17 Organizations Receive Grants to Boost Local History Efforts

Seventeen history organizations from Paducah to Bell County, Erlanger to Danville, gathered in Frankfort today to receive grants from the public-funded Kentucky Local History Trust Fund. They included local historical societies, museums and historic sites, which will use the grants for projects related to collection conservation, education, promotion, exhibits and strategic planning. “The work you all do is strengthening communities in many ways, such as education, economic development and civic engagement,” Kent Whitworth, executive director of the Kentucky Historical Society, told recipients. The 2017 Kentucky Local History Trust Fund grant recipients are:

• Allen County Historical Society, Allen County, $1,500, for collections management
• Bell County Historical Society, Bell County, $1,500, for educational programming
• The Berry Center, Henry County, $1,500, for collections management
• Bluegrass Trust/Hunt-Morgan House, Fayette County, $1,500, for exhibit design
• Capital City Museum, Franklin County, $1,500, for collections management
• Daniel Boone National Forest, Clark County, $1,490, for educational programming
• Erlanger Historical Society, Kenton County, $856, for collections management
• Fort Thomas Military and Community History Museum, Campbell County, $1429.46, for collections management
• Hindman Settlement School, Knott County, $1,500, for collections management
• Historic Homes Foundation/Whitehall House and Gardens, Jefferson County, $986, for collections management
• Historic Paris Bourbon County/Hopewell Museum, Bourbon County, $1,000, for strategic planning
• Kentucky Gateway Museum, Mason County, $1,500, for educational programming
• McDowell House, Boyle County, $876.25, for educational programming
• PeWee Valley Museum, Oldham County, $950.30, for exhibit design
• Portland Museum, Jefferson County, for $1499.15, collections management
• River Discovery Center, McCracken County, $1,290, for educational programming
• Woodford County Historical Society, Woodford County, $1340, for collections management

Money for the Local History Trust Fund comes from people who donate when they file Kentucky state taxes. The Kentucky Historical Society administers the granting process. This year’s pool, the fund’s second, was nearly double that of its first year and allowed the Kentucky Historical Society to give larger grants, said Amanda Higgins, KHS community engagement administrator. “We hope to continue that trend next year,” she said. More information on the Kentucky Local History Trust Fund is here.