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Grant Programs

Certified Maryland State Heritage Areas, including CCHA, develop and support programs, products, projects and activities which enhance the visitor experience and encourage heritage tourism. Through grant programs and technical assistance, regional heritage sites and organizations are able to enhance their facilities and upgrade their public offerings.

New! Small organizations in our heritage area (with annual operating budgets of $100,000 or less) can take advantage of our SMALL CHANGES GRANT FUND. Read more here.

 

CLICK ON THE MINI-GRANTS TAB BELOW TO GO TO THE MINI-GRANTS PAGE

MHAA Grant Opportunity

The Maryland Heritage Areas Authority (MHAA) FY 2025 grant materials for capital and non-capital heritage tourism projects are now live!

The MHAA grant program provides targeted financial assistance to organizations sustaining and creating place-based heritage experiences within Maryland’s 13 heritage areas. Visit the Maryland Heritage Areas Program website to confirm your eligibility, review the grant guidelines, and to begin the required first step in the application process: completing the Intent to Apply form, due January 26, 2024. Full applications are due March 4, 2024.

Note: The website with the grant application inforattion has changed. Visit this link to access a long list of resources for applicants: https://mht.maryland.gov/Pages/MHAA/heritage-areas-resources.aspx

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!

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.

Intent to Apply

The first step in the application process is to submit a simple online questionnaire called an “Intent to Apply” form. This online form will be due January 26, 2024.

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

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 Executive Director Carol Benson at your convenience. Thank you!

Writing the Grant Application

Applicants should download and read the Grant Guidelines document (see above). An enormous of amount of information is compiled for you on this website: https://mht.maryland.gov/heritageareas_partners.shtml. This includes sample blank applications, forms to be used, and a schedule of webinars.

Every year MHAA staff hosts a series of webinars and Q&A sessions to assist you with any questions you may have about the process.

MHAA FY25 Grant Webinar (virtual)
Monday, December 18 · 1:00 – 3:00pm
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/cdh-wtbi-unn
Or dial: ‪(US) +1 857-321-8677 PIN: ‪850 326 773#

To watch this workshop Streamed live on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9wNMp93_Es

MHAA FY25 Grant Info Session (virtual)
Thursday, January 4, 2024 · 10:00 – 11:00am
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/cch-kpxc-soy
Or dial: ‪(US) +1 443-776-0832 PIN: ‪136 409 846#

MHAA FY25 Grant Workshop (in-person)
Tuesday, January 9, 2024
Passages to the Western Potomac Heritage Area
More details to come

MHAA FY25 Grant Workshop (in-person)
Tuesday, January 16, 2024
Baltimore National Heritage Area
More details to come

MHAA FY25 Grant Info Session (virtual)
Wednesday, January 24, 2024 · 3:00 – 4:00pm
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/pci-qmsm-txo
Or dial: ‪(US) +1 516-399-7125 PIN: ‪331 230 373#

MHAA FY25 Grant Info Session (virtual)
Monday, February 12, 2024 · 12:00 – 1:00pm
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/ksj-sfij-gii
Or dial: ‪(US) +1 219-281-4721 PIN: ‪874 532 032#

To read a variety of CCHA’s planning documents to support your application, visit our Partner Resources page.

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. Thank you!

MHAA is an independent unit of government in the Executive Branch of government that operates in the Maryland Department of Planning and is administered by the Maryland Historical Trust. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Martha Waldron at [email protected] or Andrew Arvizu at [email protected].

The Fall 2023 (FY2024) Mini-Grant Round is now announced! The application has been revised, please make sure to use the application posted below.

The Mini-Grants are available for new heritage and preservation-related programs, activities, products, and events. We encourage Mini-Grant proposals that include collaborative partnerships and enhanced heritage tourism, preservation, and/or the stewardship of historical, cultural, and natural resources. Mini-Grants are NOT for Capital projects.

CCHA encourages proposals that foster Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility; support the development of projects for the Maryland 250 Commemoration; are consistent with regional thematic heritage-tourism related initiatives; include new technology, foster environmentally-friendly and sustainable practices at heritage sites, and/or create new heritage-related programming in the arts.

Non-profit organizations and municipalities are eligible to apply for projects that will take place within the boundaries of the Heritage Area. The maximum award is $5,000 and applicants must provide a one-to-one match (any combination of cash or In-Kind).

Download the Fall 2023 (FY2024) Application and Guidelines here: CCHA-FY24-MINI-GRANT-Application-and-Guidelines-FALL-2023

Please also note that there is a MANDATORY Mini-Grant Workshop to be held via zoom on Tuesday, September 19 at Noon. Please send an e-mail to [email protected] to receive the zoom link. If you cannot make this workshop, please send an e-mail to request a one-on-one appointment. Thank you!

Please contact the office by e-mail at [email protected] to discuss your project(s) or if you have any questions, thanks!

Looking for the LOGOS for your mini-grant project?

Use this link for the MHAA Logo

Use this link for Chesapeake Crossroads Logos

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Looking to CLOSE a project mini-grant? Download the Mini-Grant Final Report Form here: https://chesapeakecrossroads.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Final-Report-Form-for-Mini-Grants-updated-August-2022-blank.docx

Interested in reading about Past Grants Awarded by MHAA to Organizations in our Heritage Area? Click here.

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Additional Funding Sources:

If your project does not fit the criteria for an MHAA Grant, or you are seeking additional matching funds, the MHT has developed this list of additional funding sources to consider for your project: Grants Funding Sources List from MHT