MHAA Grant

The FY2026 MHAA Grant Round is now open! 

Do you have a heritage tourism related project in mind for your organization? Perhaps you are planning to restore a historic building, create a new museum exhibit, build a visitor center, develop a walking tour mobile application, or undertake some other project that showcases Maryland’s unique historical, cultural, or natural resources. Will the project take place in a certified heritage area, including the Chesapeake Crossroads Heritage Area? A Maryland Heritage Areas project grant may be the funding source for you!

When planning an MHAA Application, you MUST e-mail our office to set up a time for a call or zoom to discuss your organization’s prospective plans.

MHAA Grant Program Basics

MHAA provides dollar-for-dollar matching grants for capital and non-capital projects located within Maryland’s 13 certified heritage areas. Non-profit organizations, local jurisdictions, state agencies, and federal agencies are all eligible to apply.

Non-capital MHAA grants are awarded for up to $50,000 per project, while capital MHAA grants are awarded for up to $100,000 per project. Projects seeking less than $5,000 in grant funding are not eligible for MHAA project grants. MHAA requires that both capital and non-capital projects support heritage tourism related activities or infrastructure.

Match Policy

Applicants may propose any combination of cash and in-kind match. This means a project might be matched entirely by volunteer time spent on the project, if that makes sense for the application budget. More information can be found in the FY2026 Grant Guidelines.

Intent To Apply

The first step in the application process is to submit a simple online questionnaire called an “Intent to Apply” form. The online form for FY2026 will be due January 27, 2025.

Here in the Chesapeake Crossroads Heritage  Area, we have new documents, including a new Five-Year Plan and Interpretive Framework!

If you have plans to write an application in the Chesapeake Crossroads Heritage Area, or any questions about developing your project, please send an email to [email protected]  to schedule a call with the Executive Director at your convenience. Thank you!

Writing the Grant Application

Applicants should download and read the Grant Guidelines document, speak with the CCHA Executive Director, and attend at least one workshop (below). Full applications will be due March 3, 2025.

If you are interested in learning more about this grant opportunity, MHAA staff will be hosting virtual Q&A sessions to review the online application process, offer grant writing tips, discuss the application requirements, and more:

 

Helpful Links

MHAA Logo

Five-Year Plan for FY2024 - 2028

Download the Chesapeake Crossroads Five-Year Plan for FY2024 - FY2028 (.pdf)

(This Plan includes a new Interpretive Framework for our heritage area, approved by MHAA)

Grant Writing 201

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