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Four Rivers Announces Fall 2015 Mini-Grant Opportunity

Four Rivers Announces Fall 2015 Mini-Grant Opportunity

Annapolis, MD – Four Rivers: The Heritage Area of Annapolis, London Town & South County announces guidelines and criteria for the FY2016 (Fall 2015) Mini-Grant program. Made possible through financial support from Anne Arundel County, the City of Annapolis and the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, Four Rivers’ mini-grants assist local heritage-related non-profit organizations in developing new heritage and preservation-related programs, activities, products, and events.

Four Rivers’ matching mini–grants program is designed to assist heritage-related sites and organizations, as well as municipalities, within our borders to develop new and innovative programs, partnerships, exhibits, tours, events, and other initiatives that are consistent with the regional themes and activities suggested in our state, county and city approved Management Plan (available on our website), and the priorities included in our Five-Year Action Plan for FY2013-2018 (also available on the website). We encourage mini-grant proposals that include collaborative partnerships and enhance preservation, the stewardship of historical, cultural and/or natural resources, and heritage tourism.

Examples of eligible projects include new heritage tours, maps, interpretive brochures, podcasts, and other heritage-related publications; educational public programs, exhibits, and/or events; and heritage tourism-related website development. Oral history projects are also eligible. Heritage tourism-related programs for K-12 students, home-schooled students, and/or after-school educational programs, and educational seminars, workshops, and conferences that encourage or enhance preservation, revitalization, and interpretation of the area’s natural, cultural and historic resources are also eligible. Some marketing expenses are eligible to be funded through mini-grants. Mini-grants shall not be used for administrative expenses or capital projects. Staff time paid on an hourly basis is eligible as match only, for that portion of a staff person’s time dedicated solely to a funded project. All interpretive signage projects should adhere to National Park Service standards for design (some allowances are made for small projects); garden projects must make use of sustainable practices and native plants. Four Rivers encourages proposals that are consistent with any regional thematic heritage-tourism related initiatives and/or commemorations, and those that include new technology, foster environmentally-friendly and sustainable practices at heritage sites, and/or create new heritage-related programming in the arts. Generally, grants will be made as one-time awards, not for ongoing projects or annual activities. Other types of projects not specifically stated here may be eligible and should be discussed with heritage area staff.

Non-profits and municipalities within the borders of Four Rivers are eligible to apply. Individuals and for-profit organizations with proposals consistent with these guidelines may apply in partnership with a non-profit heritage organization, with the non-profit as the applicant organization. Maximum grant award is $2,500.

Potential applicants MUST attend a MANDATORY Mini-Grant workshop on September 23, 2015, 2:30 p.m. at the Wiley H. Bates Legacy Center (contact our office immediately if you cannot attend). Applicants are encouraged to contact the heritage area Executive Director, Carol Benson, to discuss potential grant projects at least one week before workshop and before they begin the application. Applications are due (submitted via e-mail) no later than Friday, October 9th and late applications will not be accepted. A Four Rivers Grants Committee will review completed applications. Evaluation and award selection are based on how well the completed application meets stated criteria. Mini-grant awards will be announced approximately one month after application deadline. No match or grant funds may be expended before the date of grant award notification. See our “Mini-Grants” webpage to read more, and download the Application & Guidelines.