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Mini-grants help nonprofits and government units develop new and innovative heritage tourism experiences. These grants range from $500 to $5,000 and require 1:1 non-state matching funds in cash or in-kind support. Mini-grants cannot be used for capital (bricks and mortar) projects. Full program requirements are detailed in the FY27 Mini-Grant Guidelines.

Projects must occur within the borders of the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area (portions of Carroll, Frederick and Washington Counties). View Heritage Area borders on this interactive map: uncheck “Architecture” – select “Other MHT Base Data” – select “Maryland Heritage Areas.”

Eligible applicants must be nonprofit organizations or government units. Successful applications will explicitly further the goals and priorities stated in the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area Management Plan and the Strategic Plan.

Current Grant Round

The FY27 mini-grant round is now open! Mini-grant projects will take place during calendar year 2027.

$25,000 is available for the FY27 round. Grant awards range from $500-$5,000.

Applications are due October 30, 2026 by 5 PM. 

Applicants will be informed of results by December, 2026.

Applicants are encouraged to reach out to mini-grant administrator, Emily Huebner, with questions and to seek draft feedback.

How to Apply

Ready to apply? Refer to the FY27 Guidelines and prepare your application ahead of time:

  1. Budget Worksheet – Download or make a copy of this template to calculate your project costs and confirm your 1:1 match.
  2. Timeline Worksheet – Download or make a copy of this template to map out your project schedule (limited to calendar year 2027)
  3. Narrative Questions – Review these questions before starting the application so you can prepare your answers in advance.
Apply here

HCWHA Mini-Grant Training Sessions

In-Person Session – Tuesday, Sept. 1 (location TBD) 
Sign-up details coming soon.
Virtual Session – Thursday, Sept. 3
Sign-up details coming soon.
 
View last year’s training recording. Please note that some application details have changed since this recording. The updated recording will be posted after Sept. 3.

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of projects are eligible for mini-grant funding?

Mini-grants fund non-capital heritage tourism projects. They cannot fund capital (bricks and mortar) projects nor can they go towards administrative/staff expenses. Mini-grants may fund a wide variety of projects that enhance the visitor experience in the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area. These include developing and implementing heritage tours, maps and interpretive brochures, public programs and activities, exhibits, interpretive signage, events, websites and apps, marketing, and educational seminars and conferences that encourage or enhance preservation, revitalization, and interpretation of the area’s heritage resources. If you’re unsure, ask Heritage Area staff if your project could be eligible.

No! You are encouraged to think about your project’s connection to the Civil War and strive to make that connection. Projects that are not directly related to interpreting Civil War history are still eligible for mini-grant funding. The most important factor is making a persuasive connection to our planning documents with direct citations; our management and strategic plans dedicate lots of space to the larger historic context of this region. 

Matching funds means the financial support the grantee provides to the project to supplement the grant. The mini-grant’s 1:1 match requirement means a $5,000 grant request must show the applicant providing $5,000 in cash or in-kind support for the same project: the project’s total value is $10,000.

“In-kind” refers to donations of services or goods that the grantee would have to pay for otherwise. Volunteer time is also eligible in-kind support. Calculate volunteer time using the value of a volunteer hour in Maryland provided by Independent Sector, currently $36.51. 

Cash match is anything related to the project that the applicant pays for, including staff salaries when working on the project. Cash match may come from other grants supporting the project. State funds cannot be used for the match.

If you plan to use staff time or volunteer time in the matching budget, you must indicate what work the staff or volunteers will be performing during that time and plan to record that time. 

Include as much detail as possible in your budget. Rather than just indicating a line item like “brochure,” break out the various costs that go into developing a brochure: research, design, editing, printing, distribution, etc. Indicate how you determined the costs for this project, such as asking vendors for an estimate or using figures from another recent project.

If you plan to use staff time or volunteer time in the matching budget, you must indicate what work the staff or volunteers will be performing during that time and plan to record that time. 

Interpretive signs, which explain the history and significance of a site, may be funded by a mini-grant. All interpretive signage must adhere to NPS or Civil War Trails standards for design.

Wayfinding signage is considered capital and is not eligible for mini-grant funding.

Project timelines should generally be completed within one calendar year. If there is a reason that your project is expected to extend beyond the standard one-year grant period, such as a historical anniversary, be sure to include that in the narrative. If circumstances cause changes to the approved timeline, contact us to discuss an extension.

HCWHA must report to the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority (MHAA), our State funding source for mini-grants, on a set annual schedule. Extensions must include a hard final deadline.

Mini-grant reviewers may award partial funding to projects. The mini-grant round is competitive and funds are limited ($25,000 annually). If your application is partially funded and you accept the partial award, you will be asked for an updated final project budget with the new totals. If you cannot accept partial funding, please let the grant administrator know as soon as possible so the funds can be offered further down the funding list. 

You will receive a grant agreement, including terms/requirements, which you should sign and return.

Be sure to submit a draft of your project for approval before going to production and include the HCWHA/MHAA logos on all publicity materials related to the project.

There is a requirement to post on social media about your project and acknowledge the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area.

Once your project is complete, submit a final report and copies of any product resulting from the grant. A reimbursement check will be issued within 30 days.

 

Additional questions? Contact us by email at [email protected]

FY26 AWARDEES IN THE HEART OF THE CIVIL WAR HERITAGE AREA

  • Canal Trust - $2,500 to refresh the “Trail to History” series of three brochures highlighting Civil War history in the towns adjacent to the C&O Canal.
  • Catoctin Furnace Historical Society, Inc. - $4,000 to fund advertising related to historical theatre and hands-on programming at Catoctin Furnace.
  • Douglas G. Bast Museum of History and Preservation, Inc. - $1,900 to replace the current Collection Management System (CMS) with CatalogIt.
  • Sgt. Lawrence Everhart Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution - $2,700 to erect a historical marker and produce a brochure commemorating the march of Gen. Anthony Wayne.
  • The Union Mills Homestead - $1,900 to create a permanent display panel illustrating the story of an enslaved woman at the site.
  • Thurmont Historical Society - $4,000 to create a wayside interpreting the ca. 1930 Cozy Cabin.
  • Town of New Windsor - $1,500 to design and purchase an informational historic site sign for the Sulphur Springs Spring House.
  • Washington County Historical Society - $2,500 to conduct a building inspection and assessment of the Nicodemus Bank Building for the proposed “Heritage Hub: Museum and Archives of Hagerstown and Washington County, MD.”
  • Washington County Historical Trust, Inc. - $4,000 to publish “The Architectural and Historic Treasures of Washington County, Md. Volume II.”

FY25 AWARDEES IN THE HEART OF THE CIVIL WAR HERITAGE AREA

  • The Catoctin Furnace Historical Society: $5,000 to develop a virtual reconstruction of slave quarters.
  • City of Hagerstown: $2,150 for the Hager House America 250 project.
  • Corbit's Charge Anniversary Commitee, Community Foundation of Carroll County: $1,465 for the 2025 Corbit's Charge Commemoration event.
  • Friends of Cunningham Falls and Gambrill State Parks, Inc.: $5,000 to survey the Mule Barn area of Catoctin Furnace.
  • Friends of the Washington County Rural Heritage Museum: $4,783 for wayside markers and museum kiosk.
  • Friends of Tolson's Chapel: $1,847 for wayside exhibit.
  • Main Street Middletown, MD Inc.: $5,000 for interpretive signage and captioning for videos.
  • Thomas Kennedy Center: $1,127 for Thomas Kennedy Center branding.
  • William Winchester Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution: $3,300 for America 250 signage in Belle Grove Park.

FY24 AWARDEES IN THE HEART OF THE CIVIL WAR HERITAGE AREA

FY23 AWARDEES IN THE HEART OF THE CIVIL WAR HERITAGE AREA

FY22 AWARDEES IN THE HEART OF THE CIVIL WAR HERITAGE AREA

FY21 AWARDEES IN THE HEART OF THE CIVIL WAR HERITAGE AREA

FY20 AWARDEES IN THE HEART OF THE CIVIL WAR HERITAGE AREA

FY19 AWARDEES IN THE HEART OF THE CIVIL WAR HERITAGE AREA

FY18 AWARDEES IN THE HEART OF THE CIVIL WAR HERITAGE AREA

FY17 AWARDEES IN THE HEART OF THE CIVIL WAR HERITAGE AREA

FY16 AWARDEES IN THE HEART OF THE CIVIL WAR HERITAGE AREA

FY15 AWARDEES IN THE HEART OF THE CIVIL WAR HERITAGE AREA