Resources

Historic Preservation Resources

This page contains information and resources related to the preservation of historic places, including the first step to listing a property in the National Register of Historic Places, how to search for existing National Register listings, Federal and State Historic Tax Credit incentives for building rehabilitation, and state and national-level preservation grant programs. We also created the preservation flowchart below to help you navigate the process.

Download a copy of our Preservation Flowchart here.

National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is our country’s official list of significant sites worthy of preservation. In order to qualify for listing, a property must be at least 50 years old, retain its historic integrity, and be important for its association with an event or broad pattern of events in our past, an important person in our past, its architecture or method of construction, or for its archeological value. National Register-listing is HONORARY only. It, by itself, does not place any restrictions on property owners.

National Register-listing is typically required in order to qualify for financial incentives like historic rehabilitation tax credits and preservation grants.

Completion of the Determination of Eligibility form is the first step to listing your property in the National Register. Download the appropriate form below and send the requested information to the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program to find out if your property is eligible for listing in the National Register.

Determination of Eligibility Form (Building)

Determination of Eligibility Form (District)

How do you check to see if a property is already listed in the National Register?

Search the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program’s database to find Arkansas listings in the National Register of Historic Places.

This Geographic Information System maintained by the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program is a helpful tool to check Contributing/Non-contributing status of properties within a National Register historic district.

Learn more about the National Register of Historic Places here.

Historic Tax Credits

Federal Historic Tax Credit

The Federal Historic Tax Credit program represents the federal government’s largest investment in the rehabilitation of historic properties across the country. This program allows owners of National Register-listed, income-producing properties to recoup 20 percent of the cost of a certified historic rehabilitation project by way of a credit on their federal income taxes. There is no project cap. This credit is taken ratably over a five-year period. The credit may be carried forward for up to 20 years.

Learn more about the Federal HTC:

Arkansas’s State Historic Tax Credit

In 2009, the Arkansas Legislature created a State Historic Tax Credit program designed to complement the Federal HTC. Arkansas has an annual cap of $8 million in State HTCs issued each fiscal year. There are different guidelines and per project caps for income-producing and owner-occupied buildings. The credit percentage is tiered based on the population of the city in which the project takes place. If you qualify for both the Federal and the State HTC, you may use them both on the same project. The State HTC is fully transferable, meaning you may sell it for cash, or use it against your state income tax liability for up to five years.

Learn more about Arkansas’s State HTC here.

Arkansas’s Major Historic Tax Credit

Arkansas’s Major Historic Tax Credit program is for highly impactful projects with a minimum qualified rehabilitation expense of $1.5 million. It is a 25 percent credit, and allocations are determined through a competitive application process. The maximum credit awarded is $12 million, and this credit is fully transferable. If you are pursuing a Major State HTC, you do not qualify for the regular State HTC program.

Learn more about Arkansas’s Major HTC here.

Preservation Grants

Arkansas Historic Preservation Program Historic Preservation Restoration Grants

Option 1 – Worth up to $10,000. Designed to make a property National Register-eligible. 50 percent cash match is required. Available to individual private property owners. Property must be listed in the National Register after the completion of work.
Option 2 – Worth a minimum of $10,000. For National Register-listed properties owned by a nonprofit or municipality. 50 percent cash match is required. Requires the donation of a conservation easement.
Option 3 – Worth $5,000 to $9,999. For National Register-listed cemeteries. 20 percent match required, half of which may be in-kind donation of labor and materials. Available to nonprofits or municipalities that own or manage the cemetery.

Learn more about Historic Preservation Restoration Grants here.

AHPP County Courthouse Restoration Grants

This grant program funds restoration work and repairs at our state’s National Register-listed county courthouses. There is no set maximum grant award. A cash match is not required but always preferred. The grant is available to nonprofits and units of municipal government.

Learn more about County Courthouse Restoration Grants here.

National Trust for Historic Preservation Grant Programs

National Trust Preservation Fund Grants:

Applications due Feb. 1, June 1, Oct. 1
For educational programs and preservation planning projects
Worth $2,500 to $5,000
For public agencies or nonprofits
1:1 match required (may be cash or in-kind)
Read the guidelines here

African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund Grants:

Letters of intent typically due in Dec. with full application due in Feb.
Supports the preservation of African American cultural heritage
Worth $50,000 to $150,000
For public agencies or nonprofits
Match encouraged but not required
Additional grant programs administered through this fund for Black churches, Black modernism, descendant and family-led organizations, and HBCUs
Learn more here

National Fund for Sacred Places:

Letters of intent due in Jan.
Supports the preservation of historic houses of worship
Worth $50,000 to $500,000
For active congregations in historic houses of worship
Requires a 1:1 cash match up to $100,000 and 2:1 match for more
Seeking Arkansas applicants
Learn more here

Backing Historic Small Restaurants:

Applications due late Feb. – early March
Worth $50,000
For independently owned restaurants in historic buildings or neighborhoods
No match required
Learn more here

Additional grant opportunities available through the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

National Park Service Competitive Grant Programs

The Historic Preservation Fund supports a variety of competitive preservation grant programs administered by the National Park Service. Each program has specific purposes and guidelines.

African American Civil Rights Grants:

Applications due Sept./Oct.
Grants to preserve sites and stories related to the African American struggle for equal rights
Worth $75,000 to $750,000
For states, tribes, municipalities (including CLGs), nonprofits
Match encouraged but not required
Learn more here

Save America’s Treasures Grants:

Applications usually available in the summer and due in fall
Grants to preserve nationally significant historic sites and artifacts
Worth $125,000 to $750,000
For state and local governments, tribes, nonprofits
Must be nationally significant
1:1 match required
Learn more here

Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants:

Applications usually due in winter
Subgrant program for rehabilitation of historic properties in rural communities (under 50,000 population)
Worth $200,000 to $750,000
For SHPOs, THPOs, CLGs, nonprofits
No match required
Learn more here

Additional grant opportunities available through the National Park Service.

More Information

Follow the links below to answer your questions about Preserve Arkansas and historic preservation in general. Want to learn more? Send us an email at info@preservearkansas.org or call us at 501-372-4757.

Frequently Asked Questions
How Can We Help You?
Historic Preservation Links and Resources