The Historic Preservation Certified Local Government Grants

The Historic Preservation Certified Local Government Grants, administered by NJDEP’s Historic Preservation Office, support certified local governments in New Jersey to identify, protect, and plan for historic resources. Funded through federal historic preservation funds, this program enhances local capacity to preserve cultural heritage. Eligible applicants must hold Certified Local Government status, ensuring they meet specific historic preservation standards. The program typically allocates around $1 million to support various preservation projects, reinforcing community engagement and resource management.

The Historic Preservation Certified Local Government Grants are administered by NJDEP’s Historic Preservation Office as part of the Certified Local Government (CLG) program, in partnership with the National Park Service (NPS). This grant programme provides financial and technical support to certified local governments in New Jersey to help them identify, evaluate, protect and plan for historic resources such as buildings, sites, structures, objects and districts significant in history, architecture, archaeology, and engineering. Grants are funded from a portion of federal historic preservation funds that states are required to pass through to CLGs, reinforcing local capacity to preserve cultural heritage and adopt planning tools consistent with national historic preservation standards.
Benefits
Funding comes from a dedicated recycling tax fund created under the Recycling Enhancement Act.
Approximately $1 million in funding is typically allocated for the program.
Supports projects involving recycling demonstration, research, education, and professional training.
Encourages development of new tools, methodologies, and best practices for recycling systems.
Promotes partnerships between universities and other stakeholders such as schools or communities to improve waste reduction initiatives.
Helps strengthen local capacity to implement recycling and waste-management solutions across the state.

Eligibility

Only municipal governments in New Jersey that have obtained Certified Local Government (CLG) status are eligible to apply. CLG status means the local government has a certified historic preservation ordinance, an active historic preservation commission, a system for survey and inventory of historic resources, and enforcement procedures consistent with the National Historic Preservation Act and NPS/SHPO standards. Applicants must also be current with CLG annual reporting requirements (or attach missing reports if eligible). Eligible projects are those that further local preservation efforts such as resource identification, designation, planning and protection activities. Grants are typically contingent on the availability of federal Historic Preservation Fund appropriations passed through the state.