CURRENT STATUS OF THE NEHRLING GARDENS:

• FAVORABLE NEW PURCHASE AGREEMENT
• APPLICATION FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION GRANT FOR UP TO $300,000
• CRITICAL NEW FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN UNDER WAY!

The Henry Nehrling Society has an exciting new opportunity to acquire Palm Cottage Gardens. 

The original owner has had the property on the market for a price which the Nehrling Society felt it was unable to meet. However the Society decided to apply for a State of Florida Division of Historical Resources Special Categories Grant for acquisition.  This grant application required a signed purchase agreement with the owner.  New negotiations were successful and an agreement was signed for a favorable price with closing to take place by September 2^nd 2008, contingent upon receiving the grant. The grant application was submitted on May 31^st (our thanks to Society grant writer Theresa Schretzmann-Myers for a terrific job).

The grant can provide up to $300,000 for acquisition but we must provide over that amount in matching funds.  The grants are reviewed by the Historical Commission in Tallahassee in late September and the strongest applications are ranked and sent to the legislature for funding.  The number of these projects that actually receive grants depends on the amount of funding the legislature budgets for the grants.  The funds are distributed in June/July of 2008.

To be considered eligible to receive the grant, the Society must have the remaining funds needed for acquisition in hand by the time the grants are reviewed in late September.  Pledges contingent upon closing on acquisition of the property are acceptable.

THE SOCIETY URGENTLY REQUESTS YOUR HELP AT THIS CRITICAL JUNCTURE.

1. Make a special donation or written pledge contingent upon closing on the property to the Acquisition Fund (you can donate online securely through PayPal on our Membership Page)
2. Approach organizations in your area or with which you are involved and ask that they make the Nehrling Gardens Acquisition Fund a beneficiary of their fundraising.
3. Provide us with referrals – people, businesses, organizations that we may contact for support
4. Get involved – we need your expertise: in business development, legal issues, communications, fundraising, event planning, historic preservation.  There is so much to be done to make this important project succeed.

 PLEASE PARTNER WITH THE HENRY NEHRLING SOCIETY TO MAKE THIS WONDERFUL PROJECT A REALITY.