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Museums, non-profit groups and local governments around Maryland have received 53 grants totaling over $2 million through three Maryland Historical Trust (MHT) financial assistance programs. The MHT Grant Fund provides support for Capital and Non-Capital Historic Preservation Grants as well as Museum Advancement Grants.

Nonprofit organizations, local governments, businesses and individuals may apply for Capital Historic Preservation grants, which assist in the acquisition, rehabilitation or restoration of historic property in Maryland. Nineteen grants totaling $803,500 were awarded in the recently completed fiscal year 2009 grant round including $50,000 for Fairlee Manor in Kent County and $50,000 for Providence Farm in Queen Anne’s County.

Nonprofit groups and local governments can apply for Non-Capital Historic Preservation grants for activities such as architectural or archeological research and survey work, building condition assessments, development of planning documents and establishment of educational programs. Fifteen Non-Capital grants totaling $449,357 were awarded during the current funding round including $7,500 for an Historic Structures Report for the Geddes-Piper House in Chestertown.

Museum Assistance Program Advancement Grants are designed to help non-state owned historical and cultural museums to research and care for historical objects; to research, design and install exhibitions; to create education programs; and to market the museum for local and tourism audiences. Nineteen Museum Advancement Grants were awarded this year, totaling $830,771.

The Maryland Historical Trust is an agency of the Maryland Department of Planning. The MHT was formed in 1961 to assist the people of Maryland in identifying, studying, evaluating, preserving, protecting, and interpreting the state’s significant prehistoric and historic districts, sites, structures, cultural landscapes, heritage areas, cultural objects, and artifacts, as well as less tangible human and community traditions.

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