4Culture Grants + Calls

Landmarks Capital

The entire community benefits when we make our historic buildings, neighborhoods, and landscapes a priority. Large and small, urban and rural: the Landmarks Capital program supports the bricks-and-mortar projects that contribute to our region’s identity.

Update: 2024 Landmarks Capital grants are on hold as we work to disburse federal COVID relief funds and plan for new Doors Open programming.

Steps to Apply

1 What Landmarks Capital Funds

1 What Landmarks Capital Funds

Whether you are an individual owner or you represent an organization, if you are the steward of a designated historic landmark property in King County and are working to rehabilitate it, you should consider applying for a Landmarks Capital grant. Projects that center on marginalized communities and that contribute to the diversity of property types and histories represented in King County’s built environment will receive additional consideration. Landmarks Capital grants are capped at $35,000.

Criteria

We fund all of our grants through a competitive process, carefully evaluating each application.

For this particular grant, we’ll look to see how well your project shows the following:

  • Quality: you have a long-term, sustainable plan for the landmark, and your project follows good preservation principles, as outlined in the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.
  • Public benefit: your project will benefit residents and visitors of King County through the property’s visibility, accessibility, public programming, or economic impact, and/or will aid in the long-term preservation and use of the landmark.
  • Advancing equity: your project will contribute to the diversity of property types and histories represented in King County’s built environment, and addresses underrepresented aspects of King County history. Your project is led by, serves, or delivers economic benefits to marginalized communities, especially communities disproportionately impacted by structural racism. This is not a requirement for funding.
  • Feasibility: you’re ready to begin the project within a year, with a prepared team, realistic budget, and credible cost estimates from experienced contractors, and you are able to complete the project on a reimbursement basis.
  • Additional priorities: your project addresses an urgent need, by preventing further damage or addressing critical life safety issues, or your project is not eligible for other 4Culture funding programs.

Equity Investments

4Culture recognizes that where a landmark is located, as well as its community context, can affect access to funding and other resources. To take a step toward balancing these disparities, 4Culture will award additional funding to projects that are in an Equity Investment area or that are centered on marginalized communities, especially communities disproportionately impacted by structural racism.

Projects qualify as being in an Equity Investment area by meeting one or more of the following requirements. Your project does not need to meet one of these to qualify for funding; these only give certain projects priority for Equity Investment funds:

    • The applicant or the landmark that is the focus of the project is outside of the City of Seattle.
    • OR
    • The applicant or the landmark is located in Seattle, but is also in a geographic area within zip codes experiencing the most significant social inequities as per the King County Communities of Opportunity (COO) index. COO designated areas are shown in purple on the map below.
    • Organizations with an annual budget over $3.5 million do not qualify for this additional funding.

Applicants may also qualify for Equity Investment funds through a high score on the Advancing Equity criterion. This is collectively determined by the panel of peer reviewers who evaluate the Landmarks Capital applications.

 

Firefox users: you may find it easier to view the map using this link.

Please notify Program Manager Dana Phelan at 206-263-1604 of your intent to apply for a Landmarks Capital grant. If you are a first-time applicant, we recommend making an individual phone appointment to discuss your project.

Public Benefit: Why It Matters

Every time a visitor to Washington State stays in a hotel, they pay a Lodging Tax—this is where our funding comes from, and our mission is to put it back into the community. As you work through your application, tell us exactly how your project will benefit your fellow King County residents and visitors. Read about public benefit more in depth here. Here are some ways historic preservation projects may benefit the public:

  • The landmark property has high visibility in the community, is accessible to the public, or is a part of historical programs or tours.
  • Investment in your landmark property will help promote economic activity in the neighborhood or have other positive impacts in your community.
  • Your project will contribute to the long-term viability and use of the landmark property.
  • Your project will contribute to the diversity of property types and histories represented in King County’s built environment.

2 Are You and Your Project Eligible?

2 Are You and Your Project Eligible?

You

  • We accept applications from individuals, businesses, organizations, and local governments that are either the owner or long-term leaseholder of a historic property in King County.
  • Your property must be designated as an official landmark at the city or county level, or be a historic building within a locally designated historic district. Properties listed in the National Register of Historic Place are eligible only in jurisdictions without a local historic preservation ordinance. Please contact 4Culture staff if you have questions about the eligibility of your property.
  • This grant is not available to K-12 schools or school districts.

Your Project

  • You may request up to $35,000. Matching funds are not required.
  • Your project can include materials, labor, permits, and fees, as well as architectural design and engineering directly related to construction costs. Project management costs may be up to 15% of the award amount.
  • Your project should focus on the stabilization or restoration of historic building fabric, repair or replacement of essential building systems, or the restoration of historically significant landscapes.
  • Landmarks Capital funds may not be used for property acquisition, new additions, equipment purchases, planning and pre-development studies, general operating support, overhead costs, employee benefits, or any regular staff salaries. For equipment purchases, please see our Cultural Equipment grant.

3 Helping You Succeed

3 Helping You Succeed

Workshops

Workshops can make a big difference in the strength of your application. 4Culture Preservation staff are also available to answer questions and review draft applications on request.

Three workshops will be virtual and have captioning available. Please register via the links provided to receive Zoom meeting information. One workshop will be held in-person at the 4Culture office. Registration for the in-person workshop is requested, but not required, here.

This grant is currently closed. Workshops will be posted 6-8 weeks before the next deadline date.

If you are unable to attend the scheduled workshops, you can view this recorded workshop:

Tutorial Video

Watch this step-by-step application tutorial video to assist you through the process of creating an account, starting your application, and saving it for later.

Contact

Staff are here to assist you! If you have any questions, please email or call at any time. Please notify Dana Phelan of your intent to apply, and arrange for an individual phone appointment if you are a first-time applicant.

We are happy to review draft applications and provide feedback with adequate notice. For full draft reviews, save your work in the online application and contact Dana Phelan before Monday, September 11. After that date, we cannot review full drafts, but will still be available to assist with specific questions and/or troubleshooting.

Dana Phelan
dana.phelan@4culture.org
206-263-1604

For general inquiries and technical support:
Emily P. Lawsin
emily.lawsin@4culture.org
206-477-3110

We will make every effort to ensure equal access for all applicants. If you require accommodations, please contact us.

You can also view last year’s funded applicants on our Past Grants page.

Translation and Assistance

The guidelines, a detailed explanation of how to apply, and the application are in English. If this is a barrier that stops you from understanding the grant or applying due to limited English writing ability, visual impairment, or you would like to request assistance to create an application, please contact hello@4culture.org or call (206) 296-7580 or TTY 711, and we will make sure you get the support you need.
 
Las pautas, la explicación detallada de cómo enviar la solicitud y la solicitud están en inglés. Si esto le impide comprender la información relacionada con la beca o enviar una solicitud debido a una limitación en la capacidad para escribir en inglés, si tiene una discapacidad visual o si desea recibir asistencia para crear una solicitud, escriba a hello@4culture.org o llame al (206) 296-7580 o TTY 711, y nos aseguraremos de que obtenga la ayuda que necesita.
 
详细说明如何申请的指南以及申请本身均使用英文。如果由于英语写作能力有限、视力障碍而妨碍您对本资助的了解或申请，或者您希望请求协助来完成申请，请发送电子邮件至 hello@4culture.org 或致电 (206) 296-7580 或 TTY (听障专线) 711 联系，我们会确保您获得所需的支持
 
Руководство, подробная инструкция и форма заявки на английском языке. Если вам сложно разобраться в процедуре получения грантов или подачи заявок из-за ограниченных навыков письменного английского языка либо нарушений зрения, а также если вы бы хотели обратиться за помощью при составлении заявки, отправьте письмо на адрес электронной почты hello@4culture.org или позвоните по номеру (206) 296-7580 или 711 (телетайп), и мы позаботимся о том, чтобы вы получили необходимую помощь.
 
Hướng dẫn, giải thích chi tiết về cách nộp đơn va tài liệu áp dụng tất cả đều bằng Tiếng Anh. Nếu đây là rào cản khiến quý vị không hiểu được khoản trợ cấp hoặc cách nộp đơn do khả năng viết tiếng Anh hạn chế, do quý vị bị suy giảm thị lực hoặc muốn yêu cầu hỗ trợ để tạo đơn đăng ký, làm ơn liên hệ hello@4culture.org hoặc gọi (206) 296-7580 hay TTY 711 và chúng tôi sẽ hỗ trợ những gì quý vị cần.
 
Tilmaamaha, sharaxaadda faahfaahsan ee ku saabsan sida loo codsado, iyo waraaqda codsiga waxa ay dhammaan ku qoran yihiin Af-Ingiriisi. Haddii ay arrintani tahay caqabad kaa hor istaageysa fahamka deeqda ama codsashada oo ay sabab u tahay awoodda qorista Af-Ingiriisiga oo xadidan, araggaaga oo liita, ama aad jeclaan lahayd inaad codsato in lagaa caawiyo in aad codsi sameyso, fadlan la xiriir hello@4culture.org ama wac (206) 296-7580 ama TTY 711, waxaana xaqiijin doonnaa inaad hesho taageerada aad u baahan tahay.

4 After You Submit

4 After You Submit

Timeline

The deadline for this grant is Wednesday, September 27, 2023, at 5:00 pm PDT. We will announce our funding decisions following our Board of Directors’ approval of the awards on December 6, 2023. You can start your project—or the portion of your project described in your application—no earlier than December 7, 2023, and you must complete it by December 31, 2025.

Informational Survey

After submitting your application, you will be contacted by 4Culture staff to participate in an informational survey related to equity in preservation planning and project execution. The survey results will help 4Culture learn about equity-focused efforts in the historic preservation field and develop resources for owners and stewards of historic places. Your responses to these questions will not be shared with the review panel or be part of the application scoring process for 2023, but will help 4Culture to refine criteria for future funding.

Panel Process

4Culture staff will review your application to ensure eligibility. A panel of historic preservation specialists and community members, which changes annually, then evaluates all eligible applications. 4Culture staff facilitates the panel process but does not vote or try to influence the outcome. The panel selects and recommends the most compelling projects to the 4Culture Board for funding, based on the criteria outlined above in the What Landmarks Capital Funds section of this page.

Contracts and Payment

If the 4Culture Board approves your project for funding, your grant manager will work with you to create a contract outlining a payment schedule.

Requirements and Appeals

Learn about what will be required if you are awarded a grant, and about the process for appeal of a 4Culture decision.

5 Apply

5 Apply

Once you’ve started your application, you can save it as a draft and continue to work on it up to the deadline. Once you click Submit, your application is final. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions during the process.

What’s in the Application

The online application includes questions connected to the criteria for this grant, and a project budget. You must complete all required fields in the online form in order to submit your application for review. Read all the instructions carefully, answer all the questions as thoroughly as possible, and complete the project budget to the best of your ability.

Below, you will find information on additional support materials. We recommend assembling them early in the application process and encourage you to call or email us with any questions as you work on these materials.

Project Narrative

Peer-panel reviewers may not be familiar with your property. You will be asked to answer the following questions in the application narrative section:

  • Quality/Project Description
    Briefly describe your historic property, including its historic significance and its current condition. State your long-range goals for the preservation and use of the property. Then, provide a clear description of the specific work for which you are requesting funding from 4Culture. Explain how this work is good preservation practice, as outlined in the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. Finally, tell us why you are prioritizing this project, and how it will contribute to the long-term preservation of the landmark.
  • Public Benefit
    How will your project benefit the larger community? Public benefit might include a property’s or rehabilitation project’s high visibility, economic impact, public accessibility and/or educational opportunities.
  • Advancing Equity
    Is your property associated with an underrepresented aspect of King County history? For example, does the property have a historic connection to marginalized communities? If so, how is this story told? Does use of the property include engagement with, serve, or support underrepresented marginalized communities? Will the rehabilitation of the property deliver economic or other benefits to underrepresented marginalized communities? If these questions do not apply to your rehabilitation project, you may simply state so.
  • Experience
    Tell us about the background that you, your subcontractors, and others on your project team will bring to this project to make it a success. (Examples might include training, experience, or networks in preservation, construction, community development, and/or grant management.)
  • Feasibility/Implementation
    Outline your project schedule, including your plan to obtain any approvals needed from your local historic preservation staff, board, or commission. What other cash or in-kind support is available for the project? If awarded only partial funding, how will you proceed?

Demographic Information

Your profile in our portal must provide demographic information for the current year, for yourself, and if you are applying as an organization, for your board and staff. We use this information to help us understand how well we are doing in our efforts to reach all communities in King County. The demographic information must be complete when you submit your application, by the September 27, 2023 deadline. Demographic information is not used to make funding decisions.

Contractor Bids

At least one contractor bid or architectural estimate for the proposed project is required. You may include a second estimate if you have one, but specify which you intend to use and why. To submit, scan the bids and upload to the application.

Images

Please submit six to twelve digital color images that have all been taken within the last six months. JPG format is preferred, no larger than 2 MB each. Please indicate photo contents in the file name, for example “north_facade,” “neighborhood_context,” or “window_detail.”

Images must show:

  • The property in its setting or neighborhood context.
  • Each side of exterior of primary structure.
  • Features (exterior or interior) affected by proposed project.

Supplemental Materials (Optional)

You may submit letters of support, any existing master plans, studies, or assessments, or any existing site plans, drawings, or sketches that directly support your project. Be selective – these materials are not required.