To support community efforts to interpret, preserve and promote coal heritage resources, the National Coal Heritage Area Authority is seeking proposals for funding for eligible projects within the National Coal Heritage Area. Projects must be implemented within the following counties: Boone, Cabell, Fayette, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Raleigh, Summers, Wayne, Wyoming and the Paint Creek and Cabin Creek watersheds in Kanawha.
Projects must have matching funds available and be sufficiently advanced so they can be completed within a year. Funding for projects under this request must be matched on a dollar-for-dollar basis with other funds from non-federal sources or well-documented in-kind resources including volunteer labor and services and donated materials and supplies.
The National Coal Heritage Area management plan identifies interpretive themes for the area which include: Business of Coal Mining, Work in Coal, The Company Town, Mining Technology and Crisis and Renewal. Each project must address at least one of the interpretive themes in some manner and could go across several thematic areas. Eligible activities for this round of grant funding include Interpretation and Heritage Programming, Historic Preservation and Resource Stewardship, Archives and Historical Records Collection, Greenways, Public Parks and Non-Motorized Trails and Educational Activities and Events.
Previous projects have included preservation of archival materials, planning for preservation of historic structures, creation of museum exhibits, development of trailhead signage and creation and production of brochures and marketing materials.
Organizations eligible for grant awards are legally established non-profit organizations and institutions, public and governmental organizations including county and municipal governments, state agencies, economic development authorities and educational institutions.
Deadline for first-quarter mini and major grant applications is March 3, 2023. Future deadlines for mini-grants are June 2, 2023, September 8, 2023, and December 1, 2023. Mini-grant applications may request up to $5,000 and major grants range from $5,001 to $25,000.
For more information and grant instructions call 304-465-3720 or email lhawkins@coalheritage.org.
