Below is a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for the Texas Preservation Trust Fund (TPTF) Grant Program.
Q. How can I apply for the TPTF Grant Program?
A. Grant cycles typically open the first week of December each year. At that time, the grant application and guide for the active Fiscal Year grant cycle will be posted on the TPTF Grant Program page. The application and guide is a PDF document that should be downloaded to your computer for use. Applicants are encouraged to read through the grant application's guide, which has pertinent program information such as timelines and grant requirements. The grant application should be filled out and returned to the THC via email, per the instructions in the grant application and guide, and by the deadline given in the grant application and guide. Please email program staff to request a sample copy of a TPTF grant application and guide.
Q. How competitive is the TPTF Grant Program?
A. Each grant cycle is different, and it is challenging to predict the number of applications the TPTF grant program will receive in any given grant cycle. Based on the amount of funds available in fiscal year 2026 (FY26), $330,000, we anticipate awarding approximately 10 grants across all project categories.
Q. When will the next grant cycle open?
A. Each year, the TPTF grant cycle typically opens the first week of December. We anticipate the TPTF grant cycle for the fiscal year 2027 (FY27) will open the first week of December 2025.
Q. What is the grant project timeline?
A. Grant awards are typically made in October/November of a fiscal year. After the award is made, and a funding agreement is signed by both the grant recipient and THC, the grant-funded project is expected to be finalized in approximately 18 months. For example, in the FY26 grant cycle, awards are expected to be made in November 2025, and those grant projects will be expected to wrap up by June 30, 2027.
Q. Will the TPTF Grant Program reimburse for previously completed work?
A. No work associated with the grant-funded project scope can begin before: 1) the Texas Historical Commission makes the grant award; and 2) the funding agreement has been signed by both the grant recipient and THC.
The THC pays out the TPTF grant by reimbursing for eligible project costs incurred as the grant-funded project is executed. Grant recipients will submit a reimbursement request demonstrating that eligible project costs were incurred, and THC will reimburse for 50% of those eligible project costs, up to the awarded grant amount. The grant recipient can expect the funds to be reimbursed within 30 days after a complete and correct reimbursement packet is received by the THC. The TPTF grant cannot reimburse for project work that occurred prior to the execution of the funding agreement.
Q. Is a cash match required?
A. Yes, all grant recipients must have a dollar-for-dollar cash match, at minimum, in order to receive the TPTF grant.
Q. Can I utilize another THC grant for my TPTF cash match?
A. No, THC grants may not be used as a cash match for other THC grants. However, grant recipients may utilize grants from other granting institutions, such as nonprofit organizations.
Q. Where can I find more information about other grants?
A. Please visit the Additional Funding for Preservation Projects page.
Q. Is an easement required for the TPTF Grant Program?
A. If your project is awarded a Development or Acquisition grant, an historic preservation easement must be placed on the property as a condition of receiving the grant funds. The easement is not required on an archeological resource that is listed as a State Antiquities Landmark, or will receive that designation by the end of the grant-funded project. Architectural resources with State Antiquities Landmark designations are still required to grant an easement on the property. Recipients of the following grants are exempt from the easement requirement: Heritage Education; Historic Resources Survey; Archeology (Planning); Archeology (Curatorial); or Architecture (Planning).
Q. What is a Historic Preservation Easement?
A. Please see the Preservation Covenants and Easements page for more information about historic preservation easements.
Q. Does the TPTF Grant Program fund cemetery projects?
A. The TPTF grant can fund cemetery projects for cemeteries which are at least eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, and which propose a project scope that is in adherence to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. We strongly encourage applicants to request a Determination of Eligibility from the THC's National Register Program to determine if their cemetery can qualify for the TPTF grant.
Potential applicants for cemetery projects are also encouraged to coordinate with the THC's Cemetery Preservation Program.