Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area (FFNHA) awarded $18,000 in project grant funding to six partner organizations last week, closing out its fall 2023 grant cycle.

Grant recipients were Humanities Kansas, Kansas City Kansas Community College, Lecompton Historical Society, Osage Mission-Neosho County Historical Society, Riley County Genealogical Society, and St. Joseph Museums.

Over the last year, FFNHA has awarded nearly $60,000 in project grant funding to 22 partner organizations. “Project grants have been our primary means of bringing tourism and economic development to each of the 41 counties within the heritage area,” said FFNHA Executive Director Lucinda Adams. “Each grant has a tangible impact across the entire region. We cannot wait to see these projects come to life.”

Kate Sutter, Community Engagement and Partnership Coordinator, highlighted the importance of small museums and historical societies to local economies. “As big as the heritage area is in terms of size, it’s still a network of tight-knit communities. From urban to rural and small to large, the whole thing is interconnected. Each new attraction brings visitors who will stop at a local restaurant or gas station and spend money locally. That’s the exciting part.”

FFNHA has been awarding interpretive grants annually since 2012. The FFNHA Project Grant program will resume in Q2 2024. Over the past 11 years, Freedom’s Frontier grant programs have funded over 100 projects across 41 counties.