Manage Formula Grants

The National Park Service administers two formula grant programs from the Historic Preservation Fund. These grant programs are annual awards to State Historic Preservation Offices and to Tribal Historic Preservation Offices with signed partnership agreements.

What Are Formula Grants?

Unlike competitive grants, in which applicants compete for funding based on their project proposals, formula grants are awarded to specific, defined recipients. In the case of Historic Preservation Fund grants to State Historic Preservation Offices, recipients are defined as "states" according to the National Historic Preservation Act. This act also defines eligible Tribal Historic Preservation Offices.

Once a state or tribe is eligible for a formula grant, the amount of funding they receive is determined by a formula. This formula is set by a combination of regulation and policy and serves to apportion (or divide) appropriated funding to recipients.

Last updated: October 22, 2021