The 2025 Preserve New York (PNY) Grant Program is a preservation funding initiative offered through a partnership between the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) and the Preservation League of New York State. Additional funding support is provided by the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation for projects located in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Launched in 1993, the PNY program funds comprehensive planning studies to guide long-term preservation, restoration, and rehabilitation of historic resources and to support preservation planning at the community level.
The PNY program is divided into two categories: Comprehensive Studies for Capital Projects and Preservation Planning for Communities. Eligible applicants for both categories must be 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations or municipalities located in New York State. For capital project studies—such as building condition reports, cultural landscape reports, and historic structure reports—applicants must be nonprofit arts and cultural organizations that own or hold at least a six-year lease, memorandum of understanding (MOU), or stewardship agreement on the historic resource. The property must be used for public-facing arts and cultural purposes.
Preservation Planning for Communities supports cultural resource surveys and National Register historic district nominations. These projects must include a clear arts or cultural focus, such as a district anchored by a museum or performing arts center. Projects primarily commercial or residential in nature without a cultural anchor are not eligible. While 501(c)(3) arts and cultural organizations receive priority for these projects, other nonprofits and municipalities are also eligible to apply.
PNY grants typically range from $5,000 to $14,000, though awards may be as low as $2,000 or as high as $20,000. The grant covers up to 80 percent of total project costs, and applicants must provide a 20 percent cash match. State agencies and religious institutions are not eligible for this program.
The application process begins with a required pre-application. Interested applicants must complete this step online to confirm eligibility and receive access to the full application. A series of workshops are available to guide applicants through the grant process, and an informational webinar hosted by the Grants & Technical Services Manager is also available for on-demand viewing.
For questions or additional guidance, applicants may contact the Preservation League at grants@preservenys.org or by phone at 518-462-5658 ext. 10. The League’s office is located at 44 Central Avenue, Albany, NY 12206.
