The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation is pleased to announce that grant applications for the 2018 Valerie Sivinski Fund are now being accepted. The deadline for submitting applications is Friday, October 13, 2017.

Established in 1997, the program has awarded cash grants to 133 projects totaling nearly $130,000 in funding as well as three pro-bono building assessments to local historic preservation organizations and advocates engaged in the important work of preserving Washington’s cultural heritage.

While priority is given to bricks and mortar rehabilitation of historic resources, eligible projects also include hiring professional services for rehabilitation projects. In addition to cash grants of up to $2,000, the Washington Trust will award building assessment services to an applicant. Building assessments provide a prioritized schedule of capital needs while outlining preferred treatments that meet historic standards. Information provided in a building assessment is intended to outline a clear path toward rehabilitation. Building assessments will be conducted by Artifacts Consulting, a Tacoma historic preservation consulting firm generously providing these services pro bono in honor of Valerie Sivinski, a former principal.

“For 20 years, the Valerie Sivinski Fund has been a catalyst for local historic preservation projects that give a voice to our state’s history,” notes Chris Moore, Executive Director of the Washington Trust. “Grassroots preservation advocacy is the lifeblood of our movement, and grant awards from the Sivinski Fund help sustain this work.”

Recently, funding from the Washington Preserves program has been awarded to assist with work on the Steamship Virginia V, interior restoration at the Worthington House in Quilcene, and exterior rehabilitation activity at the Burroughs House in Ritzville. In 2017, two building assessment awards were granted: the first to the Colfax Downtown Association for the historic Rose Theater; the second to the Friends of Marine Supply and Hardware, a landmark building in Anacortes representing maritime heritage.

The next deadline for submitting grant applications is Friday, October 13, 2017. The application process is entirely online, and must be submitted by midnight of the due date. The online application form, along with all program details, can be accessed on our Sivinski Fund page.

For additional questions about the application and for information on donating to the Valerie Sivinski Washington Preserves Fund, please contact Jennifer Mortensen at 206-624-9449 or via email.


Mission of the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation

The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, an independent, non-profit organization, is dedicated to saving the places that matter in Washington State and promoting sustainable and economically viable communities through historic preservation. The Trust helps make local preservation work and builds an ethic that preserves Washington’s historic places through advocacy, education, collaboration and stewardship. Founded in 1976, the Washington Trust addresses its mission through the Valerie Sivinski Fund, the annual Most Endangered Historic Properties List, educational tours of its landmark headquarters, the Stimson-Green Mansion in Seattle, conferences and training workshops, a summer program for high school students, a quarterly members’ newsletter, and action on legislation and public policy. Visit the Trust website at www.preservewa.org for more information.