Casa del Herrero Awarded Largest One-Time Grant in Its History

In a press conference on Monday, September 9, David Bolton, Executive Director of The California Missions Foundation, presented a prestigious $750,000 matching grant award to Board of Trustees President Heather Biles and Executive Director of Casa del Herrero Rose Rafferty for preservation work at Casa del Herrero. The grant is awarded from the Department of the Interior and National Park Service’s Save America’s Treasures grant program and administered by the California Missions Foundation (CMF). The grant is specifically for preservation and conservation work at Casa del Herrero, a designated National Historic Property. Joining the check presentation at Casa del Herrero were CMF Director of Development & Administration Dorian Belmonte, its Board of Trustee members, in particular Mari McAlister who was instrumental in introducing Bolton to the Casa, and Elizabeth McGovern who worked with Bolton on the grant, and the Casa development team.

The federal matching grant award means that Casa del Herrero needs to provide $750,000 in matching funds to receive it. The timeline of the grant is three years from the date of its award, August 2024. The sooner the Casa can secure its part of the award funds, the sooner it receives the check from The California Missions Foundation. This will bring the total funds to be used by the Casa for its already slated preservation work to $1.5 million.

In presenting the award, Bolton echoed the statement by Michael H. Imwalle, Chairman of the CMF Board of Directors: 

“Preservation of our state’s historic buildings is the mission of CMF. For more than 25 years, the California Missions Foundation has been dedicated to preserving our California Missions and related historic sites. As a fine example of Spanish Colonial Revival Architecture, we enjoy collaborating with Casa del Herrero and the National Parks Service on this important grant.” 

Bolton further emphasized the importance of community funding for the Casa to receive the award, and for donations to be made as soon as possible: 

“This grant and this project is only possible if the local community steps up to help the Casa meet the match,” Bolton said. “The Federal government believes in this national treasure by awarding the matching $750,000 grant. The sooner matching funds are received, the sooner the Casa receives the CMF award check in total and can start the work during the timeframe of the grant. The work is for preservation, restoration, and conservation of the property as it currently exists, and no permits will be required. Contractors for the work submitted by Casa del Herrero will be vetted by the CMF to ensure they meet the CMF requirements. Heather Biles is currently sourcing a General Contractor who has experience in historic property preservation.”

Biles shared: “This grant says that Casa del Herrero is a significant asset in our community, and that it is an asset that deserves to be preserved. Thanks to the California Missions Foundation, this is the largest one-time grant the Casa has ever received, and it is at the highest level of national prestige. It will support the restoration of key elements of the Casa’s property, including tile work, the Lath House, Green House, Gardener’s Shed and Workshop, all fountains and Exedras, and the repair and painting of the exterior walls and main house. I want to extend my sincere thanks to Elizabeth McGovern who worked with me closely to complete this application and worked tirelessly to secure all of the supporting contractor estimates. I would also like to recognize Mari McAlister for bringing David Bolton, Executive Director of the California Missions Foundation, to the Casa for a visit, where he recognized that Casa del Herrero could be a great candidate for this prestigious grant and encouraged us to apply.”

Regarding this award and the organization’s Capital Campaign, Biles explained, “The timing couldn’t be better because next year we are celebrating our 100-year anniversary, and that is the main reason we launched our Capital Campaign. This award is a significant piece of the goal of the campaign, as the projects it funds are part of our overall restoration plan.”

411: For donations and more info on the Casa visit www.casadelherrero.com