Frequently Asked Questions

Is there an application used to request the funds from the General Assembly? Yes. Entities requesting funding for 2006 may submit an application to the Department of Planning and Budget, due November 1, 2004. DPB in consultation with the Governor's Office will determine if the request will be included as part of the Governor's recommended budget.

At the same time that the application is being prepared for DPB, the applicant organization may seek support for the application from its representatives in the General Assembly. Organizations must ask a legislator to introduce a budget amendment on behalf of their project or funds will not be appropriated. In other words, submitting the application to the department only provides information about the request; it does not guarantee an appropriation.

In addition to the process described above, historical organizations proposing rehabilitation or restoration can also make application through the Department of Historic Resources (DHR) using this application form, which should be submitted by the date that the General Assembly convenes in even-numbered years. The application can be downloaded by selecting the link to the right. In order to read and print the application, Adobe Acrobat Reader must be installed on your computer (free software). Download Acrobat Reader now.

In both cases, DHR is not asked to rank or rate the applications or to comment about the worthiness of projects. An appropriation, if awarded, will be as the result of legislative action made at the request of an eligible organization or local government.

What other requirements accompany the grant awards?

• Grant recipients must procure construction services or design services for construction in compliance with the Virginia Public Procurement Act, if the award is over $10,000. Assistance in meeting and complying with the procurement act is available from DHR.
   
• Recipients of $50,000 or more in renovation or restoration funds (within a four-year period) must donate to the Commonwealth a historic preservation easement on the grant-assisted property. The easement protects the property in perpetuity from demolition or inappropriate development. Terms of the easement are tailored to the property under consideration.
   
• Grant project work must be done in conformance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. The department must review and approve plans and specifications for all project work before it is carried out to ensure that the work will meet the standards. DHR provides assistance in understanding the standards and what they mean for the property.
   
• Grant recipients must sign a grant agreement that, in addition to the provisions already noted, provides for public accessibility and public benefit as a result of the expenditure of state funds. The grant-assisted property must be open to the public for 100 days a year for five years following completion, renovation, or reconstruction.
   
• Expenditures incurred prior to the grant award are not eligible for reimbursement and cannot be counted toward the required matching share.

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The Jones Point Lighthouse, built in 1855, is an exhibit structure in Jones Point Park in Alexandria. State grant funds were used to restore the exterior of the lighthouse in 1989.


State Grants Main Page

Historic Preservation Grants Overview

Guidelines for Disbursement of State Grant for Restoration of a Presidential Home