PROJECT GRANTS
FFNHA Project Grants award partner sites up to $3000 for projects connected to the heritage area’s rich history. Half the funds will be awarded upon a signed agreement accepting the funds and the remainder upon completion of the project and Final Close-Out report.
The application must be filled in completely and submitted at one time. You cannot save content and return at a later time. Please see the instruction packet for the material that will be requested if you wish to prepare it in advance.
Grants will be awarded for projects aligned with the goals of Freedom’s Frontier, and one or more of our three nationally significant themes: Shaping the Frontier, the Missouri-Kansas Border War and Civil War, and the Enduring Struggle for Freedom. Successful grants will be rooted in a context involving events or people in the heritage area which have broader regional or national impact and especially those supporting heritage tourism, content accessibility, economic development, and visitation.
Please ensure you meet the requirements as a partner and determine the project’s eligibility before applying. Ineligible, vague, or incomplete applications may not be considered. Please use the following information to guide your application process. FFNHA staff is available to assist you if you have further questions.
Examples include:
- Interpretive projects such as indoor or outdoor exhibits; digital/video/audio/static media; brochures or signage; tour and tour media development; public programs or living history; creative or performing arts programs, etc.
- Publicity and promotional efforts related to the project or the supplies that will be consumed/distributed.
- Increasing accessibility to the partner’s content, event, or site.
- Purchase or rental of equipment necessary to complete the project.
- Exhibit or archival supplies.
- Repair of or towards the preservation or restoration of applicable buildings, documents, exhibits, or artifacts.
- Reasonable salary, honorariums and/or travel reimbursements directly related to the project for staff, consultants, or others hired to carry out project activities that are not otherwise possible, excluding prohibited expenditures such as food or per diems.
- Professional development.
Examples include:
- Individual scholarships, fellowships, or personal research costs, including courses for academic credit, etc.
- Food or per diems.
- Projects, events, or supplies that are to be used in lobbying or as a fundraiser or primarily for fundraising.
- Any project — including components or expenses — started prior to receiving notice of the grant award from FFNHA. This may forfeit any awards.
- Projects that discriminate based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, or physical abilities.
- Projects or programs for which the members of organizations with private memberships, political objectives, or religious congregations are the primary beneficiary.
- Anything that might jeopardize FFNHA’s ability to obtain future funding or violate the federal guidelines and restrictions upon FFNHA.
Please note: If you think that something deemed ineligible, including items listed above, is essential to your project, contact FFNHA staff. We may be able to assist you with ideas to increase your eligibility or with ideas for other sources of funding.
FFNHA will run three project grant cycles in 2023. Applications will be accepted during the following windows:
- June 1, 2023
- August 11, 2023
- October 18, 2023
Applications will be reviewed and approved based on the following criteria:
- Prior FFNHA funding rates how recently or significantly the partner has received aid from FFNHA. Priority will be given to partners that have not received FFNHA support in recent grant cycle(s) or fiscal year(s). This does necessarily not exclude any applications.
- Significance of project rates the project’s impact in the community, including the estimated number of visitors/tourists and visibility it may draw to the partner and heritage area, regarding the promotion of at least one of FFNHA’s 3 assigned themes.
- Level of Need rates the urgency of the project for the applying partner(s) at this particular time, and/or if an opportunity would be lost without funding now.
- Budget rates the project’s budget as described by the applicant. The budget should be reasonable and fiscally responsible with essential vs nonessential costs clearly delineated. Heritage area-based resources should be utilized whenever possible to maximize the local economic impact. The ability to move forward toward the project’s goal if awarded partial funding should be considered. Components requesting a specific contractor (person, business, group, etc) should be reasonably justified by explanation, the submission of bids or quotes, and/or other documentation, and may be required by FFNHA to complete the application if not provided.
- Objectives, tasks, and time schedule rates how thoroughly the applicant has planned and organized the project. The project’s steps, stages, or phases should seem reasonably achievable according to the work plan. Delays or unforeseen hurdles can be discussed with FFNHA when/if they arise.
- Qualifications rates the ability of the project’s key personnel and hired or volunteer assistance to carry out the proposals. Resumes, CVs, or web links to such information, especially for paid outside participants like speakers or service providers, should be provided whenever applicable.
- Letter(s) (2 should be provided) rates the positive impact that stakeholders believe the project will have for the partner, heritage area, and/or number of visitors as a result of receipt of funding, as well as confidence in the applicant’s overall plan for completion.
Grant awards may vary and be limited by funding to which FFNHA has access at a particular time. Any project not receiving funding during an application review cycle may consult with FFNHA staff, peers and/or colleagues, refocus the project or application to better meet the criteria, and resubmit an application during a later review cycle. General information regarding scoring decisions for a project may be requested by its applicant but decisions for the cycle are final. FFNHA stakeholders and any reviewing participants have the right of and/or responsibility to maintain confidentiality surrounding partner(s)’ submitted materials including finances, discussion regarding applications and awards, and any information not included in public announcements. The applicant receives no guarantee to any partial or full funding by submitting a project proposal.
Please direct inquiries to
Kate Sutter, Community Engagement and Partnership Coordinator at [email protected]
The current grant cycle deadline is October 18, 2023.
The grant cycle is currently closed. The next cycle will begin September 1, 2023.