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UPDATE
11.13.2006
On May 4, 2006 the House of
Representatives recommended $15 million for Save America's Treasures
and Preserve America
-- echoing the President's request ($14.8 million). The
Senate has proposed $20 million for the program. The
Administration and House's
recommendation represents a 50% reduction from last year's
appropriation and eliminates the competitive grants portion of the
program.
The House and
Senate passed a continuing resolution at the very end of the
Congress that extends the lowest approved funding levels (the House
bill) until February 15, 2007.
BACKGROUND
Save
America’s Treasures (SAT),
initiated during the Clinton Administration, supports bricks and
mortar grants for American treasures. SAT grants provide critical
funding for rehabilitation work on the country’s most significant
buildings and archives
such as Ellis Island and the Ansel Adams Photography
Collection at the University of Arizona. SAT grants generally go to
National Historic Landmarks although National Register properties
are also eligible. For the last several years, SAT has received a
$30 million annual appropriation through the Historic Preservation
Fund, with half its funding going toward competitive grants and the
other half supporting “earmarks,” that is, funding for projects
outside of the competitive grant process through a direct
appropriation from legislators.
Save
America’s Treasures is a popular program within Congress and within
the preservation community. The lack of bricks and mortar funding
for preservation at any level of government makes the program unique
and critical. Though transportation enhancement funds provide more
grants for historic rehabilitation projects than any federal
program, the projects supported are limited to those associated
with transportation. SAT grants help leverage local dollars and aid
in promoting projects that attract more community support, public
and private.
The
program is exclusive by design – it supports the rehabilitation of
the absolute best of the past, the most exemplary examples of
nationally historic architecture associated with our nation’s
history. Some preservationists feel the program favors resources
east of the Mississippi and in California.
The earmark
portion of the program is more vulnerable than the competitive
grants portion, and is slated for removal to the Preserve America
program in the President’s budget this year. This happened last
year. Though the earmark portion was eventually reinstated, up to $5
million from the SAT program was appropriated in 2006 for
Preserve
America -- a different kind of preservation program.
Both
programs serve important, though very different needs within the
preservation community. A “unified front” or single voice in
lobbying Congress is essential for effective advocacy in tough
budget years. Advocating for all programs funded by the HPF, and
building alliances in support of existing programs, are key.
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