Minnesota Historical and Cultural Grants

Grants Update
Reminder: there are no more small (Fast Track) grants deadlines in 2011. The small grants rounds will resume in 2012, with the next deadline on Friday January 13, 2012.

If you are working on a draft application and need assistance, contact Grants Office staff: Melinda Hutchinson, 651-259-3459, for general grants inquiries and collections care; John Fulton, 651-259-3467, for issues with the grants portal or film/documentary questions; or Joe Hoover, 651-259-3461, for technical IT issues or website/digitization questions.

From the Blog

Five Early-21st-Century Challenges (new post) - There seem to be five compelling issues that need to be addressed in the local history world. How is your organization addressing these issues?

Minnesota State Capitol Labor History Tour

This was a special tour put on by those who are assembling historical resources focusing on the laborers who built the Minnesota State Capitol. The research used in this was funded by a Minnesota Historical and Cultural Grant which is a great example of the kind of mileage available from a very straightforward research proposal.

Facebook Findings

Join the 687 members who enjoy reading Minnesota Local History. In local history news this week: a potential bright light for Nobles County Historical Society's budget; holiday ornaments; Museums on Main Street, Roseau MN; a discussion on whether the world needs more nonprofits.

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Do History Here

Holiday Bazaar and Stroll
Landmark Center, St. Paul MN, hosts 33rd Annual Old Fashioned Holiday Bazaar and Rice Park Merchants Holiday Gift Stroll, December 1-3, 2011.

Christmas Candlelight House Tour
Winona County Historical Society, Winona MN, invites the public to tour six beautiful homes around Winona, Sunday December 4, 2011, 3-8 p.m. Tickets: $12 public/$10 WCHS members; available at the History Center. Call 507-454-2723 for more information.

Veterans' Dinner
Veterans' Memorial Hall, Duluth MN, invites the public to the Veterans' Remembrance Dinner, Tuesday December 6, 2011, 5 p.m., St. Louis County Heritage and Arts Center (the Depot). Event honors local Desert Shield/Desert Storm veterans. Tickets: $35. Contact Dan Hartman, 218-733-7500, for more information.

Cox House Christmas
Join Nicollet County Historical Society, St. Peter MN, and Mr. & Mrs. Cox for the annual Christmas at the Cox House Open House, December 8-11, 2011. Admission: $5 adults; $3 teens; free for ages 12 and under. Contact Jessica, 507-934-2160, for more information.

Holiday Open House
Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County, Moorhead MN, hosts their annual Holiday Open House, Saturday December 10, 2011, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Hjemkomst Center Museum. Free. Call 218-299-5511 for more information.

Community Open House
City of Atwater MN hosts Holiday Community Open House, Saturday December 10, 2011, 3-5 p.m. at the City Office and Atwater Public Library. Trolley rides 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Old-Fashioned Christmas
Celebrate an old-fashioned Christmas at Bruentrup Heritage Farm, Maplewood MN, during Winter Fun Day, Saturday December 10, 2011, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call Raydelle, 651-426-4718, for more information.

Victorian Christmas
Rockford Area Historical Society, Rockford MN, presents "A Victorian Christmas: Family and Formal." Family-friendly open house Saturday December 10, 2011, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Formal adult event Sunday December 11, 2011, 1-4 p.m. Contact Rebecca Mavencamp, 763-477-5383, for more information.

Folkways By Candlelight
Celebrate the holiday season with an evening visit to The Landing--Minnesota River Heritage Park, Shakopee MN, Friday December 16, 2011, 5-8:30 p.m. for Folkways By Candlelight. Stroll the streets of the 1800s Eagle Creek Village. Admission: $5 adults; $3 children and seniors; under age 2 free. Call 763-694-7617 for more information.

Fund Your Mission

Upcoming Grants
Reminder: Conservation Assessment Program and Museum Assessment Program applications due to Institute of Museum and Library Services December 1, 2011.

NEH Grant Deadline
National Endowment for the Humanities offers Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections grants. Deadline: December 1, 2011.

Librarian Grant
Institute of Museum and Library Services offers Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program grant. Deadline: December 15, 2011.

NEH Grants
National Endowment for the Humanities offers America's Historical and Cultural Organizations: Planning and Implementation Grants and America's Media Makers: Development Grants. Deadline: January 11, 2012.

Planning Grant
Women's Foundation of Minnesota offers planning grants through its Social Change Fund. Grants provide short-term funding to support development of new project work or to increase the use of a gender lens within existing programming. Deadline: January 19, 2012.

Continuing Education

MDL Webinar
Minnesota Digital Library and Minitex offer "The Minnesota Digital Library, Minnesota Reflections, and Digitizing Your Collections" webinar, Thursday December 8, 2011, 10-11:30 a.m. Marian Rengel presents. Free, but pre-registration required online.

Deadline Extended
American Association for State and Local History holds their Annual Meeting "Crossroads: Exploring the Vibrant Connections Between People and Place" October 3-6, 2012. Deadline for session proposals extended to December 9, 2011.

AASLH Train-the-Trainer
American Association for State and Local History offers travel stipends of up to $350 to attend the next StEPs Train-the-Trainer meeting, Monday February 27, 2012, Indianapolis IN, 9:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. Requests accepted until the 20 stipends are awarded.

News

NCPH Awards
Reminder: National Council on Public History Award nominations due December 1, 2011. 

SAA Seeks Nominees
Society of American Archivists seeks nominations for the 2012 Fellows and Awards Competition. Deadline: February 28, 2012.

Minnesota Reflections
Recording of Using the New Minnesota Reflections webinar, presented by Marian Rengel, Minnesota Digital Library, now available online.

Field Note

Carlton County Historical Society, Cloquet MN, holds its Annual Meeting and Christmas Party, Saturday December 3, 2011, 1 p.m., Carlton County Transportation Building, Carlton MN. Speaker will be Paul Von Goertz, Civil War reenactor, speaking on "The First Minnesota Volunteers at Gettysburg." Free. Call 218-879-1938 for more information.

Photo courtesy Carlton County Historical Society.