The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation has announced that grant applications for the 2009 Valerie Sivinski Washington Preserves Fund are being accepted.

Established in 1998, the program has awarded more than $43,000 in funding to local historic preservation organizations and advocates engaged in the work of preserving Washington’s cultural heritage.

Recent Tacoma and Pierce County grant recipients include:

South Pierce County Historical Society | $500 to frame and pour a new foundation for the relocation of the Eatonville Japanese Community Milk House;

Historic Tacoma | $1,000 to assess and restore water damaged plaster and ornamental painting in the main hall of the Pythian Temple;

Tacoma Railcar Preservation Society | $1,000 to assist in repairing the wooden roof of the 1910 Northern Pacific Dining Car.

While priority is given to bricks and mortar rehabilitation of historic resources, eligible projects also include preservation planning, producing publications/materials to assist with advocacy efforts, and development of interpretive elements that promote the preservation of a specific resource.

The next deadline for submitting grant applications is Mon., Feb. 16. Applications submitted via email must be received by 5 p.m. that day. If a hard copy is being sent via U.S. Mail, application materials must be postmarked no later than Feb. 16. All application materials are available on the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation’s Web site at wa-trust.org.