The purpose of the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) is to help fund programs generated by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA). Money for the Fund was greatly expanded in 1976, when Congress approved deposits to HPF of Outer Continental Shelf oil leases. The HPF assists several State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs) by providing them with grants, which are used for historic preservation throughout the U.S.[1]​ The SHPO, as well as the American Indian Historic Preservation Offices (THPOs),[2]​ have received about $37 million each year in funding since 1970.[3]​ Total spending since the creation of the HPF has exceeded $1 billion millions.[4]​.

A designated official of an American Indian tribe with responsibility for the administration of certain National Historic Preservation Acts (NHPA), State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) responsibilities as amended in 1992 continuing Section 101(d)(2), and listed in Section 101(b)(3) of the law by which the tribe has made the application to the Secretary of the Interior. A tribe submits its application to the National Park Service for the process in which it has administrative oversight from others in the NHPA. The THPO application process is detailed in a draft rule, which is currently in final processing status, at 36 CFR 61.8. For more information on the THPO program's history, funding, list of tribes that have assumed responsibilities, and requests to the SHPO, please visit the official National Parks site at: