Preservation Texas Historic Rural Log Building Grant Program
Preservation Texas has been awarded a $750,000 Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant from the National Park Service to support our new Historic Rural Log Building Grant Program. Through this program, Preservation Texas will award subgrants ranging from $50,000 to $150,000 to between five and seven log building preservation projects in rural East Texas communities, or properties previously included on our Most Endangered Places list.
Funding will support the stabilization and rehabilitation of authentic historic log buildings—among the earliest surviving structures in the state—which face heightened risk due to age, structural deterioration, and limited local preservation capacity.
All grants require a 25% cash match. Funding will be disbursed on a reimbursement basis. Funded projects must be fully completed, and the property must be listed on the National Register of Historic Places by March 2028.
Eligible projects will be evaluated using a scoring matrix that considers preservation urgency, project readiness, and community impact. The deadline to apply is Friday, April 17, 2026.
Pictured: The James Morrison Home in Shelbyville, built in 1858. Fannie Ratchford photograph collection, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
Project must be located in a rural community with a population of 10,000 or less.
Project must be located in East Texas, OR been included on Preservation Texas’s Most Endangered Places list.
Property must be a historic (non-commemorative/ replica) log building constructed before 1936.
Property may be owned by a nonprofit, government entity, or private individual, but preference will be given to buildings with public access.
Property must face some level of endangerment and require more than just cosmetic intervention.
Project should be construction-ready (clear plan, scope, budget, and feasibility).
Applicant must demonstrate long-term stewardship plans and public or community benefit.
Applicant must be able to provide a 25% cash match for the project and demonstrate financial readiness to facilitate the reimbursement grant funding mechanism.
Pictured: Postcard of the Steiner & Dallmeyer Building in Burton, Texas. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark Files, provided by the THC. Hosted by The Portal to Texas History, UNT Libraries.
GRANT REQUIREMENTS:
25% cash match.
Grant funding is disbursed on a reimbursement basis.
Properties must be listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the end of the grant period (March 2028).
Properties will be subject to a 10 year preservation easement agreement that will be monitored and enforced by Preservation Texas.
Project scope of work will be reviewed by the National Park Service and Texas Historical Commission through HPF Online submission (facilitated by Preservation Texas).
Contractor selection must adhere to federal procurement standards and are subject to approval by Preservation Texas after review of technical qualifications and competitive bid forms.
Submission of a Project Completion Report after the work has been completed.
10% project cost withholding until projects are complete and Project Completion reports are accepted.
Pictured: Log House located at Highway 348 in Rusk County, 1980. THC Historic Resources Survey Collection. Texas Historical Commission. Hosted by The Portal to Texas History, UNT Libraries.
HOW TO APPLY:
Before submitting an application, we strongly encourage you to speak with Preservation Texas’s Northeast Texas Program Officer, Conor Herterich, who is facilitating this grant program. Conor is available to discuss your project’s eligibility and competitiveness, answer questions about the program, and provide guidance on the application process. To get in touch with Conor, please email conor@preservationtexas.org, or call 512-667-6500, ext. 2.
Use the button below to preview the full application in advance. When you are ready, click “Apply for a Grant” to submit your application via Google Forms. Please note that this form requires a Google account to access and complete the application. If you do not already have a Google account, you can create one for free at accounts.google.com.
The application deadline is 5:00 p.m. CST on Friday, April 17, 2026.
Pictured: Log house, Webberville Road near Austin and Bastrop, Texas. Fannie Ratchford photograph collection, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.