Barns Grant
Barns Grant Overview
What is the Barns Grant: an historic preservation technical assistance and granting program of the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation, with funding from the Connecticut General Assembly and private sources.
The purpose of the Barns Grant: to support efforts to preserve the iconic historic barns of Connecticut. The Barns Grant is offered to non-profit (501c3) organizations, municipalities and private owners of significant barns.
Grant Awards: The Barns Grants are for conditions assessments, feasibility studies and minor stabilization projects.
• Conditions Assessment: the Trust will pay 75% of costs up to $1,500.00; the owner is responsible for the rest in cash. In kind match is not allowable. A conditions assessment is a prioritized list of repairs and recommendations, with photographs keyed to a sketch of the barn. A licensed architect or engineer generally produces conditions assessments.
• Feasibility Study: the Trust will pay 75% of costs up to $1,500.00; the owner is responsible for the rest in cash. In kind match is not allowable. A feasibility study can help determine the adaptive re-use options of a structure. An architectural historian or architect generally produces feasibility studies.
• Stabilization: the Trust will pay 50% of costs up to $5,000.00; the owner is responsible for the rest in cash. Stabilization includes materials and labor needed to stabilize the structure. A contractor with experience in timber frame structures generally is hired for stabilization.
• All grants require a cash match. In kind match is not allowable.
Priority Considerations:
• Exemplary examples of barn type or era
• Projects that fill a demonstrated need and provide a clear benefit to the community.
• Projects that involve properties eligible for or listed on the State or National Register of Historic Places or National Historic Landmarks.
• Location of barn in a public view-shed
• Use in agriculture
• Projects that serve as a catalyst for further investment.
Eligibility requirements:
• Be a member of the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation
• Demonstrated partnerships with community or municipality encouraged
• All applicants must have the ability to administer the grant, both fiscal and project management
• All buildings need to have a conditions assessment of the building performed
• Preservation/restoration/engineering/other consulting professionals must be part of any grant request
• NEW: Historic resource must be listed, or eligible for listing, on the State Register of Historic Places.
Criteria– MUST include at least 3 of the following:
*Barns over 75 years old.
*Located in a prominent public view-shed
*Demonstration of Public benefit.
*Outstanding example of type or era.
*In active agricultural use
*Listed in the local historic survey, State Register of Historic Places
and/or National Register of Historic Places.
*Barn with Scribe Rule framing, evidence of pre-1830 existence.
*Support from local historical organization and municipality. Can also
have support from local agricultural group.
How to Apply:
You can visit www.cttrust.org or www.connecticutbarns.org to download a Barns Grant pre-application. Simply fill it out and send it in with photographs. Pre-applications are due December 1, 2012. The Trust will notify those applicants who will be asked to go forward with a full application by December 10, 2012. Full applications are due March 1, 2013.
The grants will be awarded April of 2013.
All applicants MUST work with a member of the Connecticut Trust staff in preparing the full application. The Trust will not accept full applications without Connecticut Trust staff assistance.
Applicants MUST be members of the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation.
For more information on Barn Grants or other historic barns initiative programs, contact Todd Levine at barns@cttrust.org or 203-562-6312.
