KEESEVILLE — Adirondack Architectural Heritage has opened a new round of funding for the Adirondack Rural Revitalization Program. The program is open to private, public and nonprofit owners of historic properties throughout the Adirondack region — Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Washington, and Warren Counties.

New guidelines and a pre-application form are now available on AARCH’s website at aarch.org/funding/adirondack-rural-revitalization-program.

Properties must be listed on, or eligible for listing on, the National Register of Historic Places, individually or contributing to a historic district, and in towns under 10,000. This program will fund rehabilitation projects that foster community vibrancy and enhance sense of place within the region’s community and agricultural centers, with a focus on historic main street and agricultural buildings. Only repair and/or rehabilitation projects will receive funding through this program, such as roof, masonry, door and/or window repair, structural stabilization, and site infrastructure as required for building occupancy. Applicants must submit a detailed description of the proposed project, which can include photographs, design documents, project narratives, building material outline, for technical review. New construction, landscaping, building reconstruction or paving will not be funded. Successful applicants must follow federal competitive contractor procurement practices based on the size of the program grant.

Applicants must affirmatively answer pre-qualification questions to determine eligibility and access a full application. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until all grant funds are allocated.

Eligible applicants must own their building and have or create a public use for their space (e.g. coffee shop, community-supported enterprise, small retail business, performance space). All applications receive a technical review by the National Park Service. No project can begin until that review is completed.

Applicants will need to demonstrate a 25% match contribution to the qualifying project costs (e.g. a $50,000 project would require a $12,500 match and a maximum grant request of $37,500). The program’s maximum grant award will be $50,000 with a requirement to complete the project by Aug. 31, 2026.