The Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) today announced recipients of the first grants from the Kentucky Local History Trust Fund (KRS 171.325), a funding pool that supports local history organizations’ efforts to preserve and tell Kentucky’s stories.
Seventeen organizations from 16 counties across the Commonwealth received grants totaling $9,504.30. Individual amounts range from $290 to $1,000 for projects related to collection conservation, education, promotion, exhibits and strategic planning.
Kentucky Local History Trust Fund grant recipients include:
• Appalshop, Inc., $1,000, Letcher County, for collection management
• Highlands Museum and Discovery Center, $1,000, Boyd County, for collection management
• The Friends of Audubon, $1,000, Henderson County, for exhibit artifact conservation
• Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum, $909, Crittenden County, for educational programming
• McDowell House Museum, Inc., $700, Boyle County, for collections management
• American Printing House for the Blind, $700, Jefferson County, for exhibit installation
• Bluegrass Heritage Museum, $600, Clark County, for collection management
• Boone County Public Library, $500, Boone County, for collection management
• Shelby County Historical Society, $500, for organization development/management
• Montgomery County Historical Society, $500, Montgomery County, for exhibit artifact conservation
• Erlanger Historical Society, $355.30, Kenton County, for collections management
Six groups received $290 each to enroll in the American Association for State and Local History Standards and Excellence Program for History Organizations field-based standards program. Participation in a standards-based program such as this one is one of the requirements for grant eligibility.
• Duncan Tavern Historic Center, Bourbon County
• Historic Paris-Bourbon County/Hopewell Museum, Bourbon County
• Hickman County Historical and Genealogical Society, Hickman County
• Riverview at Hobson Grove, Warren County
• Allen County Historical Society, Allen County
• Kentucky Railway Museum, Inc., Nelson County
Local History Trust Fund money comes from Kentuckians who donate a portion of their state income tax refund (as little as $1 or as much as the entire refund). The Kentucky Historical Society administers the Local History Trust Fund, accepting applications and awarding grants. For this work, it may reserve 15 percent of the annual contributions to cover administration costs.