Annapolis, MD - Four Rivers: The Heritage Area of Annapolis, London Town & South County announces guidelines, criteria and deadlines for the fiscal year 2008 Maryland Heritage Areas Authority grant round.

Non-capital Maryland Heritage Areas Authority (MHAA) matching project grants of up to $50,000 are available through Four Rivers for planning, design, interpretation, and programming. MHAA grants and loans can support 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 and 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. FY08 MHAA project grant application packages are available at www.marylandhistoricaltrust.net under forms and documents. The completed application package with 15 copies must be received in the Four Rivers Heritage Area office in the Arundel Center, 44 Calvert Street, by close of business on Monday, March 5, 2007. 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 2007.

Since beginning operations in 2001, the Four Rivers Heritage Area has brought $1.431 million in matching MHAA grant funds into the community for support of projects that include Historic Annapolis Foundation s HistoryQuest, Historic London Town & Gardens reconstruction of the Lord Mayor s Tenement and the carpenter shop, the Annapolis & Anne Arundel County Conference & Visitor s Bureau s expansion on West Street, Annapolis 300 planning activities, Galesville Heritage Society planning and programming, 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.

Four Rivers also offers a competitive mini-grants program with awards up to $2,500 for development of new and innovative heritage programs, partnerships, exhibits, tours, events and other activities consistent with our mission and interpretive themes. Mini-grant application information is available at www.fourriversheritage.org. The deadline for submission of mini-grant applications is Tuesday, January 16th, 2007. Mini-grant awards will be announced in February 2007.

For more information, please visit our web site at www.fourriversheritage.org or contact Executive Director Donna Dudley at 410-222-1805.