Certified Local Government Grants

Certified Local Governments may use these federal matching grants for local preservation projects. Funding comes from the Historic Preservation Fund, appropriated annually by the U.S. Congress; federal regulations require that the SHPO distribute to CLGs at least 10 percent of its allocation each year. The anticipated total amount available for Fiscal Year 2026 grants is approximately $120,000.

Projects may include (see manual for more information):

  • Historic resource surveys.
  • Preparation of local/national designation forms.
  • Historic preservation plans.
  • Building reuse studies.
  • Cultural landscape inventories.
  • Design guidelines for property owners.
  • Public education.

CLG grants DO NOT fund: Capital improvement ("bricks and mortar") projects.

Priority will be given to projects that:

  • reflect goals and strategies of the statewide preservation plan.
  • promote sound preservation planning through historic context development and completion of historic and archaeological surveys.
  • result in local designations.
  • involve properties associated with the history of underdocumented groups or communities.

Deadlines

Draft application is due January 9, 2029. Final application is due by 11:59 pm on Friday, February 20, 2026.

Past CLG Grant Awards

Albert Lea: Design Guidelines, $20,000. Prepare design guidelines for the Albert Lea Commercial Historic District, which was listed in the National Register in 1987 and expanded in 2003. $6,000 match.

Fergus Falls: Downtown Survey, $10,000. Conduct an intensive level survey of buildings located within a five block area of downtown Fergus Falls. $3,000 match.

Mankato: Host PreserveMN 2023 Conference, $17,600. The City of Mankato and the Mankato Heritage Preservation Commission will host PreserveMN, the Annual Statewide Historic Preservation Conference in September 2023. $10,650 match.

Minneapolis: 5th St SE Historic District Resurvey, $20,000. Conduct an intensive level resurvey of approximately 80 buildings within the Fifth Street Southeast Historic District, which was locally designated in 1976. $6,000 match.

St. Cloud: Design Guidelines, $33,993. Prepare two design guideline manuals for commercial and residential properties located with the city’s historic districts. $21,742 match.

Waseca: Public Education Podcasts, $15,700. Public education initiative in cooperation with the local high school to update and expand a walking tour brochure, develop audio and video segments for historic sites, create a webpage, and develop a mobile app. $6,890 match.