Applying for a Lower Mississippi Delta Initiative Local Heritage Grant

Applications for the Lower Mississippi Delta Initiative Local Heritage Grants are currently closed. Please check back for updates regarding future grant cycles.

Projects MAY NOT be located on federal property including, but not limited to, National Park sites.

WHO: Authorized recipients of LMDI grant funds include not-for-profit organizations that are exempt from federal income tax, such as, but not limited to:

Note: Grants are capped at $25,000. Grant requests exceeding this amount will not be considered.

• Organizations with preservation, conservation, cultural, historical, or archeological missions
• Organizations partnering with state or local public land agencies and related sites
• Coordinating entities associated with federally-designated National Heritage Areas
• Tribal nations, organizations, and institutions
• Historically Black Colleges and Universities
• Visitor bureaus and destination marketing organizations
• State and local government entities and political subdivisions

WHAT: Projects must be located within the geographic boundaries of the Delta Region, be carried out by the recipient organization, and fit within one or more of the categories below.

• Regional Native American culture and heritage interpretation
• Regional African-American culture and heritage interpretation
• Public Roads and Visitor Use Plans – including interpretive additions to public ways
• Regional Music Heritage – with specific emphasis on Mississippi Delta Blues
• Museums – planning, implementation, education, and collection integrity
• HBCUs – to complete surveys (including efforts to designate historic and archeological sites for the National Register of Historic Places or as a National Historic Landmark)
• HBCUs – to stabilize, preserve and interpret historic sites and structures
• Non-HBCU Archeological Sites, Historic Buildings or Structures

Grant submissions may be given higher priority if they meet certain criteria, including:

1. The project addresses an immediate or urgent need.
2. The project is a new initiative not previously carried out by the applicant organization.
3. The project can be completed within 18 months of award.
4. The project is likely to result in long-term positive impacts rather than short-term gain.
5. The project will result in increased heritage tourism within the Delta Region.
6. The proposal demonstrates sound financial planning (for example: costs are backed by professional estimates for any contract work or required supplies).
7. The proposal includes a plan to measure success and capture data for reporting.
8. The proposal includes matching funds from other non-federal sources.

Local Heritage Grants are ideal for high-quality projects where time is of the essence and outcomes are compelling:

• The program seeks participants who will be able to report their successes that, when shared, may act to inspire further development and support of the LMDI program.
• Sponsoring organizations should demonstrate a strong need for funding assistance as well as the capacity to execute their project with excellence and without delay.

WHERE: Geographic and other restrictions to consider:

• Your project must be physically located within the Delta Region.
• Your project may not be physically located on federal property. However, it may be sited on non-federal property within a National Heritage Area.
• Your project may not benefit a federal agency, including NPS programs or national park system units.

WHEN: Applications are currently closed. Please check back for updates regarding future grant cycles.

• For inquiries regarding suitability of a project, e-mail us. For technical matters regarding the application portal, contact: [e-mail].

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