Historic Preservation Fund Doubles to $300M Annually, Guarantees 60% of Funds to State and Tribal Offices

If you’ve ever driven through a small town and wondered how that cool old courthouse or historic Main Street district manages to keep the lights on and the roof intact, the answer often involves the federal Historic Preservation Fund (HPF). This new legislation, the Historic Preservation Enhancement Act, is essentially giving that fund a massive, guaranteed upgrade.

It starts by doubling the mandatory annual deposit into the HPF from $150 million to a solid $300 million. Crucially, this funding is now backstopped by the general fund of the Treasury, meaning if the usual revenue streams fall short, the money still has to be deposited. Think of it as a guaranteed minimum balance for preserving our nation’s history. Starting in Fiscal Year 2027, the money will be available to spend automatically without needing Congress to pass a separate annual appropriation bill for the HPF—a huge win for stability and planning.

The Guaranteed Minimums: More Power to Local History

The biggest shift for local communities and heritage groups is the new allocation structure. The bill sets mandatory minimum percentages for the distribution of these funds, which means less uncertainty for the offices actually doing the work on the ground. Specifically:

• State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs) must receive at least 40 percent of the total amount.
• Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (THPOs) must receive at least 20 percent of the total amount.

For the busy preservationist running a small SHPO in a state capital, or the THPO working to protect ancestral sites, this means a massive injection of guaranteed, reliable cash flow. It ensures that the bulk of the funding—60%—is flowing directly to the state and tribal entities responsible for local surveys, grants, and protection efforts, rather than getting tied up in federal bureaucracy or discretionary programs.

Focusing on Overlooked History

The Act doesn't just increase the funding; it also formally authorizes several key grant programs that target history often overlooked by traditional preservation efforts. These include:

• African American Civil Rights Movement Initiative Grants.
• History of Equal Rights Grants.
• Survey Grants for Underrepresented Communities.

If you live in a community trying to restore a landmark from the Civil Rights era or document the history of marginalized groups, these authorized programs mean there is now a clearer, more stable funding path for those specific projects. For example, a local group trying to restore an old Freedom School building now has authorized federal programs designed specifically to help them get that done.

The Fine Print: Certainty vs. Flexibility

This guaranteed funding and stability is a huge benefit for long-term planning, but the bill does include a necessary check on power. While the President is required to submit proposed allocations to Congress every year, the bill allows Congress, through subsequent Appropriations Acts, to specify alternate ways to allocate the funds. Essentially, Congress retains the final say on how the money is spent, even with the new minimums and automatic availability clauses. If Congress doesn't pass alternate instructions, the President has the authority to distribute the money according to the established percentages and programs.

Overall, the Historic Preservation Enhancement Act is a major commitment to shoring up the infrastructure of historic preservation across the country, significantly boosting the resources available to states and tribes, and ensuring that funds are available for the long haul to document and protect diverse histories.