NATIONAL COAL HERITAGE AREA PARTNERSHIP GRANTS

National Coal Heritage Area Issues Request for Proposals to support community efforts to preserve, interpret and promote coal heritage resources, the National Coal Heritage Area Authority requests proposals for funding for eligible projects within the National Coal Heritage Area. Funding appropriated for this round of grants is due to expire September 30, 2016 so projects must have matching funds available and be sufficiently advanced so that they can be completed by in a timely manner.

Funding for projects under this request must be matched on a dollar for dollar basis with other funds from non-federal sources or well documented in-kind resources including volunteer labor and services and donated materials and supplies. The National Coal Heritage Area management plan identifies interpretive themes for the area which include: The Business of Coal Mining, Working in Coal, The Company Town, Mining Technology and Crisis and Renewal. Each project must address at least one of the interpretive themes in some manner and could go across several thematic areas. Eligible activities for this round of grant funding include Interpretation and Heritage Programming, Historic Preservation and Resource Stewardship, Archives and Historical Records Collection, and Greenways, Public Parks, and Non-motorized Trails.

Previous projects have included preservation of archival materials, preservation of historic structures, creation of museum exhibits, and creation of brochures and marketing materials. Organizations eligible for grant awards are legally established non-profit organizations and institutions and public and governmental organizations including county and municipal governments, state agencies, economic development authorities, and educational institutions.

All organizations must demonstrate that they possess the administrative and fiscal capacity to manage awarded grant funds and complete the project in compliance with the grant contract. Community organizations without adequate professional staff are encouraged to seek the assistance of other organizations with fiscal systems and staff capability to manage the grant funds, if necessary. Projects must be implemented within the National Coal Heritage Area which includes the counties of Mercer, McDowell, Wyoming, Summers, Raleigh, Fayette, Boone, Mingo, Logan, Wayne, Cabell, Lincoln and the Paint Creek and Cabin Creek watersheds in Kanawha County. Approximately $150,000 has been allocated for this round of grants.

The deadline for receipt of applications in February 13, 2015. Grant instructions can be found here: http://coalheritage.org/DocumentsCenter/Grant%20application%202015.pdf or by calling 304-465-3720 or emailing lhawkins@coalheritage.org