State Capital Projects Grants-in-Aid

General information

The State Capital Projects Grants-in-Aid Program supports historic preservation projects of publicly owned buildings.

Purpose: To support historic preservation construction projects of a capital nature for publicly owned buildings.

Availability of funding: Applications are now being accepted for the State Capital Projects Grants-in-Aid Program. The State Capital Projects Grants-in-Aid Program is designed to assist with large preservation projects, including restoration, rehabilitation, preservation, and building systems and accessibility projects. See Deadlines below for more information.

Grant range: The minimum grant is $10,001. There currently is no request cap.

Match requirement: Funds must be matched at least 1 to 1. Matching funds may be cash, in-kind, and/or donated services or materials contributed to the project. State funds may not be used as a match.

Eligible applicants: Applicants must be a political subdivision eligible to receive state bond funds as defined in Minnesota Statutes sections, 16A.695 and 138.0525. The primary recipients of state capital project grants are public entities.

Eligible properties: The property for which funds are being requested must be publicly owned and must be listed in the National Register of Historic Places, or have been determined to be eligible for listing in the National Register by the State Historic Preservation Office.

Eligible projects categories:

  1. Restoration, Rehabilitation, and/or Preservation, and
  2. Building Systems and Accessibility

Eligible work: The work must meet the following conditions:

  • the expenditure funded must be for a public purpose;
  • the project expenditures funded must comply with state statutory requirements for use of state bond funds, including, but not limited to, requirements that uses must be for land, buildings, or other improvements of a capital nature;
  • the work must fall within one of the prescribed categories outlined in the State Capital Projects Grants-in-Aid County and Local Preservation Program Manual;
  • the project must correspond with the purpose for which funding was issued, as set forth in the bill citation on page one (Laws of Minnesota, 2020, Special Session 5, Chapter 3, Section 24); as authorized by Minnesota Statutes 138.0525; and
  • the work must meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.

Application deadlines and process

Typically, applications are accepted in January (if funding is available). Applications are now being accepted for the State Capital Projects Grants-in-Aid Program. The schedule for the calendar year 2024 is as follows:

January 26, 2024Pre-application draft deadline. A pre-application is required to be eligible to submit a final application.
March 8, 2024Final application deadline, 11:59 pm
April/May 2024MNHS Board approval and notification letters are sent to all applicants.
June 1, 2024Earliest beginning date for grant work.
December 1, 2025Ending date on all grant work. These grants are eligible for time extensions.

Application materials

State Capital Projects Grants-in-Aid Program Grants Manual (PDF)

The State Capital Projects Grants-in-Aid program grants manual provides information and helps you prepare an application. The manual also summarizes the requirements for administering grant projects.

Online application

All the application materials can be found on the Grants Portal. The portal provides access to everything needed to administer a grant from the Minnesota Historical Society, from the pre-application stage through reporting on completing a project. Here you will be able to track where an application is in the review process and have access to information about previous grants you have received. The portal allows you to save your work on an application and come back to finish it later.

Note using the grants portal for the first time: Go to the Grants Portal, click on "Create an account now," and submit a completed form. You will receive an email message with a username and password or a request for additional information within two business days. Once registered, you will be able to log in and complete your application.

Scope of work form

The Scope of Work (PDF) is required with all applications. It is used to determine whether the proposed work meets the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, a requirement of this grant program. Instructions for completing the Scope of Work are on page one of the form. Be sure to note what documents should accompany the Scope of Work Form.

Review criteria

The grants cycle is a competitive process. Factors considered in evaluating grant applications include the significance of the property or properties involved, their proposed use, and the quality of the proposed work.

Review criteria are scored in accordance with the following factors:

  • the significance of the property,
  • open or highly visible to the public,
  • adherence to the Secretary of Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties,
  • project readiness (including whether the match is secured),
  • demonstrated the ability of the applicant to complete the project and a plan to fund the program(s) intended for the facility,
  • the quality and completeness of the application, and 
  • the public benefit. In evaluating the public benefit of a project, accessibility and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act are given special consideration. 

Contact us

if you have questions about the above grant program or need assistance with your application.