SHPO Tax Incentives Reviewer Advanced Training | P18AS00321

Opportunity Information: Apply for P18AS00321

The SHPO Tax Incentives Reviewer Advanced Training opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number P18AS00321) is a National Park Service (NPS) cooperative agreement designed to strengthen how the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program, widely known as the Historic Tax Credit, is administered and reviewed. At its core, this effort supports the partnership between the NPS and State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs) by building reviewer expertise and capacity so applications can be evaluated more efficiently and consistently, and so property owners can receive clearer technical guidance when planning rehabilitations of historic buildings.

The grant is tied directly to the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program, which provides a 20 percent federal income tax credit for the substantial rehabilitation of historic buildings that will be used for business or other income-producing purposes. To qualify, projects must maintain the building's historic character and meet federal preservation standards, and the NPS ultimately issues certifications to the U.S. Department of the Treasury that enable applicants to claim the credit. Because these certifications depend on thorough application review and preservation-appropriate decision-making, the training and support funded through this agreement is aimed at improving the quality and capacity of that review process at both federal and state levels.

The opportunity emphasizes two main outcomes. First, it expands the ability of NPS and SHPO staff (and affiliated reviewers) to process and evaluate applications seeking NPS certifications required for eligibility for the tax credit. Second, it boosts the technical preservation assistance available to applicants and stakeholders by improving the guidance and recommendations reviewers can provide about appropriate preservation and rehabilitation approaches. In practical terms, this is about ensuring that rehabilitation work can move forward in a way that both supports investment and protects the historic features that make these buildings significant.

The background context included in the notice highlights why this capacity-building matters. Since the program began in 1976, more than 43,000 projects have been completed under the credit, leveraging over $144.6 billion in private investment and supporting an estimated 2.54 million jobs. The training-focused agreement is positioned as a way to sustain and enhance those benefits by helping the program operate smoothly and by supporting consistent, high-quality preservation decision-making as demand for the credit continues.

Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement mechanism under the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, with an education activity category and CFDA number 15.946. The anticipated award is a single award with a ceiling of $48,000. Importantly, the posting indicates it is a notice of intent to partner under an existing cooperative agreement (with NCSHPO referenced), meaning it is not an open competition and no applications will be accepted. This makes the announcement less of a typical grant solicitation and more of a formal public notice that the NPS plans to direct funds through an established partnership vehicle to deliver advanced training and support for Historic Tax Credit reviewers.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "SHPO Tax Incentives Reviewer Advanced Training" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.946.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 13, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Notice of intent to partner with NCSHPO under existing cooperative agreement. No applications will be accepted.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $48,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for P18AS00321

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