Four Rivers announces Spring 2014 Mini-Grant Opportunity
Four Rivers: The Heritage Area of Annapolis, London Town & South County announces guidelines and criteria for the Spring 2014 Mini-Grants Program. Made possible for the eleventh year 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. (IMPORTANT NOTE: This is a continuation of the FY2014 mini-grants program, and organizations that received a Fall 2014 mini-grant are not eligible to apply.)
FY14 Mini-Grants Program Guidelines:
Stated Purpose: 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 at www.chesapeakecrossroads.org), and the priorities included in our Five-Year Action Plan for FY2013-2018. We encourage mini-grant proposals that include collaborative partnerships and enhance preservation, the stewardship of 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. 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. Salaries or staff time are eligible as match only, for that portion of a staff person’s time dedicated solely to a funded project (not to exceed 35% of total required project match). 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 upcoming regional thematic heritage-tourism related initiatives and/or commemorations (including the Bicentennial of the War of 1812, Harriet Tubman, the Underground Railroad in Maryland, and the sesquicentennial of emancipation in Maryland), 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. 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 non-profit heritage organizations.
Maximum grant award is $2,500.
Requested grant amount must be fully matched; at least 75% of the match must be in cash and not from state funds; up to 25% may be in-kind.
Application Procedure: Download the Four Rivers SPRING 2014 mini-grant guidelines and application. Potential applicants are encouraged to contact the heritage area Executive Director, Carol Benson, to discuss potential grant projects at least two weeks prior to application deadline and before they complete the application. Applications are due no later than Friday, February 14th 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 mini-grant deadline.
Note: Mini-grants are reimbursable: this means that grantee pays for all expenses and is reimbursed by remittal of mini-grant award check after completion of project. Questions? please call the office at 410-222-1805.