State Grants

The Maryland Heritage Areas Authority (MHAA) provides dollar-for-dollar matching grants to non-profit organizations and governments for capital and non-capital projects located within a Maryland Certified Heritage Area.

Grants can support projects involving historical, cultural, or natural resources, sites, events, or facilities. Eligible projects must have a heritage tourism component (i.e. the project involves a visitor destination such as a museum, visitor center, or nature center; helps to provide facilities and services that support heritage tourism, such as rehabilitating a historic building for tourism related use or is a new event that will help to create a long-term increase in visitation to the Heritage Area). 

2022 Key Deadlines:

  • January 28 | Intent to Apply (MHAA)
  • March 4 | Draft Application Deadline (ATHA) 
  • April 8 | Final Deadline (MHAA)

Resources:

Visit the MHAA Matching Grant website at: http://mht.maryland.gov/grants.shtml.

Guidelines can be specifically downloaded from: http://mht.maryland.gov/documents/PDF/grants/Grants_MHAA_Guidelines.pdf

Process

ATHA Inc. will receive the applications and provide a ranking system for the MHAA for the applications. 

  • A letter of intent is due inJanuary through the Maryland Historical Trust online grants portal.
  • Draft applications are due to ATHA in March. 
  • ATHA’s review committee then reviews, ranks, and submits applications to the MHAA,.
  • MHAA staff first review applications for completeness and accuracy and will contact ATHA or applicants if additional information is required.
  • Complete applications are forwarded to the MHAA Grant Review Panel for review.
  • State grant panel recommendations are then forwarded to the MHAA for review and final action at the Authority’s July meeting
  • Grant awards will be announced in July and funds dispersed in Fall/Winter. 

Restrictions

All grants must be matched in an amount at least equal to the amount of the grant award (dollar-for-dollar match).

  • The match must consist of a cash match equal to at least 75% of the grant award (e.g. if $100,000 of MHAA grant funds is awarded, a minimum of $75,000 of the grantee’s total match must be cash)
  • No more than 35% of the minimum required cash match may consist of applicant staff salaries.
  • The balance of project match may consist of in-kind contributions.
  • State of Maryland funds may not be used as match.
  • Contact ATHA Inc. staff for possible matching solutions.

Previous Grantees

FY21 Grants for COVID Relief

  • Friends of Greenbelt Theater | $10,000
  • Laurel Historical Society | $10,000
  • Prince George’s African American Museum & Cultural Center | $10,000
  • Pyramid Atlantic Art Center | $10,000

FY21 Grant Awardees:

  • Friends of Greenbelt Museum — Phase II of Greenbelt Museum Education and Visitor Center | $100,000
  • Laurel Historical Society — Building Rehabilitation at the Museum | $30,000
  • Neighborhood Design Center — Art at the Divide: Windom Road Barrier Reimagined | $30,500
  • Pyramid Atlantic Art Center — Artwork Preservation & 40th Anniversary Exhibition | $16,000
  • City of Mount Rainier Revitalization | $100,000
  • Town of Bladensburg for Bostwick Use Study | $20,000
  • ATHA Management Grants | $125,000

FY20 Grant Awardees:

  • Anacostia Trails Heritage Area — Boundary Amendment Study | $40,000
  • City of Bowie — 10th Street Heritage Park | $74,660
  • Friends of Greenbelt Theatre — Film Center & Media Arts Lab | $75,000
  • Town of University Park — Meadow Trail | $47,000
  • Compass Inc — Arts Center Roof Repair | $50,000
  • ATHA Management Grants | $125,000

FY19 Grant Awardees:

  • Anacostia Trails Heritage Area & Prince George’s County History Consortium — Civil Rights Trail | $40,000
  • Anacostia Watershed Society — Anacostia Watershed Field Guide | $10,000
  • City of Greenbelt — Greenbelt Community Center Bas Relief Repair | $29,500
  • City of Hyattsville — Getting Around the Town (Cycling/Wayfinding Plan) | $29,339
  • Town of North Brentwood — Outdoor Pavillion | $25,500
  • Pyramid Atlantic Inc. — Arcade Building Improvements | $16,200

FY18 Grant Awardees:

  • George A. and Carmel D. Aman Memorial Trust — Bostwick House Exterior Envelope Restoration | $87,500
  • Field of Firsts Foundation, Inc. — USPS Air Mail Centennial Exhibit | $34,000
  • City of Bowie — Historic Properties: Belair Stable Museum Replacement Interpretive Panels | $9,350