Preserve New York Grant

The Preserve New York Arts + Culture: Support for Pre-Construction Studies grant program is designed to help nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in New York State plan and manage the maintenance and rehabilitation of historic buildings. Funded through a collaboration between the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) and the Preservation League of New York State, the program focuses on pre-construction studies that support the preservation of historically and architecturally significant structures. This grant is made possible through support from the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, with additional backing from the Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area for qualifying projects in the Hudson River Valley. The program offers funding for consulting reports and technical studies only, not for any capital improvements or physical construction. Pre-Construction Studies can include accessibility studies, engineering and structural analyses, energy audits, historic structure reports, and other planning documents that assess the condition of a building and outline recommendations for preservation and rehabilitation. Two funding tiers are available: Short Studies for Small Projects with grants of up to $10,000 and Comprehensive Studies for Capital Projects with grants of up to $20,000. All projects must be executed by qualified preservation or specialized professionals, and reports must include documented recommendations, photos, and potentially illustrative sketches, but cannot function as bid or construction documents. Only 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts and cultural organizations located in New York State are eligible to apply. These organizations must either own the historic resource or have a lease or agreement with at least six years remaining. Eligible properties must be at least 50 years old and must be used primarily for public-facing arts and cultural programming. Properties owned by New York State or private entities are ineligible, as are libraries, archives, and school districts. The League prioritizes projects that reflect underrepresented communities, address issues of diversity and equity, or respond to climate change impacts. Organizations must also have closed out any prior League grants to qualify. The grant funds are strictly for direct consultant expenses, including professional fees, travel, photography, and report production. Applicants are responsible for providing a 10% cash match; in-kind contributions and staff time are not eligible as matching funds. Budgets should demonstrate both commitment to the project and an understanding of the professional services’ value. Note that requested amounts are not guaranteed to be fully funded. The application process is conducted entirely online and includes a required pre-application to determine eligibility. The pre-application must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. ET on April 17, 2026, and the final application is due by 5:00 p.m. ET on April 24, 2026. Awards will be announced approximately 12 weeks after the final application deadline. Selected grantees will need to sign a grant contract and consultant agreement before funds are released. All funded studies must be completed within one year of the contract date, and the final report must be submitted in PDF format to the Preservation League to close out the grant. Applications will be evaluated by a panel of professionals from fields such as architecture, preservation, and the arts. Review criteria include the historical significance of the building or site, project appropriateness and urgency, consultant qualifications, organizational capacity, and the expected public benefit. Panelists will score applications on a scale from 0 to 5 in three areas: Historic Preservation and Project Quality, Organizational and Managerial Capacity, and Service to the Public. Applicants are encouraged to attend grant workshops for additional guidance. For further information, Janna Rudler, Grants and Technical Services Manager, can be reached at [email protected] or 518.462.5658 x10.

Ensure consultant proposals are detailed and budgets realistic. Prioritize projects with underrepresented or climate-related impacts for stronger scores.