Historic Structure Assessment Grant

Front view of a historic red barn on a summer day.

J.G. Evans Barn, El Paso County 

State Historical Fund | Our Grant Types | Historic Structure Assessment

Historic Structure Assessment grants are awarded for the sole purpose of preparing a report on the physical condition of a historic building or structure in accordance with a mandatory State Historical Fund assessment scope of work. Historic Structure Assessments must be prepared by an architect or a structural engineer working under the direct guidance of an architect. Other requirements include:

  • Architect and/or structural engineer must be the primary consultant on the project. They cannot be the grant recipient contact.
  • Architect and/or structural engineer must be familiar with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties and licensed in the state of Colorado.
  • Architect and/or structural engineer must attend an initial consultation with a Historic Preservation Specialist and Contracts Specialist at the commencement of the grant contract. At that meeting, whoever will be processing the financial reports and payment requests must also be present.
  • Other professionals including engineers, archaeologists, historic preservation consultants, contractors, historians, and cost estimators may be members of the assessment team.

An assessment can assist property owners to make informed decisions about future restoration and maintenance efforts. If an assessment grant is awarded, it should have final approval from State Historical Fund staff before a Competitive Grant application is submitted for physical work to the property.

Please note - A Historic Structure Assessment (though often recommended) is not required prior to an application for physical work - please contact staff to discuss your individual project needs.

Request Amount: Up to $15,000

Cash Match: 10% for nonprofit/govt.owner, 25% for private owner

BIPOC Projects** Cash Match: 0% for nonprofit/ government owner, 10% for private owner

Designation: If the property is not designated, it must be moving toward designation, which means that Form 1419 (Preliminary Property Evaluation Form) should be submitted to, and approved by, the State Historic Preservation Office prior to application and included with the application attachments.

Scope: There is a required scope of work that cannot be adjusted, other than for relevance 

Example: If there is no plumbing system in a log cabin, Section 3.7 MECHANICAL SYSTEMS: Water Service, Plumbing, & Sewer Utilities would not be relevant - therefore non-applicable.

The standard and the annotated scope should be used to request proposals from consultants.

Budget: Line items must denote all the costs of the project such as contractual services or travel costs. Budgets must contain a calculation, or reference a proposal document that contains a calculation, that shows how the budget amount has been derived.

Ineligible Expenses:

  • Grant administration
  • Contingency

Application Deadline: Year-round.

Award Announcement Dates: Applicants are notified within 30-45 days of submitting a complete application. If additional material or information is needed from the applicant, this may be longer. If awarded, the contracting process can take up to a month before the project can begin. If funding is no longer available within the current fiscal year an approved application will be put in a queue for funding at the beginning of the next fiscal year.

*Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Projects: A BIPOC project significantly benefits and involves one or more BIPOC communities.

Forms and Samples

Before You Apply

 

Ready to Apply?

Visit our Applicant Portal to create an applicant account and complete an application.

Questions?

Contact our Engagement Staff or email us at hc_shf@state.co.us.