Commission budgets should reflect the level and degree of programs that the commission wants to engage. Therefore, budget development will go hand-in-hand with work plan development.

Budget Considerations

When developing a budget, a commission may want to consider these questions:

• What are the current and long-term preservation needs of the community?
• Should the commission create any historic districts?
• Can the commission afford paid staff?
• Has the commission developed historic preservation design guidelines specific to the community?
• What advocacy and educational programs will the commission establish or maintain in the coming year?
• Should the commission maintain a library or section in the local public library?

To answer these questions, the commission should consider that conducting surveys and creating inventories is labor-intensive and will require funds for staff or hired consultants, photography, document production (such as forms and maps), and printing. Publication, printing, and labor costs also accrue for the development of design guidelines. Basic needs such as printing commission stationery, application forms, and Certificates of Appropriateness will be required.

In addition to its work plans, the commission's budget will depend on and may fluctuate as a result of three factors:

• The community's preservation ethic,
• The commission's community-wide role, and
• The community's short- and long-term preservation goals.

Expense Items

Commissions should account for the following expenses when developing a budget:

• Advocacy and education programs. Many commissions sponsor awards programs that recognize quality restoration and rehabilitation projects. They also present workshops, host forums or presentations, and develop publications and promotional materials to educate the public.
• Professional books, publications, and subscriptions. These should include a basic library of building rehabilitation and remodeling, identification of architectural styles and details, and all of the NPS Preservation Briefs. This library should include related trade magazine subscriptions such as:
  • Old House Journal
  • Traditional Building Magazine
  • Remodeling Magazine
• Library or other publication reading area. Books and magazines should be made accessible to the public through the commission's office, a local library, or other convenient location.
• Membership expenses. Important memberships include the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Preservation Forum and the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions (NAPC), especially access to the list serves that can help with day-to-day questions.
• Annual training expenses. If at all possible, a commission should include an annual training budget for its members. Training is available on a statewide level through the Wisconsin Association of Historic Preservation Commissions (WAHPC) and on the national level through NAPC education and training programs that include bi-annual meetings and summer camps. Commission members are encouraged to join both of these organizations.

Cost Sharing

Some commissions, especially those in smaller communities, choose to cut costs and partner with smaller government departments or boards to share staff and operations/administration costs. In these cases, the commission and its partnering body should have a written agreement outlining the division of resources and staff time.

It may also be helpful to share common items or equipment, such as cameras or audio/video equipment, with another governmental agency (whether partnering or not). For frequently used items, commissions may choose to purchase their own equipment. 

• Preservation Commission Budgets and Finances
• Funding Commission Preservation Activities