This grant funds the preparation of local landmark nominations for historic places in King County, Washington. For the pilot 2024 year, it is open to individuals, groups, and municipalities outside of Seattle that have the property owner’s consent for landmark designation. Funds can be used to support historic preservation consultant fees or other expenses related to the preparation of a landmark nomination. Awards typically range from $1,000 to $10,000.

Landmark nominations that address underrepresented aspects of King County history, and projects that are led by or engage underrepresented communities in historic preservation, will receive additional priority for funding.

Landmark nominations within the City of Seattle or that lack owner consent can be supported in 4Culture’s regular Preservation Special Projects cycle, or potentially with an Open 4Culture grant, which is available on a rolling basis.

Criteria

We award this grant through a competitive process, carefully evaluating each application. We want to see that you have a good plan behind your project, and that the proposed nomination will contribute to the long-term preservation of a historic place.

Public Benefit: Why It Matters

Every time a visitor to King County 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 fellow King County residents will be able to enjoy and learn from your work.

Here are some ways landmark nomination projects may benefit the public:

• Free presentations, or access to materials found or created through research and preparation of the nomination, such as photographs, historic documentation, or audio or video recordings.
• Public meetings or programs around King County, especially in the community where the nominated property is located.
• Laying the groundwork for good preservation planning for the long-term viability and use of a historic property in King County.

Equity Investments

In order to combat inequities in our grantmaking, 4Culture has implemented Equity Investments. This practice incorporates indicators of structural inequity into our panel process, including geographic location, income, operating budget, audiences served, and project focus. By prioritizing these factors, we intend to more equitably distribute funds to communities that have historically been excluded from cultural funding.

Each of our grant programs implements an Equity Investment system tailored to the specific needs of its applicants; please read the After You Submit section of this page for details on how Equity Investments will function for this grant. This organization-wide practice—and what we learn about its impact—is an important step towards more equitable funding at 4Culture and throughout the King County cultural sector.

You

• You must be at least 18 years old and a resident of King County, Washington.
• If you receive funding, you’ll need to provide us with your Social Security number in order to receive payment. Organizations, community groups, and public agencies must operate within King County, and will need to provide us with a Tax ID or EIN in order to receive payment.
• You must contact Historic Preservation Program Director Dana Phelan at  prior to applying if you or your organization has an open contract with 4Culture.
• You may only submit one proposal for landmark nomination funding per year.
• You must be able to complete your project on a reimbursement basis.
• Current employees, family members, or business partners of an employee of 4Culture may not apply.
• We do not fund schools or school districts. Eligible applicants proposing the nomination of a public school building for landmark status must have the consent of the school building owner.

Your Project

• You can request funding to research and document a property, and to write and present a landmark nomination to the King County Landmarks Commission. Funding can support consultant fees, outreach, and other project expenses, but cannot be used to support an organization’s staff salaries.
• For this pilot year of 2024, properties must meet the following criteria:
  • Location is outside the City of Seattle, in unincorporated King County, or within a city that has an Interlocal Agreement for Landmark Designation and Protection Services with King County.
  • King County Historic Preservation Program Staff have determined that the property is likely to meet one or more of the designation criteria defined in King County’s Landmark Ordinance (KCC 20.62).
• The property owner is the applicant or has given written consent for a nomination to be considered by the King County Landmarks Commission.
• Your project must provide a public benefit for King County residents and visitors. The public benefit will primarily be the preparation of the nomination itself, but may also include related programming, publications, or educational content. As a component of public benefit, the grant contract will stipulate that if the property is designated as a landmark, the designation must remain in place for a minimum of 10 years.
• Projects funded through this program, or portions thereof, may not begin prior to the award date of June 1, 2024, and must be completed by June 1, 2026.
• This grant may not be used for construction costs related to the stabilization, restoration, rehabilitation, or maintenance of historic buildings or landscapes, property acquisition, or new construction. (See 4Culture Landmarks Capital or Building for Equity grants for capital projects.)
• This grant may not be used to support services and programs to be provided by the King County Landmarks Commission for land use regulation and archaeological resource management purposes as described in K.C.C. chapter 20.62. (Ord. 18684 § 16, 2018: Ord. 17461 § 3, 2012: Ord. 14917 § 1, 2004: Ord. 14482 § 43, 2002: Ord. 14440 § 3, 2002. Formerly K.C.C. 4.42.025).
• Contact Dana Phelan at or Historic Preservation Program Manager Emily P. Lawsin at to discuss your project’s eligibility before applying.

Please contact us no later than April 3, 2024, if you are interested in applying. Our staff will help you determine if your project is a good fit for this program. We will answer any of your questions and support you through the entire process, from beginning to end!

Contact

Dana Phelan

206-263-1604

Emily P. Lawsin

206-477-3110

For technical support:
Lauren Miles, Building for Equity Support Specialist

(206) 263-3210

Application Guide

Watch this step-by-step application guide video to assist you in the application process.

Resources

Read this sample application from Vashon Maury Island Heritage Association that successfully received funding.

Personal Support

We are here to assist you! If you have any questions at any time, please contact us.

You may find it helpful to review the application requirements before starting an application. See the Apply section below to familiarize yourself with the required materials you will be asked to provide.

We are also 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 at or Emily P. Lawsin at no later than April 14. After that date, we cannot review full drafts, but will still be available to assist with specific questions and/or troubleshooting.

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 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 o llame al (206) 296-7580 o TTY 711, y nos aseguraremos de que obtenga la ayuda que necesita.
 
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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 ama wac (206) 296-7580 ama TTY 711, waxaana xaqiijin doonnaa inaad hesho taageerada aad u baahan tahay.

Timeline

Please contact us no later than April 3, 2024, to begin the application process.

The last day to submit applications for consideration this quarter is Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at 5:00 PM PDT. (Applications received after April 24 may be considered for funding later in the year or held for consideration in the 2025 Preservation Special Projects program.)

You, or a representative from your group, may be asked to answer questions about your application at an upcoming, virtual online Historic Preservation Advisory Committee (HPAC) Meeting. These meetings are typically held from 3:00 to 5:00 pm on the second Thursday of alternate months. A meeting date and time, agenda and login information will be emailed to you in advance.

The HPAC’s decision is then sent onto the 4Culture Board of Directors for final approval at their next meeting. The entire process, from application deadline to final award notification, will take 6-12 weeks.

All applicants will receive an email from Program Director, Dana Phelan, notifying them of the funding decisions. Please note, your project may be underway before applying, but you must not have started work on the portion of the project you are requesting funding for before receiving notice of funding. You must complete the nomination, including its presentation to the King County Landmarks Commission, within 24 months of your award notification.

Selection Process

4Culture Program Managers first review all applications to ensure eligibility. We then facilitate a panel of our Historic Preservation Advisory Committee (HPAC), which consists of community members who are historic preservation specialists, to evaluate all eligible applications. The panel, not staff, selects and recommends the most compelling projects for funding based on the criteria outlined above.

The Equity Investment for this program is a dollar amount added to the proposed award for projects that are based in an Equity Investment area or that score an average of 5 out of 5 on the Advancing Equity criterion. Projects may qualify as being in an Equity Investment area by meeting one or more of the following requirements. You do not need to meet one of these to receive a grant; these only give certain projects priority for Equity Investment funds:

• You, or the historic resources that are the focus of your project, are outside of the City of Seattle.
• You, or the historic resources that are the focus of your project, are located in a US Census tract area with a Communities of Opportunity index percentile of 60% or greater.
• Organizations with an annual budget over $3.5 million do not qualify for this additional Equity Investment funding.

Contracts and Payment

We provide grant funds on a reimbursement basis, after your project or portions of your project are complete. If the 4Culture Board approves your project for funding, staff will work with you to create a contract outlining the scope of your project based on your application, and a reimbursement 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.

Please contact us before April 3, 2024, to begin the application process for consideration in the second quarter of 2024.

All applications must be filled out online. Once you’ve started your application, you can save it as a draft and continue to work on it. Once you click Submit, your application is final. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions, or need assistance, at any time during the process.

What’s in the Application?

Your application must include all the following required materials listed here. We strongly recommend assembling them before you login and begin your application. We encourage you to call or email us with any questions as you work on these materials.