Barn Grant Program

See below for application information, guidelines, and frequently asked questions.

March 21, 2025

The Historic Barn and Farm Foundation of Pennsylvania is proud to announce award of the 2025 grants to support the maintenance and preservation of barns in the third year of its Barn Grant Program. The awards are matching grants of up to $2,500 to fund barn repair and restoration projects that meet the program’s criteria for historic preservation. The five projects awarded grants this year, located in Erie, Centre, Lancaster, Northampton, and Bucks Counties, reflect the state-wide scope of the program. Projects funded this year include maintenance of a slate roof, replacement of gutters, new metal roofing, and painting.  

The goal of the HBFF Barn Grant Program is to encourage maintenance and repair of old barns and other agricultural buildings using materials and methods which preserve their historic character. This historic preservation focus is more exacting than simple, expedient repair. We require applicants to provide enough detail about the proposed scope of work to show that it complies with the US Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties, which lays out the guiding principles for historic preservation in the United States. The USI Standards define a restoration approach in which historic materials, features, and finishes are retained, repaired, or replaced-in-kind to the fullest extent possible. Examples of compliance with this approach include use of a lime restoration mortar (as opposed to a standard Portland cement mortar mix) for repair of stone masonry, or replacing damaged and missing slate shingles with new material of the same material, shape, and size.

Now in its third year and looking ahead to 2026, the HBFF Barn Grant Program has emerged from infancy and is growing. More information about the grant program may be found below. Application materials for the next round of barn grants will be posted on this website in July, with deadline for submission in November. HBFF accepts donations to support the Barn Grant Program. Anyone interested in donating to the program may reach out to the grant committee hbffbarngrant@gmail.com

BARN GRANT APPLICATION & GUIDELINES:

DEADLINE FOR 2025 GRANT APPLICATIONS IS NOVEMBER 1, 2024.
More application information for the 2025 HBFF Barn Grant program will be available in late summer of 2024.

HBFF Barn Grant Guidelines

HBFF Barn Grant Application

Sample Barn Grant Application

Contact us! Official Barn Grant Program Contact Form

Please Note: The HBFF does not maintain a list of qualified contractors or offer recommendations.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS – HBFF Barn Grant Program:

1. When are grant applications due?
   Grant applications are due by November 1 for each annual grant submission cycle.
   
2. When are grant awards announced?
   Grant awards are announced the following March for each grant submission cycle. 
   
3. Are there exceptions for late applications?
   No, any late applications should be resubmitted the following year.
   
4. Where can I learn more about how to fill out the grant application form?
   Answers to many questions may be found in the HBFF Barn Grant Guidelines. Questions which are not addressed in the guidelines should be submitted in writing to hbffbarngrant@gmail.com.  
   
5. Are other out buildings on my farm eligible for the grant program?
   Maybe. The HBFF Barn Grant Program primarily supports the preservation of barns, however, outbuildings of significance may be considered if they are integral parts of the historic farm complex and used for the storage of crops, implements, or farm products.
   
6. Where can I find a link to the grant application form?
   Links to grant application forms are posted late summer at the beginning of each annual grant submission cycle.
   2025 HBFF Grant Application Form
   
7. Can I apply for a grant to support preservation work that has already started or is already completed?
   No. Grant applications will only be accepted for preservation projects that have not yet started.
   
8. What is the maximum grant award amount?
   The Barn Grant Program awards matching grants up to $2,500.00 for approved projects.
   
9. What are the Secretary of Interior’s Standards? 
   According to the National Park Service: “The purpose of The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitating, Restoring & Reconstructing Historic Buildings (2017) is to provide guidance to historic building owners and building managers, preservation consultants, architects, contractors, and project reviewers prior to beginning work. It is always recommended that preservation professionals be consulted early in any project.” A full suite of documents is available here: https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1739/secretary-standards-treatment-historic-properties.htm
   
10. Does the Barn Grant Program fund renovations or adaptive reuse projects?
    No. Grants are awarded for preservation of historic barns, and cannot be used to fund modernization, change of use, or other non-preservation projects.
    
11. Do you keep a list of qualified contractors?
    HBFF and the Barn Grant Program does not maintain a list of qualified contractors or offer recommendations.
    
12. How can I reach a representative of the Barn Grant Program?
    Send an email to hbffbarngrant@gmail.com. A member of the Barn Grant Committee will respond.
    
13. Where can I find a copy of a successful barn grant application?
    A sample application can be found here.