The National Park Service has released $27 million in historic preservation grants to states and tribes for use in preserving historic sites across the country.

The funds were made available from revenues collected on federal oil leases on the Outer Continental Shelf.

“Historic preservation funding around the country helps sustain and revitalize communities,” said Park Service Director Jon Jarvis. “The National Park Service is pleased to administer these grant programs that help states and territories to tell the stories of their people and places by promoting heritage tourism, preserving state and local historic sites, and providing a boost to local economies.”

State officials may use the grants to fund a broad range of preservation projects, such as survey and inventory of historic properties, National Register of Historic Places nominations, preservation education, architectural planning, historic structures reports, community preservation planning, and bricks-and-mortar repair to buildings.

Of the $27 million, $4.1 million went to tribes for use in supporting Tribal Historic Preservation Offices under the National Historic Preservation Act.

“The participation of American Indians in the national historic preservation program is highly significant in the evolution of this important nationwide effort,” Director Jarvis said. “Increased attention to the preservation of significant tribal places, as well as tribal culture and tradition, is important to all Americans and this grant program provides much needed funding to protect the cultures of America’s first peoples.”

Tribes can use the grants to fund projects such as nominations to the National Register of Historic Places, preservation education, architectural planning, historic structure reports, community preservation plans, and bricks-and-mortar repair to buildings. The grants are derived from revenues from federal oil leases on the Outer Continental Shelf and can help catalyze private and non-federal investment in historic preservation efforts nationwide.