Hogan Administration Announces $5 Million in
Heritage Area Authority Grants
(July 11, 2019) Crownsville, MD -- The Hogan administration today announced 109 matching grants totaling $5 million were awarded to Maryland nonprofits, local jurisdictions, and other heritage tourism organizations by the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority (MHAA). These grant funds support heritage tourism projects and activities that draw visitors to and expand economic development and tourism-related job creation in Maryland’s 13 certified heritage areas. In FY19, the Hogan administration doubled the funding for the MHAA grants program.
“Heritage tourism is one of the building blocks of our overall tourism strategy in Maryland,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “By preserving these historic, natural, and cultural treasures, we attract visitors to our state, and ensure that these unique communities continue to grow and thrive well into the future.”
Organizations receiving grant awards include museums, parks, educational organizations, and other entities that steward and celebrate the unique cultural and natural resources located within one of Maryland’s heritage areas. A list of the 109 FY20 grant awards can be found at mht.maryland.gov/documents/PDF/MHAA/MHAA_CurrentGrantAwards.pdf.
“As chair of the MHAA, I am able to witness the commitment and dedication to the places and the people that have made our history,” said Secretary of Planning Robert McCord. “As a student of history, it is a great honor to help these areas thrive and make their stories known to broader audiences.”
MHAA oversees Maryland’s system of 13 locally-administered, state-certified heritage areas. Today, all Maryland counties and Baltimore City have at least part of a state-certified heritage area within their boundaries.
Heritage areas foster broad public-private partnerships to preserve and enhance the best of Maryland’s historic sites and towns, unspoiled natural landscapes, and enduring traditions. These tangible links to both place and past help residents recognize their communities have a special piece of the American story to treasure and share with others and, in doing so, contribute to the economy of Maryland’s communities by preserving and enhancing places that attract heritage tourists.
Every dollar of MHAA state grant funding has a return on investment of $4.45, generates $19.8 million in state and local taxes, and creates 3,146 jobs annually. For this round of grants in
FY20, more than $5.9 million in funds were requested with $5 million awarded.
MHAA is an independent unit in the Executive Branch of government administered by the Maryland Department of Planning. Since its creation in 1996, MHAA has awarded more than $41 million in grants and helped to leverage more than $1.6 billion in non-state funding for heritage tourism projects and activities in Maryland’s 13 certified heritage areas.
To learn more about the MHAA program, visit mht.maryland.gov/heritageareas.shtml.
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