By Chris Moore, Executive Director

The last week of January was a roller coaster for many nonprofits across the country, as we witnessed the federal government’s Office of Management and Budget attempt to freeze all programs supported by federal funds. While numerous legal challenges have temporarily blocked these efforts, the current administration’s intent with these programs remains unclear. The potential for sweeping policy changes has created an environment of uncertainty that is incredibly challenging for nonprofits to navigate.

Here are some of the potential impacts of funding freezes and/or cuts to the Washington Trust and to historic preservation in our state:

  • The Maritime Washington National Heritage Area. Designated by Congress in 2019 and managed locally by the Washington Trust, the Maritime Washington National Heritage Area works to support Washington’s coastal communities in preserving, sharing, and celebrating our state’s maritime heritage. Like all National Heritage Areas across the country, Maritime Washington is heavily reliant on congressionally-allocated funding, which we receive via the Department of the Interior’s Heritage Partnerships Program. We utilize federal funds to pay our staff, deliver trainings and resources to 58 partner organizations (ranging from port and county governments to museums and nonprofits, to small businesses and local tourism providers), host public events and educational programs for 1,000+ people per year, promote heritage tourism, and support historic preservation. Additionally, a significant amount of our federal funding—currently around $150,000 annually—is distributed in subgrants to community organizations.
    • If this funding is cut: We will need to severely curtail the Maritime Washington program and the services we provide to both the maritime heritage sector and the broader public, including laying off staff and canceling our subgrant program.
  • The Youth Heritage Project. Now in its 12th year, the Youth Heritage Project (YHP) is an annual summer program that connects high school students to Washington’s historic and cultural sites. YHP takes place in a different location around the state every year, with the 2025 iteration taking place in the Mountains to Sound Greenway National Heritage Area this July. By teaching students that the future of any resource—historic, cultural, or natural—is the result of deliberate strategies and choices, YHP seeks to educate the next generation to be thoughtful and responsible leaders, community members, and voters, especially when deciding the survival of our state’s historic and cultural resources. YHP is made possible in large part through the support of the National Park Service, one of the founding partners of the program.
    • If this funding is cut: We will look for alternative funding sources to replace any lost funding, but it is likely that YHP would need to restrict the number of students served or stop operations entirely.
  • Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant. As announced last fall, the Washington Trust was awarded a 2024 Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant from the National Park Service to create a subgrant program in support of preservation projects in communities threatened by damaging tidal events. The subgrant program, originally expected to launch in 2025, would distribute grant funds to coastal sites in rural areas that contribute to local historic character and serve an important function in the social and economic fabric of their community, such as contributing buildings in historic districts; museums, theaters, and other community spaces; and historic buildings housing local small businesses.
    • If this funding is cut: We will not be able to provide subgrants to preservation projects looking to protect historic buildings from damaging tidal events, and an important source of support for these efforts in Washington State is gone.
  • Impact to Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation. The Historic Preservation Fund, which provides important funding for State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs) and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (THPOs), has also been threatened with funding freezes and cuts. Reduced funding to the state Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation (Washington’s SHPO) directly affects our state’s ability to conduct the necessary review processes to consider the impact project actions might have on historic and cultural sites. DAHP is also facing a tight budgetary year at the state funding level. Reduction of either funding source—federal or state—could have major impacts on the Washington State Main Street Program, which the Washington Trust operates under contract with DAHP.
    • If this funding is cut: Historic preservation across Washington State will suffer enormously. The Washington State Main Street Program, which provides critical economic development and placemaking resources to nearly 80 communities statewide, may be impacted.

How You Can Help

It’s important not to give in to the panic and chaos. The preservation movement is strong, and we must stand together. We must tell our elected officials that historic preservation and heritage are too important to our country and to our communities to be scrapped.

Contact your Congressional delegates—whether Democrat or Republican—and let them know that you want to see them fighting for continued funding for preservation and heritage, including the Historic Preservation Fund, National Heritage Areas, and more. Look up your Congressional delegates here.

Donate. Individual contributions are key sources of unrestricted support for nonprofits—and all the more important as federal funding is cut or in question. Donate to the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation or to one of our local partners such as Historic Seattle, Historic Tacoma, or Spokane Preservation Advocates.

Stay in the loop. There are undoubtedly battles to come, and we’re stronger together. Join our Advocacy Alerts email list to receive communications about state and federal issues affecting historic preservation.

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