Legacy Amendment Provides $268,000+ in Small Grants to Support History Projects Statewide

The Minnesota Historical Society is pleased to announce the newest recipients of 30 Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Small Grants ($10,000 and less), totaling $268,192 to organizations in 16 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 March 11, 2021.

This state-funded program is 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 most recent small grants cycle are listed in alphabetical order by county. 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.

Gunflint Trail Historical Society, Grand Marais, Cook County, $9,965

To hire a qualified professional to conduct a preliminary review and inventory of the museum collections.

Crow Wing County Historical Society, Brainerd, Crow Wing County, $1,137

To improve lighting conditions in the museum by installing protective window coverings.

Minnesota Genealogical Society, Mendota Heights, Dakota County, $10,000

To hire qualified professionals to catalog hundreds of books in the collections, allowing for greater access to these resources.

Dodge County, Mantorville, Dodge County, $9,773

To design and produce interpretive sign text and audio scripts for the Wasioja Historic District.

Cannon Falls Area Historical Society, Cannon Falls, Goodhue County, $10,000

To hire qualified professionals to produce the first few chapters of a manuscript on the history of the Mineral Springs Sanatorium.

City of Minneapolis (Community Planning & Economic Development), Minneapolis, Hennepin County, $10,000

To hire a qualified historian to complete a local historic designation study for the 1907 Fire Station No. 24, the only known all-African American staffed fire station in Minneapolis history.

Firefighter's Hall and Museum, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, $4,650

To hire a qualified consultant to conduct a general preservation needs assessment survey and long range collections preservation plan.

George Floyd Global Memorial, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, $9,524

To hire a qualified consultant to conduct a general preservation needs assessment survey and long range collections preservation plan.

Hennepin History Museum, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, $9,996

To catalog the museum painting collection, allowing for greater public access to these resources.

Lowry Hill East Neighborhood Association, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, $9,950

To document the history of the Lowry Hill East neighborhood (the Wedge) through oral history interviews.

Regents of the University of Minnesota (Institute on Community Integration), Minneapolis, Hennepin County, $9,999

To hire qualified professionals to edit a manuscript on the history of Special Education teachers in Minnesota.

Sod House Theater Company, St Anthony Village, Hennepin County, $9,950

To hire qualified consultants to research the history of Split Rock Lighthouse in preparation for a future theatrical performance.

The Bakken Museum, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, $9,994

To process the Earl Bakken Legacy Collection, allowing for greater public access to these resources.

Lake County Historical Society, Two Harbors, Lake County, $10,000

To hire a qualified architect to conduct a condition assessment of the 1907 Duluth and Iron Range Railroad Company Depot, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Lyon County Historical Society, Marshall, Lyon County, $3,257

To acquire 40 rolls of microfilmed newspapers to make primary records more accessible to the public.

Wheels Across the Prairie Museum, Tracy, Lyon County $8,900

To hire a qualified HVAC engineer to evaluate how well the current mechanical system controls the museum environment.

Friends of Linden Hill, Inc., Little Falls, Morrison County, $10,000

To contract with qualified professionals to prepare construction documents for the preservation of the barn/carriage house at Linden Hill, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

SELCO Southeastern Libraries Cooperating, Rochester, Olmsted County, $10,000

To hire a qualified professional to produce a manuscript on the history of Southeastern Libraries Cooperating (SELCO).

Pine County Historical Society, Askov, Pine County, $8,828

To inventory the museum collections allowing for greater public access to these resources.

Jewish Community Action, St. Paul, Ramsey County, $9,900

To hire qualified professionals to produce a manuscript on the history of Jewish Community Action.

Minnesota Department of Agriculture, St. Paul, Ramsey County, $10,000

To document in eight oral history interviews the history of Black farmers in the State of Minnesota.

Minnesota Landmarks Inc., St. Paul, Ramsey County, $9,800

To hire qualified professionals to produce a manuscript on cultural landscapes in the Twin Cities.

Minnesota Transportation Museum, St. Paul, Ramsey County, $10,000

To hire qualified professionals to undertake community engagement and evaluation during the development of the Twin Tracks exhibit.

North Star Scouting Memorabilia, North St. Paul, Ramsey County, $9,000

To hire a qualified HVAC engineer to evaluate how well the current system controls the museum environment.

Ramsey County Historical Society, St. Paul, Ramsey County, $9,200

To hire a qualified HVAC engineer to evaluate how well the current system controls the museum environment at the Landmark Center and Metro Square.

Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul, Ramsey County, $9,969

To hire qualified professionals to complete an interdisciplinary pilot study to document the shifting environmental backdrop for cultural changes in the Pedersen Site and Lake Benton region.

Sherburne County, Elk River, Sherburne County, $10,000

To provide better storage conditions for the archaeological objects in the collection allowing for greater public access to these resources.

Scandia Heritage Alliance, Scandia, Washington County, $10,000

To hire a qualified historian to research the history of the Scandia Water Tower Barn.

Polish Cultural Institute, Winona, Winona County, $10,000

To hire a qualified consultant to write text for an exhibit on the history of Polish and Kashubian people in Winona.

Cokato Historical Society, Cokato, Wright County, $4,400

To hire a qualified museum consultant to conduct a general preservation needs assessment survey and long range collections preservation plan.

About Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants

The Minnesota Historical Society received a legislative appropriation of $12.85 million for the 2020-2021 biennium for the Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage (“Legacy”) Grants: $5,846,000 for FY2020 and $7,004,000 for FY2021.

Grants are available for history and historic preservation projects in two funding tiers. Small grants of $10,000 or less are awarded quarterly. Large grants of more than $10,000 are offered once a year. All grants are administered through a competitive process based on program guidelines, and professional standards and criteria.

For more information on the Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants program, including application deadlines, visit http://www.mnhs.org/preservation/legacy-grants.

About the Minnesota Historical Society

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.