Four Rivers: The Heritage Area of Annapolis, London Town & South County announces this year’s guidelines, criteria, and deadlines for its popular Mini-Grants program. Made possible for the sixth year through financial support from Anne Arundel County, the City of Annapolis, and the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, Four Rivers’ Mini-Grants assist local heritage-related non-profit organizations in developing new heritage and preservation-related programs, activities, products, and events. Mini-Grant awards of up to $2,500 are available for projects within the heritage area that incorporate regional historic, cultural, and natural resources, collaborative partnerships, and the heritage area’s regional interpretive themes. More information about themes and suggested activities can be found in our state, county and city-approved Management Plan, available online on this website. This year, educational programs and activities, especially those related to statewide tourism initiatives such as the Bicentennial of the War of 1812 are encouraged, as well as proposals that incorporate innovative uses of technology and promote environmentally-friendly activities.

Past mini-grant supported projects within the heritage area include “Paddle Through History” kayak tours of the Rhode River and Back Creek, brochure development for the Galesville Heritage Museum, Charles Carroll House, and Captain Salem Avery House, website development for the Galesville Community Center Organization’s Rosenwald School and website upgrades for Historic London Town and Gardens, archeological research by Lost Towns, a regional Civil War cultural resources guide and a Parole oral history project by the Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Foundation, a museum exhibit on health and hygiene at Historic Annapolis Foundation’s William Paca House, the revised Eastport Walking Tour, exhibit development at the Annapolis Maritime Museum, a visitors’ kiosk at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, a walking tour brochure of the St. John’s College campus, a design template for “Annapolis Charter 300” historic markers, illustrations for new exterior interpretive panels at the Galesville Heritage Museum, a new informational brochure for the West/Rhode Riverkeeper program, conservation of Francis Scott Key’s will at St. John’s College, and rehabilitation of Annapolis’ Southgate Memorial Fountain. A complete list of mini-grant awards is available on the Four Rivers website.

Applicants must discuss their proposal with heritage area staff prior to application submission. Mini-grant applications are available at www.fourriversheritage.org or by calling the Four Rivers Heritage Area office. The deadline for submission of mini-grant applications (original and 5 copies) in this grant round is Monday, October 20, 2008. Mini-grant proposals will be evaluated by a Four Rivers Grants Committee, and awards will be announced approximately one month after application deadline.

For more information, please visit the Mini-Grants page on this website or contact Executive Director Carol Benson at 410-222-1805.