COLUMBIA, S.C. (courtesy benedict.edu) — The National Park Service (NPS) announced August 10 a total of $9.7 million in grants to assist 20 preservation projects for historic structures on campuses of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in 10 states. Benedict College is included in the program with a $500,000 grant for the restoration of pews and stained-glass windows for the Antisdel Chapel and a $500,000 grant for the Duckett Hall Preservation Project. Benedict is only one of two institutions in South Carolina selected to receive NPS grants in this award cycle.
“HBCUs have been an important part of the American education system for more than 180 years, providing high-level academics, opportunities, and community for generations of students,” said NPS Deputy Director Shawn Benge. “The National Park Service’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities Grant Program provides assistance to preserve noteworthy structures that honor the past and tell the ongoing story of these historic institutions.”
Since 1995, the NPS has awarded $77.6 million in grants to 66 HBCUs. Congress appropriates funding for the program through the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF). The HPF uses revenue from federal oil leases on the Outer Continental Shelf to provide assistance for a broad range of preservation projects without expending tax dollars.
Projects funded by these grants will support the physical preservation of National Register listed sites on HBCU campuses to include historic districts, buildings, sites, structures, and objects. Eligible costs include pre-preservation studies, architectural plans and specifications, historic structure reports, and the repair and rehabilitation of historic properties according to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.
For more information about the grants and the Historically Black Colleges and Universities program, please visit go.nps.gov/hbcu. Applications for another $10 million in funding will be available in the winter of 2021.