News from the Preservation Trust, September 2021

PTV Awarded Funding for 2022 Bruhn Grants

The Preservation Trust of Vermont has been awarded $659,000 from the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant Program grant, administered by the National Park Service. These grants mark the third year of funding for the program named in honor of the late Paul Bruhn, president of the Preservation Trust of Vermont for nearly 40 years. Sub-grants awarded by the Preservation Trust will support preservation projects in rural Vermont.

As Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Patrick Leahy created the $7.5 million annual program to support rural communities working to revitalize historic properties in their communities of national, state and local significance in order to restore, protect and foster economic development in rural villages and downtown areas.

Of the award to the Preservation Trust of Vermont, Senator Leahy said: “Vermont’s historic structures are crucial to preserving the identity of our local communities and to energizing our economy. This award will allow the Preservation Trust to help more Vermont communities activate these spaces, keeping their downtowns and village centers vibrant places where Vermonters can meet their neighbors.”

“The Preservation Trust of Vermont is deeply honored to be entrusted with this funding from the National Parks Service,” said Ben Doyle, President of the Preservation Trust. “We are excited to fund projects around Vermont that will revitalize communities, help save the buildings Vermonters love, and create new economic activity. This award is a testament to the hard work of community leaders engaged in preservation projects and to Senator Leahy’s leadership that has made the program possible.”

Congress appropriates funding for the program through the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF). The HPF uses revenue from federal oil leases on the Outer Continental Shelf, providing assistance for a broad range of preservation projects without expending tax dollars. The program is administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

Grant applications will be available in mid-October. To see past Bruhn Revitalization Grant projects at the Preservation Trust, visit https://ptvermont.org/bruhngrants2021/

Advancing Equity and Inclusion through Placemaking

Join the AARP VT at their upcoming free placemaking workshops on October 28 and 29 to learn how public space improvements strengthen local efforts to build community and create welcoming places to gather. Register for the AARP-led placemaking workshop, it is free and open to the public. Learn more about AARP’s winter placemaking grants here .

www.ptvermont.org