Grant workshop participants take in application tips from a presenter at the 2023 grant writing workshop sponsored by the Endless Mountains Heritage Region. This year’s grant workshop will be held at the Keystone Theatre in Towanda on Friday, March 29. Participation is free, but registration is required.
A grant workshop will be held at the Keystone Theatre in Towanda on Friday, March 29, beginning at 9 am. The event is sponsored by the Endless Mountains Heritage Region (EMHR) and is free to the public, though registration is required. The Keystone Theatre is located at 601 Main Street.
“This is the fifth consecutive year that the Heritage Region has held our grants workshop, and participation in the event grows every year,” said EMHR executive director Cain Chamberlin “The whole objective is to make our counties, municipalities, heritage partners, and fellow non-profits aware of all the grant funding opportunities available to them. Once again, we have representatives from a variety of agencies, including the Department of Conservation & Natural Resources, PennDOT, the Department of Community & Economic Development, the PA Historical & Museum Commission, and our regional tourism bureaus. Each brings broad expertise and a fresh perspective to the workshop.”
A variety of speakers will take to the podium to discuss a wide array of grant options, as well as to provide tips on how to fill out grant applications. Representatives of area businesses, non-profit and not-for-profit organizations, and municipalities are encouraged to attend.
Scheduled presenters include Dept. of Conservation & Natural Resources northeast regional adviser Christine Dettore; Dept. of Community & Economic Development regional director Paul Macknosky; Bradford County Promotion Agency executive director Robyn Cummings; Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau executive director Jean Ruhf; Susquehanna County Promotion and Tourism Agency executive director Staci Wilson; PA Historical & Museum Commission preservation grant manager Karen Arnold; PA Environmental Council vice president Janet Sweeney; PennDOT District 4 project manager April Hannon; and Cain Chamberlin on behalf of the EMHR.
“With the celebration of the EMHR’s 25th anniversary in 2023 behind us, we are excited about building on and expanding our programming and recreational opportunities in the coming years. We have a lot of fun informative events in store and numerous options for getting our residents and visitors to the Region outside to enjoy everything we have to offer,” Chamberlin stated. “The annual Grants Workshop is a great kickoff to a year that will include additional educational workshops, historic preservation efforts, water trail events, and outdoor activities.” While in-person attendance is encouraged, he noted, “We are trying to make it as convenient as possible by including the online option.”
EMHR’s Partnerships/Mini-Grants Program will be held again this year with applications being accepted beginning April 5, 2024. There is $65,000 available in 2024, and grant applications are due Monday, May 6 at 4 p.m. Applicants must be a 501(c)3 non-profit, county, municipality or public education institution within the Heritage Region’s four-county area (Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna, and Wyoming). The applicant must also be a paying member of the EMHR, which can be accomplished at www.emheritage.org/membership/.
Proposed projects must pertain to EMHR’s mission and goals, including historic preservation, outdoor recreation development/preservation, historical or environmental educational programming, environmental conservation, as well as certain special purpose studies and building rehabilitation projects. Awarded projects will be allowed to begin June 3 once contracts are signed by both the EMHR and the applicant. Projects must be completed by August 29, 2025, Extensions are available to grantees, if necessary. Grant requests must range between $500 and $10,000 and all grants require a full 100-percent monetary or in-kind (volunteer) match from the applicant.
The March 29 event at the Keystone Theatre should wrap up by noon. Interested readers should send their registration requests to EMHR administrative assistant Marci Dake at mdake@emheritage.org, call the EMHR at 570-265-1528, click on the Annual Grants Workshop at emheritage.org/events/, or visit the event page on the Endless Mountains Heritage Region Facebook page.
