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City’s new ACME office redesigns Heritage Preservation Grant to expand access and tourism focus
Summary
The Office of Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment (ACME) briefed the Historic Landmark Commission on a “creative reset” of the Heritage Preservation Grant: streamlined application categories, expanded eligible interior work, tiered funding that rewards historic designation, and new tourism training for awardees.
The City of Austin’s new Office of Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment (ACME) presented revisions to the Heritage Preservation Grant program at the Historic Landmark Commission meeting on July 2, describing a “creative reset” designed to simplify applications and broaden access to funding.
Melissa Alvarado, heritage tourism division manager at ACME, said the grant will now offer two main project categories — capital projects and heritage events — shorten terms to two years, and continue to allow nonprofit and business applicants who own or lease historic sites. Awardees will not be required to provide matching funds, but capital projects must include review by a preservation architect and comply with applicable local or national historic preservation standards.
Alvarado said ACME will add incentives for sites engaged in local historic designation: in fiscal year 2026 applications, the grant will award 10 bonus points for sites or districts approved and pursuing a local historic designation. Funding tiers for heritage events will include up to $150,000 for fully historic-designated sites, up to $50,000 for sites approved and pursuing designation, and up to $25,000 for alternative sites that tell a qualifying historic story when the original site cannot be used.
Christina Kufos, project coordinator with the Heritage Tourism Division, summarized recent grant-funded projects as examples of how the program is used: Austin Parks Foundation (Henry G. Madison log cabin) received $237,000 for restoration work and site accessibility improvements; Center for Women and Their Work received about $104,000 for structural and exterior preservation at Johnson & Johnson Grocery and House; Bethany Cemetery Association received $95,000 for interpretive signage and educational programming; and Downtown Austin Alliance received $250,000 for heritage programming at Republic Square.
ACME said more than 1,200 residents participated in creative reset community engagement and requested simpler applications, better access for diverse voices and more support for cultural spaces. Staff also said the grant will include a 10% admin/project management fee, tourism-marketing training offered in English and Spanish, and that capital projects will require 1 comprehensive package for review.
Commissioners were asked to consider committee participation to assist ACME in implementing program changes; staff suggested commissioners volunteer for a committee to partner on grants outreach and review. No formal commission vote was required for the briefing.
