Legacy Amendment Supports $216,285 in Small Grants to History Organizations Throughout Minnesota

ST. PAUL, Minn. (July 13, 2023) – 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 $216,285 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 May 18, 2023.

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 April 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.

Carleton College, Northfield, $10,000
To hire a qualified historian to research and write the history of the first arboretum in Minnesota.

Carver County Historical Society, Waconia, $8,900
To hire a qualified and experienced HVAC engineer to evaluate how well the current system controls the museum environment.

Center for Policy Design, St. Paul, $10,000
To hire a qualified historian to research and write the history of Minneapolis resident John F. Thomas.

Church of St. Wenceslaus, New Prague, $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 1899 St. Wenceslaus Cemetery Chapel.

City of Afton, Afton, $9,999
To hire a qualified historian to research and write the history of the Valley Creek Women's Club in Afton, MN.

City of Marine on St. Croix, Marine on St. Croix, $4,480
To hire a qualified architect to conduct a conditions assessment of the circa 1872 Stone House Museum, part of the Marine on St. Croix Historic District that is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

City of Underwood, Underwood, $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 1869 Foss Cabin.

Dassel Area Historical Society, Dassel, $5,675
To digitize a collection of local newspaper photographs (1893-1969), allowing for greater public usage of these historic resources.

Dorothy Molter Foundation and Museum, Ely, $2,414
To purchase materials to assemble a Disaster Response Kit that will be used to respond to museum collections emergencies.

Douglas County Historical Society, Alexandria, $9,473
To improve collections care and management through an updated collections management system.

Fillmore County Historical Society, Fountain, $9,600
To hire a qualified and experienced HVAC engineer to evaluate how well the current system controls the museum environment.

Granite Falls Public Library, Granite Falls, $4,125
To purchase a microfilm reader/printer/scanner to make microfilmed records more accessible to the public.

Grong Lutheran Church, Hawley, $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 1881 Grong Lutheran Church.

Hamline University, St. Paul, $9,995
To hire qualified archaeologists to conduct a ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey of the Grand Meadow Chert Quarry in Mower County.

Henning Public School, Henning, $9,325
To add books about Minnesota history and/or books by Minnesota authors to Henning Public School's library holdings to provide updated Minnesota resources to their community.

Jackson County Historical Society, Lakefield, $7,150
To provide better organization of the museum collections, allowing for greater public access to the community’s historic resources.

Kids 'n Kinship, Apple Valley, $6,300
To hire a qualified historian to research and write the history of the Kids 'n Kinship program in Dakota County.

Lake City Historical Society, Lake City, $4,076
To hire a qualified museum consultant to conduct a general preservation needs assessment survey and long range collections preservation plan.

Lake Superior Railroad Museum, Duluth, $10,000
To hire a qualified architect to conduct a conditions assessment of the canopy of the 1892 St. Louis Depot, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Regents of the University of Minnesota (Duluth - Writing Studies Department), Duluth, $7,800
To document in 20 oral history interviews the history of the opioid crisis in Minnesota.

Roseau County Historical Society, Roseau, $7,290
To hire a qualified museum consultant to conduct a general preservation needs assessment survey and long range collections preservation plan.

Shattuck St. Mary's School, Faribault, $10,000
To hire a qualified architect to conduct a conditions assessment of the 1871 Chapel of the Good Shepherd, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Sibley County (Board of Commissioners), Gaylord, $597
To digitize a hand-drawn Sibley County map to allow for greater public access to this historic resource.

St. Catherine University, St. Paul, $4,020
To hire a qualified conservator to conduct general conservation treatment of the St. Catherine University outdoor sculpture collection.

St. George Serbian Orthodox Church, Duluth, $5,500
To hire a qualified historian to complete the nomination to the National Register of Historic Places for St. George Serbian Orthodox Church, Duluth.

St. James Public Schools, St. James, $10,000
To hire a qualified consultant to write an exhibit design about migration, immigration, and cultural diversity in the St. James area.

St. Thomas Aquinas Church, International Falls, $10,000
To improve management of the historic cemetery records with an updated records management system.

The Catholic Cemeteries, Mendota Heights, $9,566
To hire a qualified historian to complete an evaluation to determine eligibility for listing in the National Register of Historic Places for Calvary Cemetery, St. Paul.

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 July 14, 2023 and October 13, 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.

About the Minnesota Historical Society
The Minnesota Historical Society is a non-profit 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 book publishing. Using the power of history to transform lives, MNHS preserves our past, shares our state’s stories, and connects people with history.