The Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership (Champlain Heritage) is seeking proposals for projects to protect, restore, interpret, and showcase the historical resources and cultural heritage of the Champlain Valley.

Champlain Heritage anticipates awarding over $100,000 across four grant categories:

· Conservation & Community Grants of up to $7,500 to showcase and interpret the Conservation & Community theme of the Champlain Heritage Management Plan.

· Local Heritage Grants of up to $4,000 to involve youth and students in the research and discovery of the cultural or natural heritage associated with their community, the creation of new artistic expressions, or interpretation of those topics utilizing fresh perspectives or new technologies. In addition to the $4,000 grants, Champlain Heritage may provide grants of up to $7,500 for organizations that focus on multiple communities, rather than a single community.

· Collections Grants of up to $9,000 to inventory, conserve and interpret museum and library collections. Projects retrofitting historic museum or library buildings with UV or climate control technology are eligible for funding.

· Internship Grants of up to $5,000 to support professional internships that provide experience in historical or natural interpretation or artifact curation, cataloging, and display, with exposure to general museum or historic site management.

Proposals must be received by the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) by 4:30 pm on Monday, October 1, 2018.

The grant program is a component of Champlain Heritage’s mission to recognize the importance of the historical, cultural, and recreational resources of the Champlain Valley; to preserve, protect, and interpret those resources; to enhance the tourism economy; and to encourage partnerships among state, provincial and local governments and non-profit organizations in New York, Quebec, and Vermont.

The grants will be awarded in cooperation with the Lake Champlain Basin Program and the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission. Funds to support these awards are anticipated from the National Park Service and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission.

Grant guidelines and applications for each category are found on the Lake Champlain Basin Program’s website. Volunteer peer reviewers evaluate and rank the proposals, and develop the funding recommendations for the Lake Champlain Steering Committee to consider.

For further information about these grant opportunities or to obtain hard copies of the guidelines and applications, contact the Lake Champlain Basin Program office, 54 West Shore Road, Grand Isle, VT 05458 or call at (802) 372-3213 or call (800) 468-5227.

Photo: Split Rock on Lake Champlain, which once served as a territorial boundary (courtesy Elizabeth Lee).