The Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation (NSHSF) announced today the grant recipients of their new Statewide Grants Program. Recipients from 18 counties across the state will receive grant funding totaling $15,605. Included in the list is the Custer County Historical Society in Broken Bow, Seven Valleys Historical Society in Callaway, Thomas County Historical Society in Thedford, Robert Henri Museum in Cozad, and Gothenburg Historical Museum in Gothenburg.
“It was a delight to read these applications and discover what historical organizations are doing across the state,” said Trixie Smith, NSHSF President. “This program gives the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation the knowledge and background necessary to meet the needs of the organizations who are working diligently to preserve their local history.”
NSHSF received 98 grant applications requesting more than $1.2 million to fulfill needs such as conservation of collections, public programming, outreach, exhibits, promotion of the facility and services, promotion of tourism and visitation, school programs and resources for the classroom, management of collections and building preservation.
“This grant will have a lasting impact on our Foundation and will influence how students in the state of Nebraska learn about our state’s pioneer women,” said Bonnie Drake, Vice President of the Bess Streeter Aldrich Foundation. “We will use our grant to develop a curriculum for teachers to use alongside A Lantern in Her Hand, a novel that outlines the classic story of Nebraska pioneer women, written by Bess Streeter Aldrich. This is something we’ve hoped to accomplish for years and thanks to the Statewide Grants Program, we can finally make it a reality.”
The Statewide Grants Program was developed in July 2020 to fulfill a funding need for local historical and educational organizations in Nebraska. Thanks to an initial donation from the Dillon Foundation as well as donations from numerous individuals, NSHSF was able to award $15,605 for these first-year grants. The grants from this program help organizations such as museums, historical societies, and libraries with core education, preservation, and interpretive programs about community history.
“We are extremely grateful to our donors who made these grants possible,” said Leslie Fattig, Executive Director at the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation. “We were overwhelmed by the number of applications and overall need from local historical organizations and libraries across the state. COVID-19 was and still is a very challenging time for many of these organizations, and many are run by volunteers. We’re thrilled to be able to help these invaluable organizations achieve their goals and we are excited to continue the Statewide Grants Program in the future.”
NSHSF plans to grow the Statewide Grants Program over the next few years to a $1 million dollar fund and offer two grant cycles per year.
Donate or to learn more about the NSHSF Statewide Grants Program here: https://www.nshsf.org/statewide-grants-program/
About Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation
The Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation raises money in support of the cause of history, including projects of History Nebraska. The Foundation solicits funds and support from individuals and organizations across the state and beyond, who value Nebraska’s unique heritage and wish to play a personal role in ensuring that Nebraska’s history will be accessible to future generations.
