On Monday, May 19, the City of Paducah will open the application period for building owners to apply for a subgrant through the National Park Service’s Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant program. In 2024, the City of Paducah officially accepted the grant, and over the past few months, staff have worked to develop the application process and gain National Park Service approval to distribute the funds through subgrants.
“We are honored to receive this transformational grant from the National Park Service,” said Mayor George Bray. “Paducah has numerous historic buildings and contributing structures that would be eligible for this program. Our goal is to preserve these historic structures by working in partnership with committed building owners.”
The grant’s purpose is to foster economic development in rural communities through the rehabilitation of local historic buildings and resources. The total amount of funding awarded to the City is $750,000 with the grant funding period running through September 30, 2027, to use the funds. Out of the total grant award, $650,000 is allocated for awarding subgrants for building preservation to local building owners in the eligible program areas with the remaining $100,000 for technical assistance. Subgrant awards will range from $50,0000 to $100,000. Examples of possible projects include building stabilization, façade improvements, roofs, HVAC, ADA accessibility, electrical, and plumbing.
The application portal opens on Monday, May 19 with a deadline to apply by 4:30 p.m. CDT on Thursday, July 3. To view the guidelines and the application portal, visit Paul Bruhn Subgrant Program. Once you click the link to the application portal, look under “Apply for Incentive Grants" or search “Paul Bruhn Grant” in the search bar.
The City of Paducah is offering two workshops to provide applicants technical assistance in completing the grant application. These workshops are not mandatory to attend. The times and locations for the workshops have not been determined. However, the dates will be
- Thursday, May 29
- Tuesday, June 10
“With the City of Paducah receiving a funding award of $750,000, we can make a significant impact in preserving several of the iconic structures in the eligible program districts,” said Projects and Grants Administrator Hope Reasons. “Receiving the notification that we would be receiving this grant was an incredible moment that as a grant writer I will cherish.”
There are three eligible program areas for Paducah: 1) Downtown Historic Commercial District; 2) Market House Historical District; and 3) Southside. Properties that may be eligible for the grant include commercial, multi-unit residential, mixed use, educational, churches, and nonprofits. Only existing structures are eligible. Single family residential properties are not eligible. To be eligible for a subgrant, properties must be included within and contributing to a National Register District or individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Properties that are not yet listed in the National Register may still be awarded subgrants.
Palmer Stroup, Planner II in the Paducah Planning Department, will be the main contact for the subgrants.
“I look forward to working with building owners who are interested in applying for a subgrant,” Stroup said. “Receiving a grant of this magnitude has its complexities, but I will be accessible to help building owners navigate the application process and determine eligibility status. We have a valuable resource with the Paul Bruhn grant, and we want to see several property owners successfully use the funds to preserve their properties.”
Visit Paul Bruhn Subgrant Program for the full set of guidelines and the link to apply.
This material was produced with assistance from the Historic Preservation Fund, administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior under Grant Number P24AP02344-00. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.
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