The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development announced today that letters of intent are now being requested for the Tennessee Historic Development Grant Program (HDGP).
The first round of the program, approved by the Tennessee General Assembly in April 2021, provided $4.8 million to projects that aim to renovate and preserve the state’s commercial historic buildings. Gov. Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly approved a second round for this program in April 2022 after overwhelming support and interest in the first year. The funds encourage communities and private developers to invest in buildings that have contributed to a community’s history but now sit idle. These buildings can once again contribute to the economy through job creation and commercial opportunities.
A letter of intent is required to participate and can be submitted from May 9 to June 15, 2022, to confirm eligibility of the historic property by TNECD and the Tennessee Historical Commission. Applications will be accepted June 30 through August 19, 2022. This program will be highly competitive, and applications will be scored based on project need, impact, overall plan, financing, feasibility, support and location.
Various criteria must be met for a structure to be eligible for a grant. Eligible properties that qualify as certified historic structures are defined here. Additional frequently asked questions can also be found on the website.
Applicants will be notified of award later this fall, and contracts are expected to begin within a month following announcing awards.
TNECD will be hosting a webinar for those interested to learn more about the letter of intent and program guidelines. Webinar information can be found below:
HDGP Application Webinar
Thursday, May 12
12-1 p.m. CDT
The webinar will be recorded and uploaded to the website for those unable to attend. Additional information about the grant, eligibility and application can be found here.