Chesapeake Crossroads Heritage Area joins the Moore Administration in announcing 8 new grants totaling $470,777 to local Annapolis and Anne Arundel County non-profit organizations by the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority (MHAA). The 8 local grants awarded are among 87 matching grant awards totaling $5.19 million for Maryland nonprofits, local jurisdictions, and heritage tourism organizations by the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority. Grant funding will support heritage tourism projects and activities and expand economic development and tourism-related jobs across Maryland.
“Our history is our power,” said Governor Wes Moore. “By prioritizing heritage tourism, we aren’t just investing in local economies, we are also empowering Marylanders to find their own strength in our collective past. These projects will make Maryland more competitive, support a diverse array of new partnerships, and enrich the lives of both visitors and residents alike.”
The Maryland Heritage Areas Program provides $2.4 billion in annual economic impact. Maryland Heritage Areas Authority grants generate $319.8 million in state and local taxes and supports 33,815 full- and part-time jobs annually. Organizations receiving grant awards include museums, parks, historic sites, educational organizations, and other entities that steward and celebrate the unique cultural and natural resources located within one of Maryland’s 13 certified heritage areas, a program that is locally administered and overseen by the authority.
Project grants funded by MHAA in the Chesapeake Crossroads Heritage Area for FY2025 include:
- Annapolis Maritime Museum, Inc., “Renovation of Historic Skipjack Wilma Lee,” Capital grant, $57,095
- Blacks of the Chesapeake Foundation, Inc., “Elevating Black Voices & History at the New Elktonia Heritage Park,” Non-Capital grant, $50,000
- Chesapeake Arts Center, Inc., “Signage and Wayfinding for Cultural Arts Experiences,” Non-Capital grant, $50,000
- Galesville Community Center Organization, “From Tragedy to Transformation: Crownsville Hospital Story through Oral Histories,” Non-Capital grant, $50,000
- St. James’ Episcopal Parish, “Repointing the Bricks of Historic St. James’ Parish,” Capital grant, $68,682
- United States Lighthouse Society, Inc., “Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse Structural Repairs and Maintenance,” Capital grant, $70,000
In addition, the Chesapeake Crossroads Heritage Area received funding for its FY2025 Management Grant ($100,000) and a FY2025 Block Grant for its Mini-Grant program ($25,000). Together, the heritage area organizations received a total of $470,777 in State grant awards from this important heritage-related grant fund.
There was also a Multi-Heritage Area Grant funded that supports a project that includes our heritage area, this was a Non-Capital grant to Calvert Marine Museum Society, Inc., for “Patuxent: A Pictorial Encyclopedic History of Maryland’s Forgotten River,” (Chesapeake Crossroads, Heritage Montgomery, and Southern Maryland National Heritage Areas), $50,000.
“The Maryland Heritage Areas Program is a deeply important cultural and economic asset to the state, contributing immeasurably to our collective and individual senses of place, identity, and revealing the stories of all of its people within a broader socio-political context,” said Maryland Department of Planning Secretary Rebecca L. Flora. “I am extremely proud of the FY25 Maryland Heritage Areas Program grantees who embody and celebrate our shared history and heritage by telling the stories of Maryland’s diverse communities in authentic and engaging ways. Their success in doing so creates and preserves a vibrant array of authentic places that people love to visit, which drives cultural tourism, and the sustainable growth of the Maryland economy.”
From Maryland’s Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay coastal areas to the unspoiled scenery of Maryland’s mountains, Maryland’s heritage areas contribute to the state’s economy by preserving and enhancing the places that attract local and out-of-state tourists. Heritage areas foster broad public-private partnerships to preserve and enhance Maryland’s historic sites and towns, unspoiled natural landscapes, diverse stories, and enduring traditions. All Maryland counties and Baltimore City have at least part of a state-certified heritage area within their boundaries.
The Maryland Heritage Areas Authority is an independent unit of government chaired by the Maryland Department of Planning Secretary Rebecca Flora and is administered by the Maryland Historical Trust. A full economic impact study can be found at https://mht.maryland.gov/Documents/MHAA/MHAA%20program%20impact.pdf.
To learn more about the Maryland Heritage Areas Program and the state’s certified heritage areas, please visit https://mht.maryland.gov/Pages/MHAA/heritage-areas.aspx