TOPEKA—Governor Laura Kelly today announced a new program that will assist Kansans who own historic properties in communities with populations under 30,000. The National Park Service has awarded the $500,000 Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant to the Kansas Historical Society. The Historical Society’s Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) will develop this new sub-grant program, Kansas Rural Preservation.

“Kansas is home to many historical and cultural sites that tell the story of our state and our country’s past,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Thanks to the National Park Service and the Kansas Historical Society, we can be assured that markers that are part of our history will be protected for future generations to learn from and enjoy.”

More details about the sub-grant program and applications will become available this winter at kshs.org/20430. Or contact Katrina Ringler, SHPO grants manager, at 785-272-8681, ext. 215; katrina.ringler@ks.gov; to be placed on a notification list for further details.

Kansas was among eight recipients to receive the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants this year. A total of $4.8 million was awarded in 2020 to support the preservation of historic buildings in rural communities across America. Now in its second year, 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, including the Paul Bruhn Revitalization Grant, through the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF). The HPF uses revenue from federal oil leases on the Outer Continental Shelf to assist preservation projects in all states, territories, and many tribal lands. For more information about the Paul Bruhn Revitalization Grant, find more at go.nps.gov/revitalization.

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