After coming to an agreement last week, Congress released and passed their final FY20 Appropriations bills, which included a record-level of funding for the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), marking the 3rd straight year the program received a record level of funding. The bill funds the Historic Preservation Fund at $118.66 million, a $16 million increase over FY19 enacted levels and included critical increases for State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, increases for grant programs like the Save America's Treasures program, historic revitalization grants, and a expanded civil rights movement grant program. See the complete HPF breakdown below.

• State Historic Preservation Offices: $52.675 million ($3M above FY19)
• Tribal Historic Preservation Offices: $13.735 million ($2M above FY19)
• African American Civil Rights Grants: $15.5 million ($1M above FY19)
• *NEW* Civil Rights Grants for All Americans: $2.5 million (not included in FY19)
• Underrepresented Communities Grants: $750,000 (equal to FY19)
• Save America's Treasures: $16 million ($3M above FY19)
• Historic Revitalization Grants: $7.5 million ($2.5M above FY19)
• HBCU Preservation Program: $10 million ($2M above FY19)

The bill also included an increase to $21.994 million for the Heritage Partnership Program which will help support existing and recently established National Heritage Areas. Additionally, the bill included a $3 million increase for the American Battlefield Protection program to $13 million and reauthorized the program up to $18 million through 2028. Lastly, as was included in both the House and Senate versions of the bill, the final package included report language strongly objecting to the proposed rule changes to the National Register of Historic Places.

Preservation Action and our partners advocated for these important increases to the Historic Preservation Fund and other preservation priorities, including in testimony to the Appropriations Committee and during National Historic Preservation Advocacy Week. Thanks to everyone that reached out your members of Congress! We'd also like to thank some of our congressional champions whose strong support helped make this possible, Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Rep. Michael Turner (R-OH), Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN), Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and Sen. Kirstin Gillibrand (D-NY). 

Help us keep up the momentum by joining Preservation Action at Advocacy Week 2020 in March. Advocates like you, meeting with your members of Congress with a cohesive message in support of historic preservation is one of the best ways to make an impact.  

We Need Your Voice!

This week, President Trump announced his intent to appoint Jay Vogt of South Dakota as a new expert member to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP). Vogt will be replacing Expert Member Dr. Dorothy Lippert, following her 8 years of service to the ACHP. 

Jay Vogt is director of the South Dakota Historical Society and serves as the state's Historic Preservation Officer. He is a past President of the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers (NCSHPO), where he represented NCSHPO on the ACHP. He has also served on several national task forces on various historic preservation issues and is active in the American Association for State and Local History.

"A Presidential appointment is a great honor, and I look forward to serving on the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation," Vogt said. "Although I was selected because of my experience in historic preservation, I feel like I am representing South Dakota and the heartland of America on the ACHP. As an expert member, I intend to bring a thoughtful and practical voice to the ACHP's discussion."

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