Eligible Applicants

• 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)

• Accessible to the public

• Ineligible: state and privately owned properties

Eligible Projects

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

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.

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.

Prior applicants may log in using their existing SmarterSelect credentials.

• 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.

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)?

Also known as a letter of inquiry or letter of interest, an LOI, as the name suggests, is a letter expressing your intent to apply for a grant. It's not a comprehensive grant proposal but rather a concise introduction to your organization and project. An LOI allows funders to assess the applicant’s eligibility and whether a project aligns with their mission and goals. When you click on “Submit your LOI” you will be prompted to create an account and log into the SmarterSelect grant portal. There, you will find detailed instructions regarding what information to include in your LOI for the Preservation Opportunity Fund. 

How do I submit my LOI?

All LOIs must be submitted through the Preservation League’s grant application portal, SmarterSelect. You will need to create a user profile for your organization. If your organization has applied for a League grant previously, you will sign into your existing organization profile. Please note that we cannot accept mailed hard copy or emailed LOIs.

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?

Yes.