The Getty Grant Program has announced a grant initiative focused on the preservation of Los Angeles's rich architectural heritage. The new initiative, Preserve L.A., will complement the Getty's recent $1.1 million grant to the National Trust for Historic Preservation for the Save America's Treasures Preservation Planning Fund, which will support architectural conservation planning projects throughout the United States. The local initiative will provide funds to local nonprofits to support conservation planning for landmark buildings, sites, and districts within Los Angeles County. Funding will also be available on a matching basis to a select number of model projects for actual conservation work.

"Preserve L.A. grows out of the Getty's long-term commitment to the art and architecture of Los Angeles," says Grant Program Director Deborah Marrow. "In addition to providing direct financial support for our community's architectural landmarks, we hope that it will also raise awareness about the importance of local preservation efforts." Like the Getty's international support for architectural conservation, the local initiative focuses on careful planning—a strategy to ensure that priorities and methods are clearly defined before conservation work begins.

The deadline for grant applications is March 31, 2000, and the first grants will be announced in June 2000. Additional information is available from the office of the Getty Grant Program, 1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 800, Los Angeles, California 90049-1685, USA, 310 440-7320 (phone), 310 440-7703 (fax), or preservela@getty.edu (E-mail).

The Getty Grant Program is the philanthropic arm of the J. Paul Getty Trust and a sister program of the Getty Conservation Institute.