(St Paul, MN) — December 21, 2022 – The Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) is pleased to announce the newest recipients of 35 Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Small Grants ($10,000 and less), totaling $304,444 in 19 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 December 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 fiscal year 2023 October 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 art in Minnesota.
Afton Historical Society Press, Edina, $10,000
To hire qualified professionals to publish a book on the history of Latin Art in Minnesota.
Caponi Art Park, Eagan, $9,980
To provide better organization of the museum collections, allowing for greater public access to the community’s historic resources.
City of Barrett, Barrett, $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 1929 Lakeside Pavilion.
City of Cuyuna, Cuyuna, $10,000
To hire a qualified historian to complete the nomination to the National Register of Historic Places for the 1911 Cuyuna City Hall.
City of Ranier, Rainier, $10,000
To hire a qualified architect to conduct a conditions assessment of the Ranier Community Building, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Danish American Center, Minneapolis, $5,458
To provide better organization of the museum collections, allowing for greater public access to the community’s historic resources.
Denfeld Historic Organ Restoration and Preservation Alliance, Duluth, $5,200
To hire a qualified consultant to conduct a conservation needs assessment and treatment plan for a 1925 George Kilgen and Sons hybrid classical pipe organ.
East Central Regional Library, Cambridge, $9,500
To purchase a microfilm reader/printer/scanner to make microfilmed records more accessible to the public.
Ernest C. Oberholtzer Foundation, International Falls, $9,999
To hire professionals to assess and write a collections storage plan for a historically significant collection of books, which will allow greater protection and public access to this resource.
Ernest C. Oberholtzer Foundation, Ranier, $9,998
To hire a qualified specialist to conduct a conditions assessment of the Oberholtzer Estate’s historic stonework on Mallard Island, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Friends of Linden Hill, Inc., Little Falls, $5,645
To hire a qualified museum consultant to conduct a general preservation needs assessment survey and long range collections preservation plan.
Germanic Genealogy Society, Mendota Heights, $9,600
To improve the library collection’s care and management through proper storage.
Golden Valley Historical Society, Golden Valley, $7,970
To hire a qualified and experienced security firm to evaluate the current level of museum security.
Hennepin History Museum, Minneapolis, $8,960
To hire a qualified museum lighting professional to develop a museum lighting plan.
Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County, Hawley, $10,000
To hire a qualified consultant to develop a Historic Structure Report that will help preserve the 1892 District 3 Rollag School, eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
Lind House Association, Inc., New Ulm, $10,000
To contract with qualified professionals to prepare construction documents for the preservation of the roof of the John Lind House, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Luther Memorial Church, South St. Paul, $10,000
To hire a qualified historian to complete an evaluation to determine eligibility for listing in the National Register of Historic Places for Luther Memorial Church.
Minneapolis Branch AAUW, Minneapolis, $9,750
To document in 5 oral history interviews the history of the Minneapolis Branch AAUW from the 1950s to present.
Minnesota Media Arts, Minneapolis, $9,950
To provide better organization of an important media collection, allowing for greater public access to these historic resources.
Minnesota Veterinary Historical Museum, St. Paul, $7,315
To improve collections care and management through an updated collections management system.
Morrison County Historical Society, Little Falls, $3,000
To improve public accessibility at the Charles Weyerhauser Museum and better comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Polish Cultural Institute, Winona, $9,990
To improve collections care and management through an updated collections management system.
Regents of the University of Minnesota (History of Medicine), Minneapolis, $9,780
To document in 10 oral history interviews the history of women’s reproductive healthcare in Minnesota.
Renville County Historical Society, Morton, $10,000
To add 125 rolls of microfilmed newspapers and other local history documents to the museum’s holdings, making primary records more accessible to the public.
Robbinsdale Historical Society, Robbinsdale, $9,275
To improve collections care and management through an updated collections management system.
Rochester Public Library, Rochester, $9,890
To purchase a microfilm reader/printer/scanner to make microfilmed records more accessible to the public.
Rock County Historical Society, Luverne, $7,993
To hire a qualified museum consultant to conduct a general preservation needs assessment survey and long range collections preservation plan.
St. Michael’s and St. George’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Minneapolis, $10,000
To hire qualified professionals to produce a documentary on the history of Ukrainians in Minnesota.
Todd County Historical Society, Long Prairie, $5,047
To add 62 rolls of microfilmed Todd County newspapers to make these primary records more accessible to the public.
Township of Teien, Town of Teien, $10,000
To hire a qualified historian to complete the nomination to the National Register of Historic Places for the 1904 Teien Central School.
Westonka Historical Society, Mound, $9,925
To provide better organization of the museum collections, allowing for greater public access to the community’s historic resources.
Winona County Historical Society, Winona, $2,350
To hire a qualified historian to conduct primary source research on the history of the Labathe Family, a French-Indigenous family in Winona County.
Winona County Historical Society, Winona, $9,869
To improve collections care and management through an updated collections management system.
A World of Accordions, Woodbury, $8,000
To document in oral history interviews the history of migrants and music on East Lake Street, Minneapolis.
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 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.
