News Release

May 11, 1999

Save America’s Treasures Preservation Planning Fund
Grant Program to Support Historic Sites

Washington, D.C. — To help historic sites and buildings plan for effective, long-term preservation, Save America’s Treasures — a national, public-private effort between the White House Millennium Council and the National Trust for Historic Preservation — today called for applications for its Preservation Planning Fund Grant Program. Save America’s Treasures is dedicated to the preservation of the nation’s threatened historic and cultural treasures, including the buildings, sites and districts that stand as testaments to the American experience. The Preservation Planning Fund is made possible by a $1 million gift to the National Trust from the J. Paul Getty Trust. The Getty’s sponsorship of the Fund was announced in December 1998.

"Without proper planning, even well-intentioned preservation efforts can hurt more than they help," said Richard Moe, president of the National Trust and co-chair of the Millennium Committee to Save America’s Treasures. "Early planning money for architectural, historical or engineering assessments can help ensure the historic significance and structural integrity will not be compromised."

The National Trust will work with the J. Paul Getty Trust to award grants from the Planning Fund to assist nonprofit organizations, local, state and tribal government agencies with planning for the conservation and preservation of historic sites, buildings and districts in the United States. The dollar-for-dollar matching grants will range from $10,000 to $50,000 and cannot be used for actual construction. The funds are to be used toward obtaining the architectural, engineering or other expertise needed to appropriately plan for conservation, rehabilitation and ongoing care related to the preservation project.

Applications for grants from the Planning Fund are now available from the National Trust regional offices, through the Programs, Services and Information Department of the National Trust and may be downloaded from the Save America’s Treasures website.

Projects eligible for funding must be Official Projects of Save America’s Treasures and must be either designated National Historic Landmarks, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, protected by local government landmark designation, or contributing structures in a National Register or locally designated historic district. Applications for Save America’s Treasures Official Project designation are now available through the National Trust at 202-588-6202 or may be downloaded from www.saveamericastreasures.org.

Planning Fund grant applications are due September 1, 1999, with announcement of awards to be made by December 31, 1999. For more information on the Save America’s Treasures Preservation Planning Fund and to receive a grant application, contact the National Trust office in your area, or visit www.saveamericastreasures.org.

National Trust Regional Offices
Northeast	617-523-0885
Southern	843-722-8552
Midwest	312-939-5547
Mountains/Plains	303-623-1504
Southwest	817-332-4398
Western	415-956-0610
Save America’s Treasures, Washington, DC	202-588-6202

About Save America’s Treasures

Save America’s Treasures is a public-private partnership between the White House Millennium Council and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, dedicated to the celebration and preservation of our nation’s threatened cultural treasures for future generations, including significant historic structures, monuments, documents, objects and collections that document and illuminate the history and culture of the United States. The Millennium Committee to Save America’s Treasures provides guidance and expertise to the historic effort, and is led by Honorary Chair Hillary Rodham Clinton and co-chairs Richard Moe, President of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and Susan Eisenhower, granddaughter of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower. As a private-sector partner to the White House Millennium Council, the National Trust coordinates the Save America’s Treasures public awareness and education campaigns and works with two associate partners, Heritage Preservation and the National Park Foundation, to raise funds for the most urgent preservation needs identified at the state and national levels.

About the National Trust

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, chartered by Congress in 1949, is a private, non-profit membership organization dedicated to protecting the irreplaceable. It fights to save historic buildings and the neighborhoods and landscapes they anchor. Through education and advocacy, the National Trust is revitalizing communities across the country and challenging citizens to create sensible plans for the future. It has six regional offices and 20 historic sites, and works with thousands of community groups nationwide.

About the J. Paul Getty Trust

The J. Paul Getty Trust is an international cultural and philanthropic institution that includes an art museum as well as programs for education, scholarship, and conservation. The Getty programs are headquartered at the Getty Center, which opened one year ago and has already received nearly two million visitors. In addition, the Getty works throughout the world in partnership with other organizations to increase the understanding and preservation of art and architecture.

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