Alabama Historical Commission announces new $6 Million grant program

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WTVY) - Thursday morning, Alabama Historical Commission (AHC) announced that they were receiving $6 million in funding from Governor Kay Ivey and the state legislature for the Preservation of Alabama Significant Sites (PASS) grant program, which assists in the preservation and maintenance of Alabama’s historic sites.

“The protection and preservation of historic places is central to the mission of the Alabama Historical Commission,” said Alabama Historical Commission Chairman Dr. James Day. “This new grant program provides essential assistance for properties prior to 1840 and sites associated with the Civil Rights movement to gain more support and additional funding to protect the places in Alabama that have rich history.”

Focusing on preserving and conducting repairs on sites that contributed to the Civil Rights Movement, the program is prioritizing locations that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places and were constructed before 1840.

Eligible sites must also have been constructed for government or public purposes, and must be owned by a local city, town, county government, or non-profit organization.

Preserving these sites is of the upmost important to Day, as he recognizes the significance of the state’s past and its relevance to the world we live in today.

“These funds will open up new opportunities for historic places prior to 1840 with Civil Rights history to be restored and renewed for future generations,” said Day.

Local governments, county governments, and non-profit organizations are eligible to apply for the PASS program beginning on June 8. There will be no maximum grant amount given to “brick and mortar” projects for historic site preservations.

Sites already receiving funding from the National Park Service, or those that are receiving state or federal historic tax credits, will not be eligible for funding through the PASS grant program.

The application period for the PASS program is from June 8 through July 10, 2023.

To learn more, visit the PASS program’s website here. In order to submit an application, visit the AHC Submittable program website.

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