Legacy Amendment Supports $285,570 in Small Grants to History Organizations Throughout Minnesota

ST. PAUL, Minn. (December 30, 2025) – The Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) is pleased to announce the newest recipients of 28 Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Small Grants ($20,000 and less), totaling $285,570 in 13 counties.

Small grants are awarded quarterly to help nonprofits, educational organizations, government units, and federally recognized Tribes to preserve and share Minnesota history. This cycle of awards was approved by the MNHS Executive Council on September 26, 2025.

Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants are made possible by the Legacy Amendment's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the vote of Minnesotans on Nov. 4, 2008. The Legacy Amendment supports efforts to preserve Minnesota land, water, and legacy, including Minnesota history and cultural heritage.

Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Small Grant Recipients
Recipients of small grants ($20,000 and less) from the fiscal year 2026 July small grants cycle are listed in alphabetical order below. Each project will preserve and enhance Minnesota’s cultural and historical resources. All grants are competitive and awarded according to program guidelines and criteria, as well as professional standards.

City of Moorhead, Moorhead, $10,000 
To hire a qualified ship rigging specialist to re-rig the Hjemkomst ship in the museum’s collections, keeping the ship and other collections items safe.

Afton Historical Society Press, Edina, $10,000 
The Hassler Effect: The Collected Short Stories of Jon Hassler Manuscript Edit: To hire qualified professionals to edit a manuscript of the writings of Minnesota author Jon Hassler.

American Swedish Institute, Minneapolis, $11,668 
Preserving the Legacy of The Swedish Hospital of Minneapolis: To facilitate the transfer of Swedish Hospital records to the American Swedish Institute, allowing for greater public access to these historic resources.

Beaver Falls Township, Morton, $5,545 
Beaver Falls Town Hall National Register Property Evaluation: To hire a qualified historian to complete an evaluation to determine eligibility for listing in the National Register of Historic Places for the 1871 Beaver Falls Town Hall (District 5 School).

Carver County Historical Society, Waconia, $9,745 
Archive Assessment & Inventory Plan: To hire a qualified museum consultant to conduct an archives assessment and write a collections inventory plan for the Carver County Historical Society.

City of Minnetonka, Minnetonka, $13,870 
Minnetonka History Timeline Update Research: To hire a qualified consultant to research the history of the City of Minnetonka, in preparation for an updated and expanded history timeline project.

Cultural Archive of Modern Paganism, Eagan, $17,455 
Collection of the Oral Histories of Prodea: To document in 15-20 oral history interviews the history of Prodea, an early queer Pagan organization.

Disciples Ministry Church, Minneapolis, $10,000 
Disciples Ministry Church (Mikro Kodesh Synagogue) National Register Nomination: To hire a qualified historian to complete the nomination to the National Register of Historic Places for Disciples Ministry Church building, formerly Mikro Kodesh Synagogue (1926).

Friends of Jessenland, Henderson, $10,000 
Jessenland Historical and Cultural Center Conditions Assessment: To hire a qualified architect to conduct a conditions assessment of the 1870 Church of St. Thomas (Jessenland Historical and Cultural Center), listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Gammelgarden Museum, Scandia, $1,500 
Plan for a Redesign of Museum Lighting in the Immigrant House: To hire a qualified museum lighting professional to develop a museum lighting plan.

Gammelgarden Museum, Scandia, $12,331 
Inventory and Rehousing of Folkdräkt (Folk Outfits) Collection: To improve collections care and management of the museum's folk outfits through proper inventory and storage.

Gammelgarden Museum, Scandia, $4,496 
Purchase Books on Museum Operations for Reference Library: To add 71 books on museum administration to Gammelgarden's research library to make this information more accessible to the public.

Gammelgarden Museum, Scandia, $6,783 
Security Installation for Collections: To hire qualified technicians to install a security fence to protect the collections from theft or damage.

Gammelgarden Museum, Scandia, $8,025 
Collections Condition Survey of 53 Textiles: To hire a qualified professional to assess the condition of historic textiles in the museum's collection.

Hmong Museum, St. Paul, $20,000 
Cataloging Oral Interviews: To catalog a collection of born-digital oral histories, allowing for greater public access to these historic resources.

Judson Memorial Baptist Church, Minneapolis, $7,700 
Judson Memorial Baptist Church National Register Evaluation: To hire a qualified historian to complete an evaluation to determine eligibility for listing in the National Register of Historic Places for the circa 1909 Judson Memorial Baptist Church in Minneapolis.

Lake Superior Marine Museum Association, Duluth, $20,000 
Duluth Harbor South Breakwater Outer Light Historic Structure Report: To hire a qualified consultant to develop a Historic Structure Report that will help preserve the 1901 Duluth Harbor South Breakwater Outer Light, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Life Tabernacle Church, Hastings, $10,000
Repair of Historic Wooden Window with Opalescent Glass: To hire qualified professionals to repair the large west window on the 1861 Hastings Methodist Episcopal Church (Life Tabernacle Church), listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Lyon County Historical Society, Marshall, $7,500 
Find Your Veteran Website Registry: To modernize and expand access to area veterans' records with an online searchable database, allowing for greater public access to these historic resources.

Milwaukee Road Heritage Center, Montevideo, $9,449 
Collection Management Software Acquisition: To improve collections care and management through an updated collections management system.

Murray County, Slayton, $7,625 
Collections Management Software Migration & Upgrade: To improve collections care and management through an updated collections management system.

Ramsey County Historical Society, St. Paul, $9,499 
UV Light Mitigation for RCHS's Landmark Center Gallery: To improve lighting conditions in the museum by installing UV window film.

Regents of the University of Minnesota (Human Rights Program), Minneapolis, $9,350 
Oral Histories of Founders of Minnesota's Human Rights Organizations: To document in 9 oral history interviews the history of founders of human rights organizations in Minnesota.

Reviving the Islamic Sisterhood for Empowerment, Minneapolis, $4,840 
Muslim Women Philanthropists: An Oral History of Faith-Based Giving in Minnesota: To document in 12 oral history interviews the history of Muslim women philanthropists in Minnesota.

Scandia Heritage Alliance, Scandia, $20,000 
Exhibit Plan Schematic Design and Development Phase 1: Scandia's Softball Legacy - Dominating the Diamond: To hire a qualified consultant to write an exhibit plan for schematic design and development of a new exhibit on the history of Scandia softball.

The Bakken Museum, Minneapolis, $9,789 
Dakota Native Plants Garden Exhibition Renewal: To complete graphic design on interpretive panels that need replacement due to weathering and addition of language translations.

University Baptist Church, Minneapolis, $7,500 
University Baptist Church National Register Nomination: To hire a qualified historian to complete the nomination to the National Register of Historic Places for Unity Baptist Church in Minneapolis.

Wells Historical Society, Wells, $10,900
Assessment of Depot Lunchroom Exterior for Restoration: To hire a qualified architect to conduct an assessment of the exterior of the 1903 Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Depot and Lunchroom in Wells, MN, for future restoration projects.

Grants are available for history and historic preservation projects in two funding tiers. Small grants of $20,000 or less are awarded quarterly. The next small grant application deadlines are January 9, 2026 and April 10, 2026. Large grants of more than $20,000 are offered once a year. All grants are administered through a competitive process using professional standards and criteria.

For more information on the Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants program, including application deadlines, visit www.mnhs.org/preservation/legacy-grants. Applications are accepted only through the MNHS grants portal.

About the Minnesota Historical Society
The Minnesota Historical Society is a non-profit educational and cultural institution established in 1849. MNHS collects, preserves, and tells the story of Minnesota’s past through museum exhibits, libraries, and collections, historic sites, educational programs, and book publishing. Using the power of history to transform lives, MNHS preserves our past, shares our state’s stories, and connects people with history.