The Maryland Heritage Areas Authority will hold a virtual public hearing in mid-April, rescheduled from the originally planned in-person meeting this month, to hear a request to expand the geographic boundaries of the Patapsco Valley Heritage Area.
The 441st Session of the Maryland General Assembly came to an abrupt close on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. As Maryland and the rest of the nation grappled with the outbreak of COVID-19, leaders in Annapolis decided to adjourn the legislative session early – something only done once before 159 years ago, on the eve of the American Civil War.
No aspect or corner of Maryland’s economy will be unscathed by the economic downturn caused by the current pandemic – and it is critically important that Maryland’s museums and historic sites are supported as the nation plans for recovery.
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.