Opportunity Information: Apply for P23AS00472
The FY2023 Historic Preservation Fund African American Civil Rights Preservation Grants opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number P23AS00472) is a competitive grant program administered by the National Park Service (NPS) using Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) dollars to support preservation work at historic places connected to African American civil rights history. The program is meant to help document, interpret, and preserve sites and stories that reflect the full sweep of the African American struggle for equal rights, beginning with the transatlantic slave trade and extending forward through subsequent eras. In judging whether a proposed site and project are a good fit, NPS points applicants to its 2008 publication, Civil Rights in America: A Framework for Identifying Significant Sites, which is used as a guide for determining the historical appropriateness and significance of the properties and themes being advanced.
This specific announcement, P23AS00472, is narrowly focused on physical preservation of historic sites. In practical terms, that means funding can support a wide range of hands-on preservation activities and preservation-ready technical services that directly lead to protecting historic structures. Examples named in the announcement include architectural services, historic structure reports, preservation plans, and physical preservation work to structures. The intent is to strengthen the long-term stewardship of historically significant civil rights resources by paying for the planning, professional expertise, and construction-level interventions that keep buildings and other historic resources from deteriorating or being lost.
A key administrative point is that there are two separate FY2023 AACR grant announcements, and applicants need to choose the one that matches their project type. P23AS00472 is only for physical preservation projects. A different opportunity number, P23AS00471, covers historical research, documentation, survey work, and nomination-type efforts (for example, activities that build the historical record or support designation/recognition rather than construction or repair). If a project is primarily research or documentation, it belongs under P23AS00471; if it is primarily bricks-and-mortar preservation and related technical preservation services, it belongs under P23AS00472.
Funding for the broader AACR Grant Program is backed by FY2023 Public Law 117-328, which provided a total of 24 million for the program. Individual awards under this preservation-focused announcement have a stated maximum (award ceiling) of $750,000. Awards are made through a competitive process, and an important feature of this program is that it does not require a non-Federal match, which can lower the barrier to participation for organizations that may not have access to substantial matching funds.
Eligible applicants span a wide range of public and nonprofit entities. They include state governments; local governments such as counties, cities, townships, and special districts; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofits (including both 501(c)(3) organizations and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status, as long as they are not institutions of higher education); and Tribal entities, including federally recognized Tribal governments and certain Tribal organizations. The announcement also references eligibility for Alaskan Native and Native Hawaiian organizations as defined in federal statute (54 USC 300300). One notable restriction is that grants are not available for sites or collections owned by the National Park Service itself, meaning the program is intended to support preservation of non-NPS-owned resources.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant (not a formula allocation) under CFDA 15.904, offered by the National Park Service. The original closing date listed for applications was November 1, 2023, and the opportunity was created July 7, 2023.Apply for P23AS00472
- The National Park Service in the arts, humanities, other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY2023 Historic Preservation Fund- African American Civil Rights- Preservation Grants" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.904.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2023-07-07.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-11-01. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $750,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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FY2023 Historic Preservation Fund African American Civil Rights Preservation Grants (P23AS00472) FAQs
What is this grant opportunity?
The FY2023 Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) African American Civil Rights (AACR) Preservation Grants opportunity, Funding Opportunity Number P23AS00472, is a competitive National Park Service (NPS) grant program that uses HPF dollars to support preservation work at historic places connected to African American civil rights history.
What is the purpose of the program?
The program is intended to help document, interpret, and preserve sites and stories that reflect the full sweep of the African American struggle for equal rights, beginning with the transatlantic slave trade and extending through later eras. This specific announcement is focused on preservation activities that protect historic structures and resources from deterioration or loss.
Is this announcement focused on research or construction?
P23AS00472 is narrowly focused on physical preservation of historic sites. It supports hands-on preservation activities and preservation-ready technical services that directly lead to protecting historic structures.
What kinds of projects are a good fit for P23AS00472?
Projects that are primarily "bricks-and-mortar" preservation, plus related technical preservation services that directly enable or lead to preservation of historic structures and other historic resources, are the best fit for P23AS00472.
What activities can this funding support?
Based on the announcement examples, eligible activities include architectural services, historic structure reports, preservation plans, and physical preservation work to structures. The intent is to fund planning, professional expertise, and construction-level interventions that strengthen long-term stewardship.
Can the grant pay for professional planning and technical services?
Yes. The announcement explicitly points to technical and professional services that are "preservation-ready" and that directly lead to protecting historic structures, including items like architectural services, historic structure reports, and preservation plans.
Can this funding be used for historical research, documentation, surveys, or nominations?
Not under this opportunity if the project is primarily research or documentation. Those project types are covered under a separate FY2023 AACR grant announcement, Funding Opportunity Number P23AS00471, which includes historical research, documentation, survey work, and nomination-type efforts (such as work that supports designation/recognition rather than construction or repair).
How do I choose between P23AS00472 and P23AS00471?
Choose P23AS00472 if your project is primarily physical preservation and related technical preservation services. Choose P23AS00471 if your project is primarily historical research, documentation, survey work, or nomination/designation support. Applicants are expected to pick the announcement that matches the dominant purpose of the project.
How does NPS evaluate whether a site and project are historically appropriate?
NPS points applicants to its 2008 publication, Civil Rights in America: A Framework for Identifying Significant Sites, which is used as a guide for determining the historical appropriateness and significance of properties and themes advanced in applications.
Who administers this grant program?
The program is administered by the National Park Service (NPS) as a discretionary (competitive) grant program using Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) dollars.
Is this a competitive or formula grant?
This is a discretionary, competitive grant program (not a formula allocation). Awards are made through a competitive process.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The announcement identifies CFDA 15.904.
How much funding is available per award?
Under this preservation-focused announcement (P23AS00472), the stated maximum award amount (award ceiling) is $750,000 for an individual award.
Is there a cost-share or match requirement?
No. A notable feature of this program is that it does not require a non-Federal match, which can make it more accessible for applicants that do not have matching funds available.
How much total funding supports the broader FY2023 AACR Grant Program?
The broader AACR Grant Program is backed by FY2023 Public Law 117-328, which provided a total of $24 million for the program.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include a wide range of public and nonprofit entities, including state governments; local governments (counties, cities, townships, and special districts); independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) organizations and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status, as long as they are not institutions of higher education); and Tribal entities, including federally recognized Tribal governments and certain Tribal organizations.
Are Tribal entities eligible?
Yes. The eligibility list includes federally recognized Tribal governments and certain Tribal organizations. The announcement also references eligibility for Alaskan Native and Native Hawaiian organizations as defined in federal statute (54 USC 300300).
Do nonprofits need to be 501(c)(3) organizations to apply?
Not necessarily. The eligibility description includes nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status, provided they are not institutions of higher education.
Are institutions of higher education eligible?
Yes. The eligibility list includes public and state-controlled institutions of higher education as well as private institutions of higher education.
Are grants available for sites owned by the National Park Service?
No. The announcement notes that grants are not available for sites or collections owned by the National Park Service itself. The program is intended to support preservation of non-NPS-owned resources.
What is the application deadline for this opportunity?
The original closing date listed for applications was November 1, 2023.
When was this funding opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on July 7, 2023.
What does "physical preservation" mean in practical terms for this grant?
For P23AS00472, "physical preservation" refers to hands-on preservation activities and the technical services that directly support them, such as planning, professional expertise, and interventions at the construction level that keep historic structures and resources from deteriorating or being lost.
What types of historic resources does the program aim to protect?
The focus is on historically significant civil rights resources connected to African American civil rights history, emphasizing stewardship of places and stories that reflect the long arc of the struggle for equal rights from the era of the transatlantic slave trade onward.
Why does the program mention a civil rights framework publication?
NPS references the 2008 framework publication to guide applicants and reviewers in assessing historical appropriateness and significance of the sites and themes proposed, helping ensure funded projects align with civil rights history priorities and context.
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