Heritage Area Announces Grant Opportunity

Annapolis, MD – Four Rivers: The Heritage Area of Annapolis, London Town & South County announces guidelines, criteria, and deadlines for FY2010 Maryland Heritage Areas Authority grants.

The fiscal year 2010 Maryland Heritage Areas Authority grant round is under way, with some changes and additions to this year’s guidelines and criteria. Capital and non-capital Maryland Heritage Areas Authority (MHAA) matching project grants of up to $100,000 are available through Four Rivers for projects that include historical, cultural and natural resources and have a heritage tourism component. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations and local jurisdictions within the heritage area. Proposed activities must address or complete a priority activity identified in or consistent with the goals, objectives, strategies and actions outlined in the approved heritage area Management Plan.

Applicants must discuss their proposal with heritage area staff prior to application submission. FY2010 MHAA project grant application packages are available at www.marylandhistoricaltrust.net under “Forms and Documents.” This year, a required “Intent to Apply” letter will be due to the Four Rivers office by February 20th at 5 p.m.; the completed application package with 15 copies and a detailed checklist must be received in the Four Rivers Heritage Area office in the Arundel Center, 44 Calvert Street, by close of business on March 5th. This year, all applicants for Maryland Heritage Area Authority FY2010 Grants will be required to file a profile with the Maryland Cultural Data Project (www.mdculturaldata.org). The MCDP Report will be due with the application. A Four Rivers Heritage Area Grants Committee will review all applications for approval before forwarding them to the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority for consideration. MHAA awards will be announced in July 2008.

Since beginning operations in 2001, the Four Rivers Heritage Area has brought $1.9 million in matching MHAA grant funds into the community for support of projects that include restoration projects for Historic Annapolis Foundation’s William Paca House and Gardens, Historic London Town & Gardens’ reconstructions of the Lord Mayor’s Tenement and Carpenter Shop, the Annapolis & Anne Arundel County Conference & Visitors Bureau’s expansion on West Street, renovations for the Annapolis Maritime Museum’s McNasby Building, Annapolis 300 planning activities, Galesville Heritage Society planning and programming, and the Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Foundation’s slavery research project. The Maryland Heritage Areas Authority has also granted annual operating and program assistance, with matching funds from the City of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County, to the Four Rivers Heritage Area.

For more information, please visit our website at www.chesapeakecrossroads.org, or contact heritage area staff at 410-222-1805.