirements Work must comply with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties (36 CFR 68) Work that is already underway or completed is not eligible The minimum grant request is $10,000.

Grant awards will range from $10,000 to $40,000. All grant requests will require at least a 1:1 funding match from the applicant. This match must be in the form of dedicated, unexpended project funds and may not include in-kind donations or staff time.

Soft costs, such as design services, may count towards the match, however, grant funds may only cover hard costs. Acquisition, pre-development, and new construction are not eligible expenses. Grant funds may not be used toward applicant staff time, overhead costs, or to reimburse project expenses already incurred.

Funds will be disbursed to grantee upon receipt of the signed grant agreement. Work must be completed within 18 months from acceptance of the grant agreement or grant funds will be forfeited.

Priority will be given to projects that: Have a history of Preservation League involvement Benefit traditionally underserved communities Prepare historic sites for the U.S. Semiquincentennial Incorporate training and apprenticeship opportunities in the preservation trades Advance sustainability goals in the face of climate change Application Review Criteria Applications will be considered based on the following criteria: SIGNIFICANCE: Although properties need not have official designation, the historic resource should possess architectural, historic, and/or cultural significance.

The resource should be publicly accessible and play a visible, important role in its local/regional community. LEVEL OF PRESERVATION: The project should preserve, restore, or rehabilitate the historic resource and must comply with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards . With few exceptions, projects should be informed by pre-construction studies as condition reports and should align with the resource’s most pressing need(s).

Projects that are guided by a preservation architect, preservation consultant, and/or preservation contractor will generally receive higher scores. PROJECT URGENCY: POF generally prioritizes projects that have a degree of urgency.

Projects meeting the following conditions will generally receive higher scores in this category: resources that are imminently endangered (e.g., by development pressures, erosion, flooding or water infiltration, structural issues, or neglect); projects that address an urgent public need (e.g. providing affordable housing); projects that have a unique window of opportunity in which to be completed.

CAPACITY: The applicant should demonstrate an understanding of the historic resource’s preservation needs, project prioritization, and timing. The applicant should demonstrate thoughtful organizational planning. The applicant should have the funding, organizational capacity, and expertise to ensure completion of the project on time and within budget.

Application Process and Deadlines The application process is entirely online and begins with the submission of a Letter of Interest (LOI). A limited number of LOI applicants will be chosen to submit full grant applications. The LOI should be a maximum of 2 pages and provide a brief summary of the applicant, the project, and how the proposed project meets the review criteria.

Please refer to the instructions in the grant portal for complete details on what to include in the LOI. To submit an LOI for consideration, click on the "Submit an LOI" link on the Preservation League's website and create an account through the League’s grant application system, SmarterSelect . The deadline for LOI submission is Monday, September 15, 2025 at 5:00 p.

m. Invitations to apply will be emailed by October 10. The full application deadline is Friday, November 21, 2025 at 5:00 p.

m. Applicants will be notified of grant decisions via email in February 2026. POF funded projects may begin upon the applicant's signing and return of the grant award letter.

PLEASE NOTE: All submissions must be made online through SmarterSelect. No LOI or application materials will be accepted via email. Hard copies are not accepted.

All deadlines are firm; once the application portal closes, no exceptions will be made for late submissions. League staff cannot add to or modify any grant application. Frequently Asked Questions I want to apply for a POF grant.

Where do I begin? First, read the POF Grant Guidelines carefully to make sure that your organization and project meet the eligibility requirements. Next, register to attend the informational webinar on Wednesday, August 27 at 12:00 p.

m. If you miss the webinar, a recording will be available on the this webpage. Once you understand the program guidelines and have determined that your organization and project are eligible, you may submit a letter of intent (LOI).

LOIs are due September 15, 2025 at 5:00 p. m. Within approximately 4 weeks after the LOI deadline, a limited number of applicants will be invited to submit a full application, which is due on November 21, 2025 at 5:00 p.

m. I’m not sure if my project or organization meets the eligibility requirements listed in the POF grant guidelines. What should I do?

Contact Preservation League staff at grants@preservenys. org . We’re happy to discuss your project with you!

We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that leases its building from a private owner. Am I eligible to apply for the Preservation Opportunity Fund? No. Regardless of who the applicant is, privately owned properties are not eligible for POF funding.

My church needs repair/preservation. Can churches apply? Only churches with an active 501(c)(3) designation may apply.

What is a letter of intent (LOI)? My LOI is longer than 2 pages. Can I still submit it?

Please limit your LOI to no more than 2 pages, using a reasonably sized font (11 or 12). Keep in mind that your responses to the LOI questions should be brief summaries only; this is not a full grant application. You are trying to give us a brief snapshot of your organization and your proposed project.

Do I need to have completed a building condition report prior to applying to POF? While a pre-construction study is not required to apply for POF, these types of planning studies do help make a case for your proposed project and scope of work. They also help you, the applicant, determine the highest priority for repair/rehabilitation/restoration of your historic property.

With few exceptions, projects should be informed by pre-construction studies as condition reports and should align with the resource’s most pressing need(s). Projects that are guided by a preservation architect, preservation consultant, and/or preservation contractor will generally receive higher scores. My organization received a TAG/PNY grant this year.

Can we apply for POF, too? To apply for POF, your TAG/PNY grants must be closed – the study and report completed and submitted to grants@preservenys. org and acknowledged by League staff – prior to the application deadline of Nov.

15, 2025. Does my building have to be listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places in order to qualify for POF? No, but the grant review panel does consider the architectural and/or historic significance of the historic resource as part of the grant application evaluation.

Do I need to have matching funds secured to submit a LOI? No, you do not need to have the required 50% match secured at the time you submit a LOI. However, your LOI should briefly summarize potential and secured sources of matching funds.

Can soft costs like architectural services count towards the required 50/50 cash match? Yes, soft costs can count towards your grant match. Note that the grant itself can only cover hard costs.

Is a building eligible for POF if it isn't currently accessible to the public (i.e. vacant or unsafe due to presence of hazardous materials) but long-term plans are to make it accessible once construction is complete? Have questions about the Preservation Opportunity Fund? Watch our recent webinar below and feel free to reach out if you have further questions: grants@preservenys.

org Announcing the 2026 Preservation Opportunity Fund Grantees The Preservation League of NYS is thrilled to share that two capital projects will receive funding from its Preservation Opportunity Fund in 2026. The League has awarded $40,000 to Citizens Advocating Memorial Preservation, Inc. (CAMP) and $10,000 to the 1890 House Museum and Center for the Arts (a portion of this award is made possible by the Estate of Warren S. Eddy).

Restored Windows Return to Conservancy Hall Preservation Opportunity Fund grantee Glen Conservancy successfully wrapped up their grant-funded project, with Alden Witham reinstalling eight historic windows he fully restored in his Sharon Springs workshop.

Announcing the 2025 Preservation Opportunity Fund Grantees "The League's Preservation Opportunity Fund provides crucial capital funding for urgent preservation projects," said Caitlin Meives, Director of Preservation at the Preservation League of NYS.

"We are thrilled to be able to support the hands-on preservation work each of our grantees are undertaking, ensuring these historic places can continue to serve their communities for many years to come." The creation of the Preservation Opportunity Fund is a key tactic to meeting the League’s organizational goal of “Protecting our heritage from loss.

” Giving organizations the money they need to complete pressing projects will enable them to successfully steward those historic sites for many more years to come. Annual grants made from this fund will support discrete capital projects on historic buildings, sites, structures, and objects.

These grant funds aim to help those organizations that already have a clear idea of what their historic building needs — but may not yet have the funding in place to make it happen.