Grant Writing

We have written grants that helped communities secure over $3.2 million to support historic preservation, downtown revitalization, and placemaking. Funders we’ve worked with follow:

  • AARP
  • Appalachian Regional Commission
  • US Environmental Protection Agency
  • National Park Service
  • Kentucky Certified Local Government Program
  • Kentucky Department of Agriculture
  • Kentucky Department of Local Government
  • Middlesex County Arts & History Cultural Trust Fund
  • New Jersey Economic Development Authority
  • New Jersey Main Street Program
  • State of Kentucky
  • State of New Jersey
  • State of New York
  • A Community Thrives / Crowdrise
  • New Jersey AARP
  • The Conservation Fund
  • National Main Street Center
  • National Trust for Historic Preservation
  • 1772 Foundation
  • Gannet Foundation
  • Gerry Foundation
  • Levitt Foundation
  • New York Community Trust
  • Orton Family Foundation

Funded Projects

Ferndale, Michigan

  • Preserve America Grant (2008), $125,000

Sub-total Ferndale, Michigan = $125,000

Oyster Bay, New York

  • Gerry Foundation (2008), $10,000
  • National Trust for Historic Preservation (2008), $3,000
  • New York Main Street Grant (2009), $200,000
  • Preserve America Grant (2009), $70,000
  • New York Main Street Grant (2011), $500,000

Sub-total Oyster Bay, New York = $783,000

Middlesboro, Kentucky

  • “People’s Plan for Economic Development, Job Creation, and Revitalization in Historic Downtown Middlesboro,” Appalachian Regional Commission administered by the Center for Rural Development (2012), $10,000
  • “People’s Plan for Economic Development, Job Creation, and Revitalization in Historic Downtown Middlesboro,” National Trust for Historic Preservation (2013), $5,000
  • “Historic Preservation Plan and Survey,” Kentucky Certified Local Government Program (2013), $5,000
  • “Middlesboro Canal Walk Recreational Trail Project,” Kentucky Department of Local Government (2013), $100,000
  • “Bell County Philanthropic Initiative,” Appalachian Rural Development Philanthropy Initiative administered by the Center for Rural Development (2013), $8,000
  • “Downtown Middlesboro Build a Better Block Project,” Appalachian Regional Commission administered by the Brushy Fork Institute at Berea College (2013), $8,000
  • “Successful Communities Contest / Better Block,” Orton Family Foundation (2013), $500
    “Middlesborough Makers Market,” Appalachian Regional Commission administered by the Brushy Fork Institute at Berea College (2014), $8,000
  • “Appalachian Gateway: Making Middlesborough a Destination through Creative Placemaking,” Appalachian Regional Commission administered by The Conservation Fund (2014), $1,250
  • “Historic Real Estate Finance Training, Part 1 and 2,” National Trust for Historic Preservation and the 1772 Foundation (2014), $3,000
  • “Historic Preservation Plan for Elks Home,” National Trust for Historic Preservation (2014), $5,000
    “Passage Through the Gap Tourism Ambassador Program,” Appalachian Regional Commission administered by The Conservation Fund (2014), $7,500
  • “America Saves,” National Main Street Center (2014), $4,000
  • “Selling to the World Initiative,” New York Community Trust (2014), $135,000
  • US EPA Local Foods, Local Places (2015), $20,000
  • Levitt Foundation (2015), $25,000
  • US EPA Area Wide Planning Grant (2016), $200,000
  • Levitt Foundation (2016), $25,000
  • Kentucky Department of Agriculture (2016), $5,000
  • US EPA Brownfield Cleanup Grant (2017), $200,000
  • Levitt Foundation (2017), $25,000 (Note: Subsequently one of 3 communities nationally renewed for 3 consecutive years for an additional $75,000.)

Sub-total Middlesboro, Kentucky = $1,100,250

Metuchen, New Jersey

  • “Build a Better Downtown Metuchen,” Edward Jones Placemaking on Main Challenge (2017), $5,560
  • “Main Street Alley Transformation and Parklet Project,” AARP Livable Communities (2017), $5,264
  • “Activating Public Spaces Through the Power of Public Art,” A Community Thrives (2018), $5,655
  • “Creating a Great Good Place in the Garden State,” Gannet Foundation (2019), $8,490
  • “Creative Place making and Storefront Design,” Middlesex County Arts & History Grant (2019), $5,000
  • “Downtown Metuchen Innovation and Family Friendly Project,” Main Street New Jersey Transformation Grant, Department of Community Affairs, State of New Jersey (2019), $23,000
  • AARP Community Challenge Grant (2020), $19,000
  • “A New Face for an Old Building,” Middlesex County Arts & History Grant (2020), $5,000
  • “A Brighter Future for Businesses in Downtown Metuchen,” Main Street New Jersey COVID-19 Recovery Grant, Department of Community Affairs, State of New Jersey (2020), $655,628
  • “Bringing Art into the Public Realm,” Middlesex County Arts & History Program Grants (2021), $1,500
  • “A Feast for the Senses,” Middlesex County Arts Program Support Grant (2021), $1,500
  • “A Crossroads for New Jersey,” Gannet Foundation (2021), $16,250
  • “A New Public Art Project by Raúl Ayala for Metuchen Downtown Alliance,” Middlesex County Arts & History Program Grants (2022), $8,975
  • “Achieving Greater Success for Businesses in Metuchen,” Main Street New Jersey District Transformation Grant, Department of Community Affairs, State of New Jersey (2022), $75,000
  • “A Conversation Landscape,” AARP Community Challenge Grant (2022), $9,500
  • Sustain & Serve, New Jersey Economic Development Authority (2022), $498,000
  • “A More Inclusive Metuchen,” Gannett Foundation (2022), $3,347

Sub-total Metuchen, New Jersey = $1,346,669

TOTAL Grant Funding = $3,354,919