NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) --The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development has granted more than $4 million in grants to help fund historic renovation and preservation projects across the state.
According to a news release, the Tennessee General Assembly approved allocating the funding earlier this year. The funding is designed to encourage investments in buildings that are significant to a community's history and to prevent them from sitting idle.
"Tennessee's historic buildings are a contributing factor to what makes our communities unique, and I applaud each of these grant recipients for taking on the task of rehabilitating and preserving these sites," said Commissioner Bob Rolfe in a statement. "We are pleased to be a part of this program, which helps restore these structures while spurring additional economic and tourist development opportunities in each of these communities."
Under the program, the grants provide 30% of the rehabilitation funding up to $300,000.