Preserve New Jersey Historic Preservation Fund 2024 Grant Application HERITAGE TOURISM Applications due by 4:00pm Thursday, April 18, 2024

Instructions

All questions with an * are required. Some questions are only required if you gave a certain answer in a previous question. Those are denoted with a +.
Make sure to adhere to the maximum word limits on all questions. You will not be able to enter more than this in the online application, and evaluators will not consider answers that exceed the limit.
All applicants should read the Grant Guidelines (PDF) carefully before applying. The guidelines include important information about eligible applicants and activities, criteria for evaluation, schedule for review, and more.
In addition to the application, you will need to submit a USB drive with supporting documentation to the New Jersey Historic Trust’s office by the application deadline. A Supporting Documents Checklist is included at the end of this application. The end of each section also has a list of supporting documents for that section.
The Applicant’s Governing Body/Board Resolution and Assurances (Word doc) are required as part of Attachment A on the USB drive. There are no ownership or lease requirements for Heritage Tourism grants, but if the applicant does not own the resource, they should demonstrate support for the project from the resource owners through the Owner Approval form and/or through documentation of community support on Attachment F on the USB drive.

Whether you are submitting the application online or have been given permission by the New Jersey Historic Trust to submit as a Word document, do not wait until the last minute! This is a complex application. Start early to avoid missing the deadline.
Applications and USB drives are due to the New Jersey Historic Trust office by 4:00pm on April 18, 2024, no exceptions.

The following application is for Heritage Tourism (HT) projects. This includes projects such as Heritage Tourism Master Plans, Interpretive Plans and signage, visitor assessments, marketing materials, etc. For a full list of eligible projects, please review the Grant Guidelines or contact New Jersey Historic Trust staff at 609-984-0473.

To be eligible for this grant program:

The applicant must be an entity of county, municipal, or state government OR a 501c tax-exempt organization in compliance with NJ charity registration laws.

At least one resource involved in this project must be individually listed or considered eligible for individual listing in the New Jersey or National Register of Historic Places OR is a contributing resource to a New Jersey or National Register-listed or eligible historic district.

Make sure to review the Grant Guidelines for all eligibility criteria and contact New Jersey Historic Trust staff with any questions at 609-984-0473 or njht@dca.nj.gov.

Organization Type:*

☐ Entity of County, Municipal, or State Government

☐ 501(c) Tax Exempt Organization

Applicant Organization Name:*

Organization Mailing Address:*

Organization Website:

Organization Socials (Facebook, Instagram, etc.):

Federal EIN:*

+Required for 501(c) organizations only:

NJ Charitable Registration Number:

Primary Contact Person First Name:*

Primary Contact Person Last Name:*

Primary Contact Person Phone Number:*

Primary Contact Person Email:*

ATTACHMENTS CHECKLIST FOR THIS SECTION (Attachment A – Applicant Information):

If applicable, provide the following documentation in a folder labeled "Attachment A" on the USB drive:

1. IRS 501(c) Determination Letter (required for non-profit applicants only)

2. Applicant’s Governing Body/Board Resolution and Assurances (required)

3. Notice of Charities Registration Number (required for non-profit applicants only)

There are no ownership or lease requirements for Heritage Tourism grants, but if the applicant does not own the resource, they should demonstrate support for the project from the resource owners through the Owner Approval form and/or through documentation of community support (Attachment G) on the USB drive.

Are all properties owned by the applicant?*

☐ Yes

☐ No

+Required if No: Provide documentation of support from the owner by attaching the Owner Approval form as part of Attachment B on the USB drive and documentation of community support as Attachment G on the USB drive.

ATTACHMENTS CHECKLIST FOR THIS SECTION (Attachment B – Property Ownership):

If applicable, provide the following documentation in a folder labeled "Attachment B" on the USB drive:

Owner Approval

To be eligible for a Heritage Tourism (HT) grant at least one property in the project must be individually listed or considered eligible for listing or a contributing resource to a listed or eligible historic district in the New Jersey or National Register of Historic Places by August 1, 2024.

To determine a property's register status, visit the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) website. You can also utilize the LUCY GIS platform, an online viewer for New Jersey’s cultural resources inventory. Some National Register nominations have been digitized and can be found in the National Park Service database. If you still cannot find your property, or have questions about register status only, contact New Jersey Historic Preservation Office at 609-940-4312.

If the property is in a historic district, but not specifically noted as contributing, you must obtain a letter from the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) certifying that it is a contributing resource. A certification letter must be requested from the SHPO at least 45 days before the application deadline.

If the property is not listed either individually or as part of a historic district, you must obtain a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the State Historic Preservation Office by August 1, 2024. For COEs that are 10 years or older, you must obtain an updated certification letter. A certification letter must be requested from the SHPO at least 45 days before the application deadline.

If you have questions about the overall eligibility of your proposed project, contact the New Jersey Historic Trust at 609-984-0473.

The proposed project is for:*

☐ A single property or historic district

☐ Multiple properties

If this is application is for more than one property, please choose one relevant property or district as the "reference property." You will be able to list all the properties in another question.

Over time, historic sites may be known by different names. When referencing your property, please use the name provided on the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) website.

Property Name, as listed by the SHPO:*

Physical property address:*

Property City:*

Property County:*

Provide a link to the property in Google Maps:*

NJ Legislative District of the property (find your legislator):*

US Congressional District of the property (find your representative):*

What is the register status of the property? Select all that apply.*

☐ Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
☐ Individually listed
☐ Contributing resource to a historic district
☐ New Jersey Register listed
☐ National Register listed
☐ National Historic Landmark

☐ None of the above

+Required if none of the above: Please note that in order to be eligible at least one property involved in the project must be listed or eligible for listing by August 1, 2024. Please explain what steps will be taken to meet the criteria by the deadline. (250 word max)

+Required if multiple properties: Please list all properties below.

+Required if multiple properties: Is at least one of the properties listed or eligible for listing in the New Jersey or National Register of Historic Places? (either individually or as a contributing resource to a historic district)

☐ Yes

☐ No

+Required if No: Please note that in order to be eligible at least one property involved in the project must be listed or eligible for listing by August 1, 2024. Please explain what steps will be taken to meet the criteria by the deadline. (250 word max)

Give a brief overview of the historic significance of the site(s) or region involved in the project. (500 word max)*

Do any of the resources involved in the project face pressing bricks-and-mortar needs (ex. structural stabilization, roof repairs, etc.)? If so, explain what they are and how they will be addressed. (250 word max)*

ATTACHMENTS CHECKLIST FOR THIS SECTION

(Attachment C – Eligibility and Register Status):

If applicable, provide the following documentation in a folder labeled "Attachment C" on the USB drive.

1. The most recent nomination form or eligibility statement for each property or historic district. As a reminder, a certification letter must be requested from the SHPO at least 45 days before the application deadline. For more specific information about including nomination and eligibility information see the Supporting Documents Checklist.

If you need a copy of your nomination form, some National Register nominations have been digitized and can be found in the National Park Service database. If your nomination has not been digitized, or your site is not National Register-listed, and you need a copy, contact the New Jersey Historic Preservation Office at (609) 940-4312.

Project Title (select all that apply)*

☐ Visitor-readiness assessment

☐ Visitor evaluation and/or development of performance evaluation measures

☐ Interpretive planning for one or multiple sites and/or development and enhancement of linkages between sites

☐ Design and fabrication of interpretive signage or literature

☐ Marketing plans and studies

☐ Design and fabrication of marketing materials

☐ Training and workshops, including speaker honoraria, that create, foster, or enhance linkages

between sites

☐ Other:

Project Summary: (100 word max)* Example: Preparation of Visitor-Readiness Assessment for Historic House.

How will this project benefit the identified historic resources or districts? (250 word max)*

Is the proposed project an initiative to create a broader/regional heritage tourism plan or does the project implement part of an already existing regional plan?*

☐ Project is to create a regional plan

☐ Project implements an already existing plan

☐ Neither

+Required if project is to create a regional plan: Explain why the plan is needed, why this region or grouping of sites was chosen, what the anticipated outcomes are, and how the plan will be implemented once it is complete. (500 word max)

+Required if implementing an already existing plan: Identify the plan that this project is implementing, describe how this project fits in and how it forwards the goals of the plan. Include the plan as part of Attachment D on the USB drive. (500 word max)

+Required if neither: Explain why this is a stand-alone project that is not part of a broader heritage tourism initiative. (500 word max)

How will this project enhance heritage tourism opportunities (i.e. linkages between sites, public awareness/participation, and interpretation of the resource(s))? (500 word max)*

How is this project consistent with the New Jersey Heritage Tourism Master Plan? (250 word max)*

Stage of the project (Please note for Heritage Tourism grants there is no reimbursement for funds expended prior to the application deadline. Consult the Grant Guidelines for more information.):*

☐ Project not started yet

☐ Preliminary Scope of Work prepared

☐ Request for Proposal (RFP) for consultant services prepared

☐ Proposals submitted

☐ Consultant selected

☐ Other:

+Required if consultant selected: Name of consulting firm if one has been chosen:

Proposed project schedule including major milestones: (100 words max)*

Example: Kick-off meeting with selected consultant October 2024

Draft Visitor Readiness Assessment April 2025

Final Visitor Readiness Assessment September 2025

Presentation to the Board of Trustees October 2025

ATTACHMENTS CHECKLIST FOR THIS SECTION (Attachment D – Scope of Work):

If applicable, provide the following documentation in a folder labeled "Attachment D" on the USB drive:

Heritage Tourism regional plan or initiative that this project is part of

Scope Statement (Preliminary Scope of Work, Requests For Proposals (RFP), proposals received and/or selected, or written statement describing the scope of work and the professional qualifications that will be required)

Proposed fees and estimates

Resume/credentials of proposed and/or selected consultant team

For Heritage Tourism grants, “match expended,” meaning work that is completed prior to the application deadline of April 18, 2024, is not eligible for reimbursement.

Matching funds derived from other Corporate Business Tax (CBT) funded projects, or from special appropriations awarded by the Legislature, shall not be used as the matching share of project costs by non-profit organizations or local government units. If Federal funds are used as a match, additional documentation may be required.

Download and complete the Project Expenditure Worksheet and include it on Attachment E.

Please enter all dollar amounts using the format $X,000 and round to the nearest whole number, no cents.

Total project cost:*

Grant request (no more than 75% of the total project cost not to exceed $75,000):*

Match required to complete project (subtract grant request from total project cost):*

Amount of match already raised (Match-in-hand):*

Remaining match needed (subtract match-in-hand from match required to complete project):*

ATTACHMENTS CHECKLIST FOR THIS SECTION (Attachment E – Project Budget):

If applicable, include the following documentation in a folder labeled "Attachment E" on the USB drive:

Project expenditure worksheet

Describe your organization, its mission, and the audience it reaches. Explain the role that your resource plays in the mission of your organization. (500 word max)*

Have any staff, board, volunteers, or project team members attended the following professional development activities in the past 2 years? Select all that apply.

☐ New Jersey Historic Trust & New Jersey Historical Commission Best Practices Workshops
☐ New Jersey History & Historic Preservation Conference
☐ Historic Preservation Commission Trainings
☐ Continuing Education in Historic Preservation classes at Rutgers Camden (M.A.R.C.H)

☐ Other

Who will be managing this project? List their names, their relationship to the organization, and their role in the project. List any relevant examples of grants managed by the organization in the past five years. (250 word max)*

Does your organization currently have any open grants with the New Jersey Historic Trust?*

☐ Yes

☐ No

+Required if Yes: Explain the status of your open grants and how your organization has the capacity to manage more than one open grant at a time. (100 word max)

List any relevant examples of the organization’s experience working with consultants and/or contractors. Include the firm name, service provided, contract amount, project start and end date, and project manager. (100 word max)*

If applicable, explain how you will raise the remaining matching funds needed for this proposed project. (500 word max)

List any recent relevant examples of the organization’s experience with successful fundraising campaigns including approximate amounts raised and/or any upcoming planned fundraising campaigns including goal amounts. (250 word max)*

Example:

Capital campaign – Roof replacement:

Fall 2022 Halloween Ghost Tours - $7,500

Summer 2023 Fireworks Festival - $10,000

Winter 2023 Holiday Gala - (Upcoming, Goal $30,000)

Spring 2024 Home and Garden Tours - (Planned, Goal $10,000)

ATTACHMENTS CHECKLIST FOR THIS SECTION (Attachment F – Organizational Ability):

If applicable, include the following documentation in a folder labeled "Attachment F" on the USB drive:

Resume/credentials of project manager/project team

Documentation of match-in-hand

Non-profit organizations must provide account statements or letters of funding commitment showing the amount of available funds

County or municipal government applicants must provide a governing body resolution committing specific matching funds

Organization’s current year-to-date balance sheet showing income and expenses to date and past year’s summary balance sheet showing income and expenses (required for non-profit applicants only)

Explain how your resource is interpreted to the public. (500 word max)*

How does your organization assess the needs of the community and work to address them? Please further demonstrate this in Attachment G, “Letters of Support”. (500 word max)*

Is the resource compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)? If so, to what extent? If not, explain how you plan to improve accessibility. (500 word max)*

Is the resource located within a Certified Local Government (CLG) municipality? (List of CLGs)*

☐ Yes

☐ No

Is the resource open to the public on a regular basis?*

☐ Yes

☐ No

+Required if No: Explain why not. (100 word max)

Current hours of operation:* Example: The first and third Saturday of each month from 11AM – 4PM

Do you have plans to expand your hours of operation? (100 word max)*

Number of days/year the site is open:*

Are visitation numbers collected?*

☐ Yes

☐ No

+Required if Yes: Number of visitors/year (based on visitation records): (100 words max)

+Required if Yes: How are visitation numbers collected? Is any other visitation information collected? How is the visitation data used? (100 words max)

+Required if No: Explain why visitor numbers are not collected. (100 words max)

The New Jersey Heritage Tourism Master Plan defines “visitor ready” as:

The site is open as a tourism attraction during regularly scheduled hours, with a preference for weekend hours

The site is promoted as a tourism attraction

The site supports one or more of the statewide heritage tourism themes by telling stories related to that theme(s)

Click here to view the New Jersey Heritage Tourism Master Plan. See page 7 for a list of Heritage Tourism themes.

Are the sites involved in this project visitor ready?*

☐ Yes

☐ No

+Required if Yes: Explain how the site is visitor ready. Provide supporting documentation (marketing collateral, advertisements, etc.) as part of Attachment G on the USB drive. (100 words max)

+Required if No: Explain what steps are being taken to achieve visitor readiness. (100 words max)

Special consideration will be given to grant proposals that address the following themes:

The 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution. The United States Semiquincentennial will be celebrated in 2026 to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the nation and its victory in the American Revolution. Grant proposals that aim to promote New Jersey’s role in the Revolutionary War are encouraged.

Underrepresented Histories. In keeping with the New Jersey Comprehensive Statewide Historic Preservation Plan (2023-2028), the New Jersey Historic Trust (NJHT) seeks to expand representation of marginalized groups and empower meaningful involvement of minority constituencies in the identification, preservation, and interpretation of historic resources. NJHT encourages applications demonstrating efforts and/or initiatives that consider and engage with underrepresented histories including, but not limited to, Black history, civil rights history, women’s history, disability history, Indigenous history, Latinx history, LGBTQ+ history, or the history of any marginalized group. To learn more about the initiative, click here.

Does your project address either of these themes? (select all that apply)

☐ 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution

☐ Underrepresented Histories

+Required if Yes: Please explain how your project addresses one or both of the special initiatives. (500 word max)

State and Federal Initiatives – select all that apply. Click the links for more information and to see if your resource is part of the initiative.

☐ National Park Initiatives

☐ Scenic Byways

☐ Coastal Heritage Trail

☐ New Jersey Women's Heritage Trail

☐ Delaware River Heritage Trail

☐ Federal Opportunity Zones

☐ Urban Enterprise Zone

☐ Transit Village

☐ Journey Through Jersey

☐ Main Street Community

☐ Crossroads of the American Revolution Heritage Area

ATTACHMENTS CHECKLIST FOR THIS SECTION (Attachment G – Public Access & Benefit):

If applicable, include the following documentation in a folder labeled "Attachment G" on the USB drive:

1. Documentation of visitor-readiness (marketing collateral, advertisements, etc.)

2. Letters of Support

Letters of Support from people and/or groups that benefit from your resource and/or programming

Legislative Letters of Support

3. Documentation of community support/engagement such as press releases, news articles, flyers, programs, etc. This includes documentation that supports your efforts to participate in one or both of the special initiatives.

Below is a list of all supporting documents that should be included on your USB drive (note that some attachments are required while others may not apply to you). Please organize all supporting documents into corresponding folders labeled by Attachment. You must also include a table of contents that lists all documents included on the USB. Below is a checklist of all documents that should be included as well as a screenshot of how the documents should be organized.

Check off all the documents that you have included:

☐ Table of Contents

Attachment A – Applicant Information

☐ IRS 501(c) Determination Letter

☐ Applicant’s Governing Body/Board Resolution and Assurances

☐ Notice of Charities Registration Number (required for non-profit applicants only)

☐ None of the above

Attachment B – Property Ownership

☐ Owner Approval

☐ None of the above

Attachment C – Resource Information & Historic Significance

☐ Most recent nomination form or eligibility statement

☐ If the property is individually listed in the State or New Jersey Register of Historic Places, include a copy of the complete nomination form (not just the HPO list showing that your resource is listed in the State or National Registers). OR

☐ If the property is included in a historic district listing as contributing to the district, include all relevant pages of the nomination form. If the property is located in a historic district, but not specifically noted as contributing, submit all relevant pages and a letter from the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) certifying that it is a contributing resource. A certification letter must be requested from the SHPO at least 45 days before the application deadline. OR

☐ If the property is not listed in the State or New Jersey Register of Historic Places, include a letter from the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) certifying eligibility for listing of a site in the New Jersey Register, or certifying that a site listed in a historic district is a contributing property. A certification letter must be requested from the SPHO at least 45 days before the application deadline.

☐ If the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is 10 years or older, include an updated letter from the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) certifying eligibility for listing of a site in the New Jersey Register, or certifying that a site listed in a historic district is a contributing property. A certification letter must be requested from the SPHO at least 45 days before the application deadline.

☐ None of the above

Attachment D – Scope of Work

☐ Heritage tourism regional plan or initiative that this project is part of

☐ Scope Statement (Preliminary Scope of Work, Requests for Proposals (RFPs), proposals received and/or selected, or written statement describing the scope of work and the professional qualifications that will be required)

☐ Proposed fees and estimates

☐ Resume/credentials of proposed and/or selected consultant team

☐ None of the above

Attachment E – Project Budget

☐ Project Expenditure Worksheet

Attachment F - Organizational Ability

☐ Resume/Credentials of Project Manager/Project Team

☐ Documentation of match-in-hand

☐ Non-profit organizations must provide account statements or letters of funding commitment showing the amount of available funds

☐ County or municipal government applicants must provide a governing body

resolution committing specific matching funds

☐ Organization’s current year-to-date balance sheet showing income and expenses to date and past year’s summary balance sheet showing income and expenses (required for non-profit applicants only) ☐ None of the above

Attachment G – Public Access & Benefit

☐ Documentation of visitor-readiness (marketing collateral, advertisements, etc.)

☐ Letters of Support

☐ Letters of Support from individuals/groups that benefit from your resource and/or programming

☐ Legislative Letters of Support

☐ Documentation of community support/engagement (press releases, news articles, flyers, programs, etc.) This includes documentation that supports your efforts to participate in one or both of the special initiatives.

☐ None of the above

Attachment H – Photographs

☐ Labeled Photos and Photo Identification Sheet (photographs must be uploaded as JPEG files, not as PDFs)

☐ Photo Identification Sheet that identifies the included photos by number and briefly describes each photograph

☐ If the project focuses on one resource, include photographs showing the resource as a whole

☐ If the project focuses on more than one building, include photographs that show each of the buildings (be sure to label the photographs in the Photo Identification Sheet)
☐ Any additional miscellaneous documents (including any completed research that supports the project request)

☐ None of the above

Sample Screenshot of how the USB Folders should be organized:

* Please only label the attachment folders as shown below (Attachment A, Attachment B, etc.). Do not use additional information to label the Attachment folders.

Applicant’s Governing Body/Board Resolution and Assurances*

(required)

The governing body/board authorizes submission of this application for assistance from the New Jersey Historic Trust.

The governing body/board further authorizes ____________________________________( Name and title of person) to complete and sign application documents on behalf of the organization.

The governing body/board further authorizes that, if awarded the grant, matching funds in the amount of $__________ are committed to complete this project within the required time frame.

The governing body/board further resolves and acknowledges:

The facts, figures and information contained in this application, including all attachments, are true and correct;

Any funds received will be expended in accord with the terms and conditions of N.J.A.C. 5:101 and the grant agreement to be executed with the New Jersey Historic Trust; and

The organization agrees to abide by the time frame set forth in the grant guidelines.

Introduces and passed (date)_______________________

Ayes:	______

Nays:	_____

Absent:	_____

Approved on this date: _________________

_____________________________________________

(Signature of Board Chair, Mayor, or Commissioner Director)

Typed Name and Title: ________________________

Attested:	__________________________________

(Signature of Municipal or County Clerk or Board Secretary)

Name & Title ____________________________________

Owner Approval

Resources not owned or leased by the applicant must submit the following signed Owner Approval.

NOTE: Proposals for multiple resources must include a separate signed Owner Approval page for each participating resource. If the application is for a historic district nomination, consent from the Mayor of the municipalities within the district is required, not every property in the district.

The property owner certifies that:

He/she understands the purpose and the proposed scope of work of this application, and agrees to its submission to the New Jersey Historic Trust; AND

He/she agrees that the listing of the property in the New Jersey or National Registers of Historic Places may be a condition of a grant.

Signature of Property Owner	Date

Typed Name & Title _____________________________________________________________

Signature of Co-Owner (if applicable)	Date

Typed Name & Title _____________________________________________________________