San Francisco, CA (May 14, 2010) –Today, the National Trust for Historic Preservation announced the opening of the application period for the second round of grants from the Los Angeles County Preservation Fund. Funded jointly by the Ahmanson Foundation, the Getty Foundation and the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, the Los Angeles County Preservation Fund provides seed monies (typical award $5,000 to $10,000) to nonprofit organizations and government agencies for preservation, stewardship, and community revitalization involving historic resources across Los Angeles County.
“We created this dedicated source of financial support to increase public awareness of the wealth of heritage resources, advocacy efforts, and historic preservation projects in greater Los Angeles County,” said Anthea Hartig, director of the National Trust Western Office in San Francisco. “The first twelve grants highlight chapters in the diverse heritage of America’s most populous county. In addition to fostering civic pride and encouraging thoughtful stewardship of sites of community memory, projects funded by the Los Angeles County Preservation Fund also inspire additional fundraising and yield substantial economic activity.”
Intended to build credibility and public awareness of historic preservation activities, the seed grants give momentum to community preservation projects getting off the ground, providing capital in early stages and at critical junctures. A required dollar-for-dollar match means that the grants act as fundraising catalysts, leveraging additional financial support and community buy-in.
Grant awards will support activities and projects such as:
- Professional consulting services in areas that include architecture, archaeology, engineering, preservation or land-use planning, economics, organizational development, media relations and law;
- Bricks-and-mortar construction activities at historic sites and structures;
- Surveys and inventories of historic resources;
- Educational workshops, outreach activities, or community forums; and
- Designing and producing printed materials or other media communications to advance historic preservation.
The initial round of the Los Angeles County Preservation Fund generated a thematically and geographically diverse group of projects, including preservation of two 19th century ranch homes, the gateways to Chinatown’s Central Plaza, and a mid-century modern resource with intimate links to architects Richard and Dion Neutra’s evolving design ideas. To learn full details of first twelve projects go tohttp://www.preservationnation.
City governments, government agencies, and 501(c) (3) nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply. The application deadline for the second grant round will close on June 15, 2010 (postmarked). Individuals and private, for profit businesses are not eligible to apply. For the Los Angeles County Preservation Fund application, as well as complete guidelines and instructions, please see: www.preservationnation.org/
Funds may not be used: to acquire property or purchase equipment; to conduct academic research; for salaries, operating, or overhead expenses; or to raise general operating funds towards capital campaign goals.
The Los Angeles County Preservation Fund is coordinated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation Western Office, in San Francisco, in collaboration with the Los Angeles Conservancy, a Partner of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Applicants are required to contact the National Trust for Historic Preservation Western Office for assistance in identifying an appropriate eligible project prior to submitting an application. For further information, please contact Melita Jureša-McDonald, Elizabeth Boylan or Hugh Rowland in the Western Office, 415.947.0692
