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NPS Photo
Contact: Tom Baker, Management Assistant, (906) 483-3016 (Calumet, MI) The National Park Service at Keweenaw National Historical Park and the Keweenaw NHP Advisory Commission are awarding a total of 24 Keweenaw Heritage Grants this week. The NPS has been offering the grants to owners of historic properties within the legislated park boundaries for three years; this is the first year that the Commission has been able to offer grants as well, which are available for projects both within and outside of park boundaries. The grant opportunities were welcomed with enthusiasm by owners of historic property and organizations providing programs related to the copper mining heritage of the area. The purpose of the grants is to provide enhancement funds for a broad range of heritage-related projects. A total of $100,000 was awarded to 19 applicants, ranging from $1,300 to $12,000. The total costs of the 24 projects ranged from $2,660 to $61,220 for a total of $416,775 in preservation and interpretation work that will be accomplished with the assistance of the 2010 Keweenaw Heritage Grants program. A total of 33 proposals were submitted for consideration, requesting $208,682 to complete $542,726 worth of projects. The evaluation panel, which consisted of four commissioners and four NPS staff arrived at funding decisions based on project merits including significance to the story of copper, raising visitor/resident understanding, the total impact of the project, and the level of access to the results of the project for residents and visitors alike. The panel also worked to award funds based on a balance of project types and locations. NPS grantees are required to meet the park’s current legislative cash requirement of $1 of non-Federal funds to match every $1 of NPS funds. NPS grantees also agree to provide a degree of public access by a variety of means to help increase appreciation and understanding of the rich heritage that is encompassed by the stories related to copper mining on the Keweenaw Peninsula. Advisory Commission grantees are also required to meet a 1-to-1 match, with up to 100% of the match allowed to be in-kind rather than cash. This requirement makes the grant program available to a broader range of potential applicants. For construction and landscape projects, both the Advisory Commission and the NPS require that the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Preservation of Historic Properties be met. Applicant’s projects involved a broad range of proposals from stabilization of historic structures to digitization of oral histories, from archeological field work to cemetery preservation, and from interpretive publications to façade rehabilitations. The quality of proposals was markedly higher this year than in the past – a reflection of the keen competition for grants this year, and the level of technical assistance sought and provided by NPS staff, the Commission, and other area preservation professionals. The Keweenaw NHP Advisory Commission and the NPS staff offers many thanks and congratulations to the community for their high level of interest in providing stewardship for the precious heritage-based resources of the Copper Country. List of the 2010 Heritage Grant Awards
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Last updated: March 16, 2018