The application period for FY27 is March 1 - March 31, 2026

Project Eligibility

• Only properties within the Target Area are eligible.
• Projects must comply with the City of Bloomington Architectural Review Guildelines.
• For additional guidelines, project eligibility, and submission requirements, view the Current Rust Grant Program Guideslines.

Property owners or business owners can receive grants up to 50% of the total cost of qualified facade rehabilitation, repair or restoration, and/or structural work, with a maximum grant amount of $25,000 per project or $50,000 per project for a building the Historic Preservation Commission determines is in an extreme and dangerous state of disrepair.

Only one (1) grant per fiscal year is allowed per building regardless of the number of property or business owners for such building. Any one applicant may request up to two (2) grants per year but the grants must be for separate buildings.

Eligible Improvements Include (but are not limited to):

• Exterior Improvements, including brickwork, window restoration, painting, signs, display area remodeling, exterios lighing, restoration of original features, and other improvements visivle from the street.
• Non-facade work that supports the structural integrity of the facade or building as a whole, such as roof repair/replacement, foundation work, drainage system work.
• Detailed architectural design work.
• Structural inspection, analysis, and reporting.
• Asbestors and lead paint removal.
• Accessibility improvements (exterior only).

To be eligible for funding, projects must meet all of  the factors below:

• The property is within the program target area. 
• You are the owner of the property, or can provide consent from the owner. 
• Work on the project has not been started. 
• The project methods and materials comply with the City of Bloomington Architectural Review Guidelines. 
• The project includes prevailing wages for labor.

For questions or assistance, contact comdev@cityblm.org or (309) 434-2226

Preparing Your Application

Things Included in a "Good" application:

• A clear explaination of which part(s) of the building will be worked on.
• Identification of which item(s) on the list of Eligible Improvements the project addresses.
• Relevant historic information (if you have it):
  • When the building was built, by who, etc.
  • If you know you are working on original materials or already replaced /changed areas
• At least 2 quotes for the same scope of work.
  • Quotes must include the use of Prevailing Wage.
  • Appliants who are also one of the bidding parties must include 2 quotes, in addition to theirs, for a total of 3.
• Identification of which methods are proposed for completing the work and what materials will be used, and justification if the proposal is different from the Secratary of the Interior's recommendation(s).

Working with a contractor that is new to working with historic buildings? Start here, and pass these resources along:

• Preservation Brief: Understanding Old Buildings: The Process of Architectural Investigation
• Preservation Brief: Building Codes for Historic and Existing Buildings: Planning and Maximizing their Application

Guidance on Selecting Apporpriate Methods and Materials

• Repair, rather than the replacement, of historic features and materials should always be the goal.
• The City's Architectural Review Guidelines serves as a "quick guide" on how to approach projects in a way that will meet standards.
• Guidance on what methods are appropriate for different activities is available in the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.
• Detailed information on appropriate materials and how to perform the methods deemed appropriate can be found in the following libraries:
  • NPS Preservation Briefs
  • NPS Preservation Technical Notes
  • Government Services Administratrion Techical Procedures

Key references and tips for some of the most commonly applied for project types are below:

Masonry (brick, stone, etc.) 

• Important Points
  • Use GENTLE methods for stripping existing paint (ex: hand scrape, approved chemical strippers).
  • Carefully evaluate mortar type and brick replacement type (today's common mortars are too hard for many of the older brick buildings in Bloomington.
  • Do not apply paint or sealants without careful consideration of the type. High vapor permeability is preferred/required in most instances.
• Important Resources
  • Preservation Brief: Assessing, Cleaning and Water-Repellent Treatments for Historic Masonry Buildings
  • Preservation Brief: Repointing Mortar Joints in Historic Masonry Buildings
  • Preservation Brief: The Maintenance, Repair, and Replacement of Historic Cast Stone

Wood 

• Important Points
  • Use GENTLE methods for stripping existing paint (ex: hand scrape, approved chemical strippers).
  • Consider how any changes you make could change how moisture can get in and out of the structure. New insulation can cause significant problems 
  • Do not apply paint or sealants without careful consideration of the type. High vapor permeability is preferred/required in most instances.
• Important Resources
  • Preservation Brief: Exterior Paint Problems on Historic Woodwork
  • Preservation Brief: The Repair of Historic Wooden Windows

Roofing 

• Important Points
  • Evaluate the overall condition of the roof to determine whether more than surface work is required.
  • Pay careful attention to flashing, caps, and fasterners to avoid water intrusion.
  • Do not change the slope, height, or any materials important to defining the overall historic character of the building.
• Important Resources
  • Preservation Brief: Roofing for Historic Buildings
  • Preservation Brief: The Preservation and Repair of Historic Clay Tile Roofs
  • Preservation Brief: The Repair, Replacement, and Maintenance of Slate Roofs

Modernization Projects (​Energy efficiency, insulation, weatherproofing, etc.)

• Preservation Brief: Improving Energy Efficiency in Historic Buildings (incluing insulating)
• Preservation Brief: The Use of Substitute Materials on Historic Building Exteriors
• Preservation Brief: Heating, Ventilating, and Cooling Historic Buildings: Problems and Recommended Approaches
• Preservation Brief: Holding the Line: Controlling Unwanted Moisture in Historic Buildings

Storefronts

• Preservation Brief: Rehabilitating Historic Storefronts
• Preservation Brief: The Use of Awnings on Historic Buildings: Repair, Replacement and New Design
• Preservation Brief: The Repair and Thermal Upgrading of Historic Steel Windows

For questions or assistance, contact planning@cityblm.org or (309) 434-2226 x 5

Complete applications for Harriett Fuller Rust Façade Grants are reviewed by the Historic Preservation Commission on a monthly basis. 

• Applicants are expected to attend the meeting when their request is heard.
• If the subject property is designated as a locally historic property (zoned S-4) the applicant must also acquire a Certificate of Appropriateness (CoA) prior to beginning the project.  This request may be heard at the same meeting.

Please provide any additional information or comments that you believe the Commission should have for review of this application.