MINNESOTA HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL GRANTS - Grants Manual

National Register Nominations Guidelines

The National Register of Historic Places is the nation’s official list of properties deemed worthy of preservation. Properties listed in the Register include districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects that are significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering and culture. Guidance for preparation of a National Register nomination can be found in the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Registration, the National Register Bulletins, the Manual for Archaeological Projects in Minnesota (2005), and the Guidelines for History/Architecture Projects in Minnesota (July 2009).

Eligible Projects

National Register nomination for an individual property.
National Register nomination for a historic district or landscape.
Multiple property documentation form and nominations for groups of thematically related resources.
National Register nomination of an archaeological site or district, working from evaluation studies or other previous documentation.

What is NOT Funded

Projects related to Section 106 review process (this is a federal agency responsibility).

Completing the Application

The following advice on how to complete the application will help you shape your project; suggestions, numbered to correspond to sections of the ddapplication form, augment the instructions on the form.

1. Project Description

Include the following: names of the properties and a statement about their significance, number and type of registration forms to be completed (individual, district, thematic), and number of contributing properties in each. (For guidance see section 5 in the National Register Bulletin "How to Complete the National Register Registration Form.") Add sufficient references to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Registration to demonstrate that your project will conform.

2. Need and Rationale

Listing on the National Register of Historic Places increases recognition and protection for historic resources. Discuss the need for your project and what led you to develop it.

3. Work Plan and Timetable

What planning have you undertaken to prepare for your project? To be eligible in this category, there should be sufficient prior evaluation of the property to verify that it is a strong candidate for National Register designation. By whom and when was the property previously evaluated?
Provide a project timetable describing the work that will be accomplished and anticipated dates by which it will be completed.

4. Project Personnel

Much of the work for projects in this category is specialized and usually done by an outside professional. Explain how you will secure a qualified professional to complete the proposed work.
If a person from your organization will do some or all of the work, what work items will they complete and what are their qualifications and experience?
Who will oversee your project and what are their qualifications and experience?

5. Evaluation

Successful listing in the National Register, and the protections and benefits afforded by listing, are desired outcomes for projects in this category. Include a timetable for ushering the nomination documentation through the National Register process.

6. Enduring Value

National Register properties enrich our understanding of local, state and national history by representing significant events and developments, the contributions of notable people, and important types of buildings and architectural styles. Keeping this in mind, in what ways will your project have a lasting impact and value for the community?

7. Sustainability

What are your plans for the continuing preservation of the property? How will the nomination and resulting listing leverage partnerships or influence attitudes in the community about historic preservation?

8. Budget

Provide a complete project budget on the budget worksheet, showing how each budget item was determined. Include names of potential vendors from which you may purchase equipment or supplies.