Focus on diversifying historic preservation efforts

History Colorado’s State Historical Fund awarded more than $4.5 million on Dec. 1 in its second round of General Grants for 2022. This funding is distributed amongst 23 grant awardees from across Colorado with a focus on protecting the rich cultural heritage of communities of color in rural Colorado and diversifying the face of historic preservation for future generations.

“The State Historical Fund continues to push forward with ensuring preservation efforts better represent the diverse makeup of the Centennial State,” said Patrick Eidman, Chief Preservation Officer and Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer. “These grants truly are a manifestation of History Colorado’s dedication to investing in the prosperity of rural communities, expanding the diversity of histories being preserved, and promoting the creation of a more diverse workforce to lead preservation efforts in the future.”

With this round of grants the State Historical Fund has awarded a total of $6,802,035 for preservation work in 2022. In addition to helping protect the stories and places Coloradans cherish, funds awarded to preservation projects have a direct effect on the economic health of the Centennial State. Since 1981 preservation efforts in Colorado have created more than 27,000 jobs and generated a total of nearly $3.9 billion in direct and indirect economic impacts, adding $2.2 billion to Colorado’s GDP.

Most of the grants awarded in this round support the acquisition and development of historical places but projects range from the rehabilitation of the roof of a historic school in the Northeast corner of the state to funding a preservation conference in 2024. A complete list of projects funded in this round of grants can be found online.