Mini-Grant Program

The Mountain Maryland Gateway to the West Heritage Area is a Maryland certified heritage area located in Garrett County and managed by the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce. Together, the Chamber and Heritage Area seek to promote and protect the cultural, historic, and natural resources of the region through technical assistance, coordination and partnerships, funding strategies, and innovative programming. The Heritage Area encompasses municipalities and communities as well as nonprofit and tourism partners. Its vision is to help visitors enjoy the region's sites, parks, culture, restaurants, and retail through coordinated tours, trails, signage, and connections. The project is financed in part with State Funds from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority. The matching Mini-Grant Program supports innovative non-capital projects that build upon interpretive themes identified in the Heritage Area Management Plan and attract cultural heritage tourists to the region. Relevant themes include Transportation and Garrett County's role in America's western frontier and Gateway to the West; Man and Nature, including natural resources and the area's agricultural legacy; Historic Recreation; and Cultural Uniqueness. Examples of eligible activities include exhibits, signage, podcasts, heritage-related publications, events and associated programming or products, heritage tourism-related website development, and educational programming. Eligible educational activities may serve K-12 or home-schooled students, after-school programs, or all ages through seminars, workshops, and conferences that encourage or enhance preservation, revitalization, and interpretation of natural, cultural, and historic resources. Certain marketing expenses may also qualify. Mini-grant funds may not be used for administrative expenses or capital projects. Capital projects are defined as brick-and-mortar projects or permanent physical structures. Other project types not expressly identified in the guidelines may potentially qualify but should be discussed with Heritage Area staff before application. Projects cannot begin before the grant award is announced. The maximum grant award is $5,000. Applicants must match their grant request at least dollar for dollar, using any combination of cash and in-kind contributions. In-kind time and product donations must be appropriately documented, and applicants must certify that 100 percent of the required match is cash or committed at the time of the request or demonstrate approval by the relevant funder or donor. Documentation such as a bank statement or commitment letter is required. Eligible applicants are nonprofit organizations and local jurisdictions within the boundaries of the Mountain Maryland Gateway to the West Heritage Area. Individuals and businesses whose proposals otherwise fit the program guidelines may apply in partnership with a nonprofit organization. Applicants are instructed to confirm that the project location falls within Heritage Area boundaries using the Maryland Historical Trust mapping resource. Location within a Maryland Opportunity Zone is not mandatory, but applicants with projects in an Opportunity Zone receive an additional point during evaluation. Evaluation considers whether the applicant is a local jurisdiction or nonprofit, consistency with Management Plan themes and activities, use of collaborative partnerships, enhancement of heritage tourism for visitors and residents, leverage of other funding other than other state funds, and the applicant's demonstrated ability to initiate, administer, complete, and report on the project within the proposed timeframe. Completed applications must be submitted by email or in hard copy to the Heritage Area; fax submissions are not accepted. The latest stated application deadline is August 31, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. The guidelines state that applications will be received, reviewed, and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until the program reaches its funding cap. Completed applications are reviewed by the Heritage Area Grants Committee, with evaluation and award selection based on how well the application satisfies the stated criteria. The guidelines state that mini-grant awards will be announced following review of applications in September 2027. This stated award timing conflicts with other dates in the same guidelines, including the May 15, 2027 expenditure deadline and June 15, 2027 project/final-report deadline, so applicants should verify the award timing directly with Heritage Area staff. Fifty percent of an award will be disbursed after receipt of a signed grant agreement, with the remaining 50 percent released following receipt of an acceptable and complete final report. Funds must be expended by May 15, 2027, and the final report is due June 15, 2027. One copy of any product resulting from the mini-grant must accompany the final report. Failure to submit a complete final report results in loss of eligibility for future Mountain Maryland Gateway to the West Heritage Area grants, and final disbursement will not occur until an acceptable report is received. Maryland Heritage Areas Authority and Mountain Maryland Gateway to the West Heritage Area acknowledgment requirements apply to project materials and publicity, including required logos and acknowledgment text, and drafts of printed materials must be submitted for approval before completion, printing, or publication. The program contact is Amber Sanders, Heritage Area Director, Mountain Maryland Gateway to the West Heritage Area, Garrett County Chamber of Commerce, 15 Visitors Center Drive, McHenry, MD 21541. The direct telephone number is 301.387.5238 and the email address is amber@garrettchamber.com. The source states that projects must be completed by June 15, 2027 and directs applicants who cannot meet that completion date to contact the Heritage Area to discuss their project timeline.

Align the proposal clearly with Heritage Area Management Plan interpretive themes; demonstrate collaborative partnerships and benefits to heritage tourism for visitors and residents; leverage funding other than other state funds; demonstrate capacity to complete the project and required reporting on time; document the full required match; verify the project is within Heritage Area boundaries; Opportunity Zone location earns an additional evaluation point.