(Minnesota) — October 16th, 2022 — The Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) is pleased to announce the newest recipients of 28 Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Small Grants ($10,000 and less), totaling $264,831 in 15 counties.
Small grants are awarded quarterly to help nonprofits, educational organizations, government units and federally recognized tribes to preserve and share Minnesota history. This cycle of awards was approved by the MNHS Executive Council on Sept. 7, 2022.
Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants are made possible by the Legacy Amendment’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the vote of Minnesotans on Nov. 4, 2008. The Legacy Amendment supports efforts to preserve Minnesota land, water and legacy, including Minnesota history and cultural heritage.
Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Small Grant Recipients
Recipients of small grants ($10,000 and less) from the summer 2022 small grants cycle are listed in alphabetical order below. Each project will preserve and enhance Minnesota’s cultural and historical resources. All grants are competitive and awarded according to program guidelines and criteria, as well as professional standards.
Afton Historical Society Press, Edina, $10,000
To hire qualified professionals to publish a book on the history of ballet in Minnesota.
Alano Society of Minneapolis, Minneapolis, $9,725
To hire a qualified engineer to conduct a structural assessment of the 1887 Alano Society of Minneapolis Clubhouse (John Washburn House), listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Bird Island Cultural Centre, Bird Island, $10,000
To contract with qualified professionals to prepare construction documents for the preservation of the Tinnes-Baker House, listed in the National Register of Historic Places and used as a cultural center.
Brown County Historical Society, New Ulm, $8,691
To provide better organization of the museum’s archival collections, allowing for greater public access to the community’s historic resources.
Cannon Falls Area Historical Society, Cannon Falls, $10,000
To hire qualified professionals to produce the second half of a manuscript on the history of the Mineral Springs Sanatorium.
City of Champlin, Champlin, $10,000
To hire a qualified historian to complete an evaluation to determine eligibility for listing in the National Register of Historic Places for the circa 1876 Dunning School.
City of Murdock, Murdock, $10,000
To hire a qualified architect to conduct a conditions assessment of the 1878 Sabin S. Murdock House, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
CIty of Rochester (Community Development), Rochester, $9,500
To hire a qualified consultant to write a historic context study for the Rochester State Hospital.
Dakota County, Hastings, $10,000
To research and design interpretive panels for the Wakota Bridge and Mississippi River Corridor.
Dakota County, Hastings, $10,000
To research and design interpretive panels for the Lone Oak Trailhead in Dakota County.
Eden Prairie Historical Society, Eden Prairie, $8,755
To purchase a microfilm reader/printer/scanner to make microfilmed records more accessible to the public.
Firefighter’s Hall and Museum, Minneapolis, $4,175
To hire qualified technicians to upgrade Firefighter’s Hall and Museum’s lighting system.
Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County, Moorhead, $10,000
To contract with qualified professionals to prepare construction documents for the preservation of the Bergquist Cabin, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County, Moorhead, $10,000
To provide better organization of the museum’s archival collections, allowing for greater public access to the community’s historic resources.
Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County, Moorhead, $10,000
To document in up to 20 oral history interviews, the history of Iraqi Americans in the Moorhead area.
Lake County Historical Society, Two Harbors, $10,000
To contract with qualified professionals to prepare construction documents for the preservation of the 1907 Duluth and Iron Range Railroad Company Depot, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Le Sueur County Historical Society, Le Center, $9,875
To purchase a microfilm reader/printer/scanner to make microfilmed records more accessible to the public.
Midwest Food Connection, Minneapolis, $9,900
To hire qualified personnel to research and write the history of Hmong food traditions in Minnesota.
Nautilus Music-Theater, St. Paul, $9,950
To digitize a collection of archival videos of the theater’s performances and other activities, allowing for greater public access to these historic resources.
Nobles County Historical Society, Worthington, $9,360
To digitize part of a large collection of photo negatives, allowing for greater public access to this historic resource.
Park Baptist, UNITY Baptist & Anointed Faith Missionary Church, St. Paul, $9,900
To hire a qualified architect to conduct a conditions assessment of the 1913 Woodland Park Baptist Church, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Portal Research, Minneapolis, $9,800
To document in 10 oral history interviews, the history of Minnesota daily newspapers.
Regents of the University of Minnesota (Institute for Advanced Study), Minneapolis, $10,000
To document in 32 oral history interviews, the history of herbalists and herbalism in Minnesota.
Sauk Centre Area History Museum and Research Center, Sauk Centre, $10,000
To contract with qualified professionals to prepare construction documents for the roof of the Blue Valley Creamery, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
The Bakken Museum, Minneapolis, $5,700
To hire a qualified consultant who will direct The Bakken Museum in collecting more accurate demographic information from visitors to better understand who is and who is not visiting the museum.
True Directions, Inc., Mora, $9,500
To contract with qualified professionals to prepare construction documents for the preservation of the 1902 C.E. Williams House, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Washington County Historical Society, Stillwater, $10,000
To hire a qualified historian to research and write the history of brewing and breweries in Washington County.
Wiccan Church of Minnesota, Minneapolis, $10,000
To document in 15-20 oral history interviews, the history of the Wiccan Church of Minnesota, established 1988.
About Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants
The Minnesota Historical Society received a legislative appropriation of $33.085 million for the 2022-2023 biennium, including funding for the Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage (“Legacy”) Grants: $5,892,000 for FY2022 and $7,000,000 for FY2023.
Grants are available for history and historic preservation projects in two funding tiers. Small grants of $10,000 or less are awarded quarterly. The next small grant application deadlines are Oct. 14, 2022 and Jan. 13, 2023 and April 14, 2023. Large grants of more than $10,000 are offered once a year. All grants are administered through a competitive process using professional standards and criteria.
For more information on the Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants program, including application deadlines, visit www.mnhs.org/preservation/legacy-grants. Applications are accepted only through the MNHS grants portal.
The Minnesota Historical Society is a nonprofit educational and cultural institution established in 1849. MNHS collects, preserves and tells the story of Minnesota’s past through museum exhibits, libraries and collections, historic sites, educational programs and publishing. Using the power of history to transform lives, MNHS preserves our past, shares our state’s stories and connects people with history. Visit us at mnhs.org.
The Minnesota Historical Society is supported in part by its Premier Partner: Explore Minnesota Tourism.
