BISMARCK -- In 2009, the North Dakota Legislative Assembly authorized $504,500 to the State Historical Society of North Dakota (SHSND) for the Cultural Heritage Grant Program. The program has been administered by the state’s history agency since it was first created in 2003 and provides grant funding for local museums and historical societies.

The 2010 grant round will have up to $104,000 of grant monies awarded. Interested and eligible organizations that have a project they wish to be considered for a grant award should thoroughly read the guidelines and submit the application to the SHSND before Friday, March 12. The completed application must be received (not postmarked) by the SHSND by 5 p.m. this same date of March 12.

Also available through the Cultural Heritage Fund program are Heritage Training Scholarships and the North Dakota Museum Assessment Program (NDMAP).

The SHSND has obligated $30,000 to the Heritage Training Scholarship Program for the 2009-2011 biennium. Heritage Training Scholarships are available for local and county historical society staff members to participate in training opportunities and will be awarded until the fund is exhausted.

The NDMAP grants provide county historical societies an opportunity to do an in-depth review of their organization, develop long-range plans, and complete a project. The SHSND has $30,000 remaining for the NDMAP grants and will award up to three organizations each a $10,000 grant. The deadline for the 2010 NDMAP applications is Friday, March 12, 2010.

The Cultural Heritage Grant application is available on the SHSND’s website at www.history.nd.gov or can be requested by contacting the SHSND’s Grants and Contracts Officer Amy Munson at (701) 328-3573 or email at amunson@nd.gov.