Minnesota Historical Society Launches Grant Program to Preserve State's History and Cultural Heritage

By News Team
ads@fillmorecountyjournal.com

Wed, Oct 7th, 2009
Posted in State of Minnesota

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Society to award $6.75 million statewide for projects of enduring value

over the next two years;

Deadline for first grant application is October 30.

ST. PAUL (Oct. 6, 2009) – Without a concerted effort, our state’s hi

storic and cultural treasures are in danger of being lost to time. The

Minnesota Historical Society today announced that applications are now b

eing accepted for the first round of Minnesota Historical and Cultural G

rants to support projects of enduring value for the cause of history and

historic preservation across the state. The grants are made possible b

y a 2009 appropriation by the Minnesota Legislature from the Arts and Cu

ltural Heritage Fund created with passage of the Clean Water, Land and L

egacy Amendment to the Minnesota Constitution in November 2008.

“This is a proud moment for the citizens of Minnesota. The Minnesota

Historical and Cultural Grants provide an unprecedented opportunity for

non-profit, government and educational organizations to modernize and re

volutionize the way they preserve and share our history and cultural her

itage,” says Britta Bloomberg, deputy state historic preservation offi

cer, Minnesota Historical Society. “In this tough economy where many

local history and historic preservation organizations are experiencing a

decline in financial resources, these grants will provide new life for

projects statewide and take them to the next level.”

Minnesota Historical and Cultural Grants

For the past nine months, Society staff spent hundreds of hours meeting

with partners in history and historic preservation to develop and fine t

une the grant application process. Their work has included outreach to

more than 300 individuals, numerous statewide public meetings, a review

of past grant processes and the appointment of a 13-member panel to advi

se on policy and procedures as well as review applications and make awar

d recommendations to the Society’s Executive Council.

The Society will award grants to non-profit, tribes, educational and gov

ernment organizations throughout Minnesota totaling $2.25 million for fi

scal year 2010. The remaining $4.5 million will be awarded for fiscal y

ear 2011. Grants are available in categories for history and historic p

reservation projects through a tiered competitive grants process: Small

or “Fast Track,” Mid-Size and Large. The first deadline for Fast Tr

ack grants of $7,000 or less is Friday, Oct. 30, 2009. Subsequent Fast

Track grant deadlines are the final Friday of every month through 2011 d

epending upon the availability of funds.

Applications for Mid-Size grants between $7,000 and $50,000, as well as

Large grants of more than $50,000 will be accepted and awarded in two gr

ant cycles with deadlines of Nov. 23, 2009 and April 12, 2010. Interest

ed parties are encouraged to visit www.mnhs.org/legacy for complete deta

ils including the application and submission process.

New Life for Local History

The grants follow a strong tradition of state funding for local history.

“Minnesota is a leader in its commitment to preserve and share its history. In the 40 years that the Society has administered grant program

s we have witnessed first-hand the benefits that grants of this nature have brought to Minnesotans,” Bloomberg adds. “The impact of grants

from the much larger pool of funding available from the Arts and Cultura

l Heritage Fund will be felt throughout the state for many years to come

.”

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