For those with a passion for preservation, the State Historic Preservation Office is waving a financial flag to catch your attention. They're offering up grants for anyone geared towards saving historic properties and giving some love to archaeology projects. As per their announcement, applicants can potentially snag up to $20,000 in matching funds to keep Oregon's heritage spick-and-span for tomorrow's eyes. It's a move aligned with the many aspirations of the Oregon Historic Preservation Plan, aiming to keep the state's stories alive and well.
The Preserving Oregon Grants provide funding for repairs to structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Eligible projects include window repairs, roof restoration, and plumbing or electrical upgrades. Previous recipients include the Elks Building in Medford and the Southern Oregon Historical Society's Hanley Farm, as noted by the Oregon State Parks website.
If archaeology is your focus, funding is available for work that helps identify, preserve, or interpret archaeological sites. Last year’s funding supported the Southern Oregon University Lab of Anthropology in their efforts to study historical sites. The Diamonds in the Rough Grants assist in restoring buildings by removing modern alterations and uncovering their original appearance.
The online grant application is designed for ease of use and includes support resources. Interested applicants can visit the Oregon Heritage grants webpage to register for free online workshops on February 18th and 19th, covering historic property projects and archaeological work. Recorded trainings and resources will also be available online for later viewing.
