News for Immediate Release
Oct. 22, 2014
Harrisburg - The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) is pleased to announce it will be awarding nearly $2 million in grants to qualified museums and official county historical societies under the Cultural and Historic Support program.
This is the third year that the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission has worked with the state legislature to provide funding for museums through the grant program. A total of $2 million was included in the 2014-2015 state budget for PHMC to use for the Program.
“PHMC is pleased to offer these general operating support grants to museums and historical societies,” PHMC Executive Director James Vaughan said. “The need for this type of funding is something we’ve heard from Pennsylvania’s museum community. It’s great that we have a program to help meet that need.”
“Our Commonwealth is fortunate to have numerous outstanding museums and historic sites across Pennsylvania,” Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-25) said. “I am pleased that again this year we were able to work together to provide funding for the historical support grants. This funding will help to preserve our history by offering many museums and historical societies assistance they need to continue providing excellent cultural and educational opportunities.”
“Remembering and appreciating Pennsylvania's rich history is an important part of moving forward,” Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-9) said. “I’m pleased to support this important grant program and encourage museums across the state to apply for funding.”
Applicants must meet organizational eligibility requirements. Awards are based on a calculation that uses the operating budget from the most recently completed fiscal year.
The goals of the Cultural and Historic Support Program are:
- Strengthen the Pennsylvania museum community;
- Provide general operating support to museum and official county historical societies that are not supported by other state agency funding programs;
- Provide financial support as unrestricted operating support to address primary needs of museums;
- Allow applicants to determine and describe how they will use funds;
- Keep application process fair and simple;
- Determine award amounts using an equation based on a percentage of the previous year’s operating budget; and
- Achieve geographical balance in the distribution of grants.
The Cultural and Historical Support grant program is restricted to eligible organizations:
- Museums located in Pennsylvania with annual operating budgets exceeding $100,000 and at least one full-time professional staff person (some museums are not eligible if they are eligible for grant support from other state agencies). The maximum award for a museum is $65,000; and
- Official county historical societies. The awards for Official County Historical Societies range from $2,500 to $4,000.
All applications must be completed by Friday, December 12, 2014, on PHMC’s eGrant application system (http://phmc.egrant.org) and hardcopy materials must be received by Friday, December 19, 2014. Eligibility information and grant guidelines can be found at: www.phmc.state.pa.us/grants
The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission is the official history agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Visit PHMC online at www.phmc.state.pa.us.
Media Contact: Howard Pollman, 717-705-8639
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