Governor Kelly announces $750,000 to protect Historic Rural Properties

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly announced today that $750,000 in federal funding will go toward preserving historic properties in the downtown commercial cores of Kansas’ rural communities with populations under 30,000.

The Kansas Historical Society’s State Historic Preservation Office, which administers the Kansas Rural Main Street Grants, was among 13 subgrant programs in 12 states to receive the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants.

“Kansas is home to many historical and cultural sites that tell the story of our state’s and our nation’s past,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Thanks to the National Park Service and the Kansas Historical Society, we can protect our rural communities for future generations to learn from and enjoy.”

The National Park Service awarded nearly $9.7 million in 2023 to support the preservation of historic buildings in rural communities across America. The Paul Bruhn Historical Revitalization Grants are named for a former executive director of the Preservation Trust of Vermont.

Congress appropriates funding for various programs through the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), including the Paul Bruhn Revitalization Grant. The HPF, authorized through 2023, uses revenue from federal oil leases on the Outer Continental Shelf, assisting with a broad range of preservation projects without expending tax dollars.

The Kansas State Historical Society will be scheduling a grant workshop soon. To be placed on a notification list for further details on the available subgrants, contact Katrina Ringler, Cultural Resources Division Director, by phone at 785-272-8681, ext. 217, or by email at katrina.ringler@ks.gov. More details about the subgrant program are available here.

More information about the Paul Bruhn Revitalization Grant can be found at go.nps.gov/revitalization.