Grants for Restoring Historic Homes

Local Grants

• Outright federal grants are generally not available to individuals restoring historic home, especially if the homes will be used as a private residence, according to the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The best resource for this type of project is your state and local historic preservation office. Grants vary by region and might come with requirements such as listing the property in the state or national historic registry, restricting changes to the property, and using some of the property to generate income.

  You might also be eligible for a tax incentive or a flexible loan. In addition to state and local programs, the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Federal Housing Administration has a program to help developers, investors and families buy and restore homes in historic districts.

Resident Curators

• The National Trust for Historic Preservation says some states grant individuals the right to live in state-owned historic property for as long as they like---even the rest of their lives---if they promise to personally finance restoration of the property. Technically, these resident curator programs aren't called grants. They require prospective residents to submit an application along with a restoration plan and proof they are qualified to supervise and finance the work.

Rural Housing

• In some rural areas, the federal government makes an exception to its reluctance to fund residential historic renovation projects. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Housing Service will help pay to acquire, repair or rehabilitate homes and apartment buildings, including historic homes, for low and moderate-income residents of rural areas, according to the National Trust for Historic Preservation.