Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area (FFNHA) awarded over $19,000 in grant funding for projects at nine of its partner organizations today, closing out its first grant cycle of 2023. The organization is currently accepting applications for its summer grant cycle, open through August 11, 2023. A third grant cycle will run in October.

Kansas grant recipients were the Independence Historical Museum & Art Center, the Jefferson County Historical Society, and the Watkins Museum of History. Missouri’s recipients were the Bates County Historical Society and Museum, the Clay County Archives & Historic Library, the Douglass School Project, the John Wornall House Museum, Mt. Mora Cemetery, and the Westport Historical Society.

The slate marks the culmination of the first grant cycle under executive director Lucinda Adams, who stepped into the position in August 2022. “These grants are our primary means of fulfilling our mission and an invaluable resource for each of the 41 counties within the heritage area,” Adams said. “I couldn’t be more excited to help fund these projects.”

Kate Sutter, Community Engagement and Partnership Coordinator, was pleased with the number of applications that were submitted. “We were excited to start offering regularly scheduled grants again, and to see so many of our partners applying to fund projects just shows how actively engaged these sites are in updating and promoting the stories of the heritage area.” Since 2012, Freedom’s Frontier grant programs have funded over 100 projects across its 41 counties.