In a recent statewide poll conducted of likely voters, 90% of Marylanders expressed support for Program Open Space, a state program that supports the acquisition, conservation, and improvements at Maryland’s natural resources Additionally, 64% of Marylanders were opposed to diverting funds from Program Open Space for other budget uses.
Maryland’s Small Commercial Historic Tax Credit program has run out of money and requires immediate funding. This week, Senate and House committees will hold hearings for HB865/SB659 that would extend the life of this vital program by increasing the authorized funding amount by $1 million.
Governor Hogan’s newly released FY22 budget includes full funding for Program Open Space, a program that actively underwrites open space conservation and community park amenities.
The Challenge: In 2018, the Historic Preservation Capital Grant Program was funded at $600,000 and the Historic Preservation Non-Capital Research & Survey Grant Program was funded at $300,000. This was some of the first funding these programs have received since 2010. The African-American Heritage Preservation Grant program received level funding at $1 million. Beginning in FY20, the Maryland Historical Society will receive $250,000 to establish a grant fund for small museums all over Maryland.
These programs have been pivotal in preserving and interpreting some of the state’s finest resources. From the Antietam Battlefield to Historic St. Mary’s City to Smith Island – these programs have touched every corner of the state and provided the necessary funding to allow Marylander’s to preserve the places that matter to them. Unfortunately every year, the amount of grant requests for important preservation and history work across the state far outstrips the amount of funding available.
Our Position: Preservation Maryland emphatically supports increasing the state’s investment in these chronically underfunded programs. A state appropriation of $1 million (split between the Capital and Survey & Research,) would continue to spur a renewed interest in the history of this state and create a catalyst for heritage tourism. An increased appropriation of $3 million for the African American Heritage Grant program would help address the discrepancy between grant requests and funding available. We will also be supporting the Maryland Historical Society as they work to establish their statewide museum grant program.