Mini-Grants Available for Beach to Bay Heritage Area

Immediate Release
Contact: Lisa Challenger 410-251-3163​

Berlin, MD  - Beach to Bay Heritage Area (BBHA) announces guidelines and criteria for the FY21 Mini-Grant program. Made possible through financial support from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, BBHA mini-grants assist local heritage-related non-profit organizations in developing new heritage and preservation-related programs, activities, products and events. Maximum mini-grant awards capped at $2500. Please go to the Mini Grants page at www.beachesbayswaterways.org  for the application, guidelines and more.
If an applicant is new to the mini-grant program, a workshop will be offered which will be a requirement to the grant. 
BBHA matching mini–grants program is designed to assist heritage-related sites and organizations, as well as municipalities, within the certified heritage area to develop new and innovative programs, partnerships, exhibits, tours, events, and other initiatives that are consistent with the regional themes and activities suggested in our Management Plan.  We encourage mini-grant proposals that include collaborative partnerships and enhance preservation, the stewardship of historical, cultural, and/or natural resources and economic development through heritage tourism.
Examples of eligible projects include new heritage tours, maps, interpretive brochures, podcasts, and other heritage-related publications; educational public programs, exhibits, and/or events; and heritage tourism-related website development. Oral history projects are also eligible. Heritage tourism-related programs for K-12 students, home-schooled students, and/or after-school educational programs, and educational seminars, workshops, and conferences that encourage or enhance preservation, revitalization, and interpretation of the area’s natural, cultural and historic resources are also eligible. Some marketing expenses are eligible to be funded through mini-grants. Mini-grants shall not be used for administrative expenses or capital projects. Staff time paid on an hourly basis is eligible as match only, for that portion of a staff person’s time dedicated solely to a funded project (not to exceed 35% of total required project match; benefits may NOT be included). All interpretive signage projects should adhere to National Park Service standards for design (some allowances are made for small projects); garden projects must make use of sustainable practices and native plants. BBHA encourages proposals that are consistent with any regional thematic heritage-tourism related initiatives and those that include new technology, foster environmentally-friendly and sustainable practices at heritage sites, foster accessibility for visitors with disabilities, and/or create new heritage-related programming in the arts. Generally, grants will be made as one-time awards, not for ongoing projects or annual activities. Other types of projects not specifically stated here may be eligible and should be discussed with heritage area Director.
Maximum grant award is $2,500.
Applicants are encouraged to contact the heritage area info@beachesbayswaterways.org to discuss potential grant projects before they begin the application. Applications are due (submitted via e-mail) no later than Monday, November 2.