• Only 501(c)(3) arts and cultural organizations in New York State are eligible to apply.

• Applicants must have completed and closed out any previous League grants before applying.

• The building/historic resource that is the subject of the study must be at least 50 years old. Listing in the National Register of Historic Places is not required but architectural and historic significance are considered under the Historic Preservation and Project Quality criterion.

• The building/historic resource that is the subject of the study must be owned by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts and cultural organization or owned by a municipality and used primarily for arts/cultural purposes.

• The building/historic resource that is the subject of the study must be in use for public-facing arts/cultural activities that support the applicant’s mission.

If the 501(c)(3) arts and cultural applicant is not the owner of the resource, they must have a lease, MOU, or stewardship agreement with at least 6 years remaining at the time of application with an owner that is either a municipality or another 501(c)(3). Municipalities and nonprofit organizations are encouraged to work cooperatively on grant applications, but the lead applicant must be the nonprofit arts and cultural organization.

The following applicants and property types are NOT eligible:

• NYS-owned properties and Friends groups of NYS-owned properties

• Privately owned properties

• Properties without an explicit arts/cultural use

• Organizations affiliated with political clubs or parties

• Libraries

• Archives

• Friends groups that do not have a long-term lease on the resource

• Cemetery associations

• Fraternal organizations

• School districts

• Any applicant that has an open or incomplete Preservation League grant

Short Studies for Small Projects: Grants of up to $10,000 are available for small scale, discrete studies on spaces or systems within a building, structure, or site to precede repairs or limited rehabilitation projects. These stand-alone studies offer targeted solutions with a quick turnaround.

• Accessibility studies

• Engineering/structural analyses

• Limited condition assessments

• Mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, fire alarm, and security analyses

• Specialized conservation studies

• Energy efficiency studies and energy audits

Comprehensive Studies for Capital Projects: Grants of up to $20,000 are available for comprehensive planning studies for an entire building/site to inform long term rehabilitation, preservation, or restoration plans and to precede capital projects. These studies help arts and cultural organizations plan for capital projects, and may provide a foundation for long term preservation masterplans, interpretive plans, and capital fundraising plans.

• Building condition reports

• Cultural landscape reports

• Historic structure reports

Reports must be completed and signed by qualified preservation or specialized professionals. Reports should detail existing conditions and include recommendations for repairs, rehabilitation, and/or remediation, including photos detailing areas of concern, and may include sketches or graphics, but may not be used as construction or bid documents.

Typical awards range from $5,000 to $20,000 depending on project type. All grants require a 10% cash match.

In-kind services and staff time do not count toward match requirements. The Preservation League and NYSCA expect to see a project budget that reflects the applicant’s meaningful commitment to the project. The consultant fee should reflect the applicant’s understanding of the value of these professional services. Please note that this program may not be able to fully fund the grant amounts requested.

Grant funds are intended to support the direct consultant costs of carrying out the types of projects described above. Costs can include consultant fees including in-state travel, photography, report production costs, and other associated expenses. Grant funds cannot be used toward applicant staff time or overhead costs.

The application process is entirely online. Prospective applicants must first complete a pre-application to determine eligibility and receive the full application link. The pre-application is available until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 17, 2026 and the deadline to submit final applications is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 24, 2026. Applicants will be notified by email approximately 12 weeks after the application deadline.

The successful applicant must:

• Sign and return the grant contract and consultant agreement before grant funds can be released.

• Complete the project within one year of the contract date.

• Submit one electronic (PDF) copy of the final product to the Preservation League of New York State at grants@preservenys.org to close the grant process.

Applications that meet one or more of these funding priorities will receive priority consideration.

• Projects that identify and preserve histories, places, and culture associated with underrepresented communities and/or that address issues of social justice, diversity, equity, access, and inclusion.

• Projects that respond to challenges created by climate change.

Commitment to Underrepresented Communities

The Preservation League and its regrant partner, the New York State Council on the Arts, embrace the widest spectrum of cultural expression and artistic pluralism and encourage funded organizations to demonstrate a holistic and comprehensive commitment to DEIA (diversity, equity, inclusion, and access). NYSCA interprets underrepresented communities as including, but not limited to: African American/Caribbean, Latino/Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, Native American/Indigenous communities; People in areas with scarce cultural resources (including rural communities); disabled communities; LGBTQIA+ communities; neurodiverse communities; underserved older adults; veterans; low income and unhoused populations; as well as justice involved juveniles and adults.

Accessibility Studies: A study of existing conditions and the development of options to allow improved site accessibility, including ADA compliance. The report should include recommendations and cost estimates.

Engineering Structural Analysis: Analysis of structural integrity and identification of structural causes of other issues of concern. Report should include repair recommendations and cost estimates. May be completed by a qualified preservation architect, engineer, or team.

Limited Condition Assessment: Assessment of a specific condition concern with recommendations for repairs and cost estimates. May include small scale maintenance plans and/or a prioritized list of recommendations pertaining to the specific maintenance/repair issue.

MEP Analysis: Analysis of the mechanical, electrical, or plumbing systems; can also include fire suppression,HVAC, solar, or geothermal studies. Report should include existing conditions and recommendations for improvements. Usually completed by a specialized contractor with historic preservation experience or with preservation architect oversight.

Specialized Conservation Studies: Analysis of existing conditions and recommendations for the treatment of a specific aspect of the historic resource that falls outside of the realm of a typical condition assessment, or of a particular material that requires a specialized consultant. Examples include: Hazmat Remediation Studies; Acoustics Analysis; Historic Paint Analysis; Historic Stencil Conservation Analysis; Masonry Mortar Analysis; LiDAR Scans; and more. Application requests for Specialized Conservation Studies are approved on a case-by-case basis according to Grant Guidelines.

Energy Efficiency Studies and Energy Audits: Energy audits, also known as energy assessments, are often the first step in determining a building's energy performance. During an assessment/audit, a building professional such as an architect or energy specialist looks comprehensively at all areas of a building, including insulation, air leaks, the effectiveness of heating and cooling equipment, lighting characteristics, and indoor air quality. The resulting report should include a road map for energy-saving and clean energy improvements that is customized to the historic building and takes into account and minimizes potential impacts to historic fabric. The report should include a prioritized list of recommended upgrades, with relative costs, anticipated energy reductions, and potential impacts to the historic building outlined. TAG-funded energy assessments should be carried out by a preservation architect or independent energy specialist.

Historic Structure Reports: A historic structure report (HSR) is a comprehensive building documentation study, usually undertaken at the beginning of a major restoration or rehabilitation project. An HSR provides documentary, graphic, and physical information about a property’s history and existing condition. An HSR also addresses management or owner goals for the use, re-use, or interpretation of the property. A complete historic structure report should include:

• Description of the building’s architectural, ownership, and occupant history

• Building construction chronology

• Existing conditions assessment

• Drawings (may include sketches and measured drawings) and photographs 

• Recommendations for preservation, restoration, or rehabilitation, consistent with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards 

• Preliminary cost estimates

For more information on historic structure reports, see the National Park Service’s Preservation Brief 43, The Preparation and Use of Historic Structure Reports.

Building Condition Reports: A condition report is a comprehensive document that provides a thorough understanding of condition issues and how to address them. A condition report can be useful in a maintenance plan or as a road map for a larger rehabilitation project. A condition report should include:

• Architectural analysis of the resource’s overall existing conditions, interior and/or exterior; can include consultation by a structural engineer if necessary

• Illustrations, either drawings (may include sketches and measured drawings) or photographs

• Prioritized recommendations for the resource’s preservation, including maintenance and repair

• Preliminary cost estimates for repairs

Cultural Landscape Reports: A cultural landscape report (CLR) is a comprehensive landscape documentation study, usually undertaken at the beginning of a major restoration or rehabilitation project, that helps guide the future management of a cultural landscape. A complete CLR should include, at a minimum:

• Description of the historic/physical development of the landscape

• Analysis of the landscape’s existing conditions

• Drawings (may include sketches and measured drawings) and photographs

• Treatment recommendations to preserve, restore, or rehabilitate the landscape

• Preliminary cost estimates

For more information on cultural landscape reports, see National Park Service Preservation Brief 36, Protecting Cultural Landscapes: Planning, Treatment, and Management of Historic Landscapes and the NPS webpage on Cultural Landscape Reports and References.