Union Mills Homestead

MHAA Project Grants

The Maryland Heritage Areas Authority (MHAA) Grant Program is a source of funding designed to assist and encourage the preservation of historical, archeological, natural, and cultural resources and support economic development through heritage tourism within heritage areas certified by the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority. MHAA Project Grant awards may be as high as $50,000 for non-capital projects and $100,000 for capital projects. This matching grant opportunity is open to nonprofit organizations and local or federal government agencies in the boundaries of the heritage area. Proposals should align with the goals and priorities described in the HCWHA Management Plan and the new Strategic Plan.

FY26 Grant Round materials, including a recorded information session, will be available here by December 18, 2024.

Dates & Deadlines

  • Intent to Apply Deadline- January 27, 2025
  • Draft Application Deadline- February 14, 2025
  • Application Submission Deadline- March 3, 2025
  • Results approved and announced- July 10, 2025

Quick Start Resources

Resources for Projects in the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area

MHAA Blank Form Samples

Non-capital projects include

  • Planning: research, field investigation, data recovery, feasibility and planning studies, design documents and other planning activities that support the heritage area
  • Interpretation: exhibits, signage, pedestrian wayfinding signage, interpretive brochures, educational programs and materials, other interpretive activities that support the heritage area
  • Programming: seminars, conferences, performances, reenactments, commemorations, festivals

Capital projects include

  • Acquisition: fee title of real property, interest other than fee title (i.e. easement) of real property
  • Development: repair or alteration of an existing building, structure or site, new construction for heritage tourism purposes
  • Rehabilitation: returning a property to a state of utility
  • Restoration: accurately depicting a property as it appeared at a particular period of time, removal of features from another time period, reconstruction of missing features from the restoration period
  • Pre-Development: plans and specifications, fees for architectural design and engineering
 FY25 Awardees in the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area
  • American Battlefield Trust: $100,000 for acquisition of the Hagerstown Pike I Tract at Antietam Battlefield
  • Catoctin Furnace Historical Society, Inc.: $100,000 for restoring and reopening the Historic F.W. Fraley Store
  • Community Foundation of Carroll County, Incorporated: $7,000 for Ellsworth Cemetery signage
  • Historical Society of Carroll County: $15,000 for Mary Shellman Civil War to Suffrage exhibit
  • National Museum of Civil War Medicine, Incorporated: $50,000 for museum upgrade - schematic and design planning
  • Town of Sharpsburg, Maryland: $13,550 for Big Spring Masonry restoration
  • Washington County Historical Trust, Inc.: $8,667 for Saylor House in Kiwanis Park: Restoration & Reuse - Phase 6 Main Level Flooring Repairs
FY24 Awardees in the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area
  • Catoctin Furnace Historical Society: $80,000 for stabilization for the future interpretation of the ironmaster's mansion
  • Civil War Preservation Inc.: $90,000 for acquisition of the Jacob Avery Tract at Antietam National Battlefield
  • Friends of Cunningham Falls State Park and Gambrill State Park, Inc.: $5,675.37 for Civilian Conservatio Corps Exhibit at Gambrill State Park
  • Friends of Halfway African American Cemetery: $13,000 for public access and fencing at Halfway African American Cemetery
  • Hagerstown-Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau: $25,000 for legal rights and production materials for the House on Jonathan Street documentary
  • Main Street Middletown, MD, Inc.: $25,800 for implementing recommendations from the Visitor Experience Plan for the Welcome Center at 19 W. Main Street
  • African American Resources- Cultural and Heritage Society: $47,500 for fabrication and installation of the Amaze project
  • City of Westminster: $90,000 for Phase II interior environment stabilization at the historic Durbin House
  • Washington County Free Library: $17,424 for preservation microfilm of rare historic newspapers
  • Tourism Council of Frederick County: $47,500 for Frederick County Visitor Center exhibit redesign
  • Westminster Cemetery Company: $20,000 for digital enablement of the historic Westminster Cemetery records
FY23 Awardees in the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area
  • Catoctin Furnace Historical Society: $100,000 for “Restoring the Miller House: A ca. 1820 Home for the Furnace Fellows”
  • City of Westminster: $100,000 for “Historic Durbin House – Interior Environment Stabilization”
  • Civil War Preservation (American Battlefield Trust): $24,750 for “Restoration of the Poffenberger Tract at Antietam National Battlefield”
  • Community Foundation of Washington Co. MD: $65,000 for “Clara Barton Memorial”
  • Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area: $15,190 for “Newcomer House Front Parlor/Office Exhibition”
  • Historic Rocky Springs Chapel: $18,587.22 for “Repair of Stonework and Brickwork on Rocky Springs School House”
  • Monocacy National Battlefield: $50,000 for “Update Museum exhibits at Monocacy National Battlefield”
  • National Road Heritage Foundation: $50,000 for “Phase 1: Exhibit Fabrication for National Road Museum”
  • The African American Resources-Cultural and Heritage Society: $50,000 for “Amazing Exhibits- African American Heritage Center”
  • The Union Mills Homestead Foundation: $38,464 for “Preservation Plan for Union Mills Homestead”
FY22 Awardees in the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area
  • City of Westminster: $95,000 for the repair and renovation of the Historic Durbin House
  • The Delaplaine Arts Center, Inc.: $80,861 for the replacement of the Delaplaine Arts Center’s roof and restoration of the windows
  • Main Street Middletown, MD, Inc.: $44,463 for renovation of 19 West Main Street
  • City of Hagerstown: $25,000 for architectural, exhibit and panel design for the Hager House Museum Visitor Center
  • Mount St. Mary’s University: $10,737 for the consultation and development of a visitor experience plan for the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes
  • Washington County Historical Trust, Inc.: $30,849 for the continued restoration of the Saylor House
  • The African American Resource-Cultural and Heritage Society Incorporated (AARCH): $95,000 for the renovation of the African American Heritage Center
  • The Carroll County Farm Museum: $23,000 for an exhibit highlighting quilts, including the purchase of display cases, archival storage supplies, and research
  • Hagerstown Aviation Museum, Inc.: $8,081 for the development of a visitor experience plan for the Hagerstown Aviation Museum
FY21 Awardees in the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area
  • The African American Resources- Cultural and Heritage Society (AARCH) – $50,000 for new Visitor Center exhibits
  • Battle of Falling Waters 1863 Foundation – $45,000 for a parking are and bus pull-off area
  • Brunswick Potomac Foundation – $8,000 for Brunswick Red Men's Hall facade restoration, architecture and design project
  • Catoctin Furnace Historical Society – $25,000 for the restoration/renovation of the Museum of the Ironworker and $50,000 for exhibit design, production, and installation 
  • Department of Natural Resources- Maryland Park Service – $50,000 for Fort Frederick Visitor Center exhibit construction
  • Douglas G. Bast Museum of History and Preservation – $10,436 for the rehabilitation of the Douglas G. Bast Museum of History
  • Town of Emmitsburg – $12,054 for historical wayside exhibits
  • H&F Trolley Trail Association – $29,680 for the extension of the H&F Trolley Trail
  • Historical Society of Frederick County – $62,733 for the Heritage Frederick preservation project
  • Hood College – $15,927 for the adaptive reuse of the historic Williams Observatory as a museum
  • Town of Mount Airy – $17,980 for the historic train station's roof replacement
  • Town of Sharpsburg – $19,685 for the historic Antietam Station's roof replacement
  • Washington County Historical Society – $10,000 for the Seibert Collection
  • City of Westminster – $25,000 for the Durbin House Historic Structure Assessment
  • Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Association (multi-Heritage Area grant) – $15,000 for the 2021 World Canals Conference
  • Chesapeake Conservancy (multi-Heritage Area grant) – $50,000 to enhance the park experience through bilingual interpreters
FY20 Awardees in the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area
  • Antietam National Battlefield – $50,000 for new Visitor Center exhibits
  • Asbury United Methodist Church (UM) – $9,473 for brick restoration
  • Carroll County Arts Council – $60,000 for theatre renovation
  • Catoctin Furnace Historical Society – $17,600 for the Collier Log House restoration project and $38,540 for "Forged in Bone: Facial Reconstructions of Catoctin's Enslaved Workers" 
  • C&O Canal National Historical Park – $100,000 for Williamsport Visitor Center engineering and design and $50,000 for Williamsport Education & Interpretive Plan
  • American Battlefield Trust – $10,000 for Civil War Preservation of the Joseph Gaber Farm
  • Town of Emmitsburg – $12,062 for Emmitsburg historical wayside exhibits
  • Friends of Cunningham Falls State Park and Gambrill State Park – $15,000 for Catoctin Furnace Iron Master's House ruins stabilization, phase IV
  • City of Hagerstown – $100,000 for Hagerstown Cultural Trail Phase II: Extension and Wayfinding
  • Historic Rocky Springs Chapel – $13,455 for stabilization of Rocky Springs School House (built 1839)
  • Heritage Frederick – $10,236 for Faces of Frederick County
  • Main Street Middletown – $15,525 for rehabilitation of 19-21 W. Main Street
  • Town of Thurmont – $12,259 for two gateway signs for two of the entrances into the Town of Thurmont
  • Town of New Market– $6,895 for Visitor Experience Plan, Town of New Market
  • Washington County Historical Society – $25,018 for Miller House Museum Military Exhibit Enhancement
  • Weinberg Center for the Arts – $100,000 for the Weinberg Center for the Arts Marquee
FY19 Awardees in the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area
  • The Carroll County Farm Museum – $10,275 to enhance the museum’s Hoff Log Barn with updated signage and oxen exhibit. 
  • The Catoctin Furnace Historical Society – $28,000 to create facial reconstructions of the Furnace’s enslaved workers, as well as $15,600 for the rehabilitation of the Collier Log House.
  • The Historical Society of Carroll County – $50,000 for exhibit: “Carroll County Legacy: In Context” at Cockey’s.
  • Main Street Middletown MD, Inc. – $37,860 for the acquisition of specific historic Main Street properties.
  • Monocacy National Battlefield Foundation, Inc. – $12,500 for a river launch and landing on the Monocacy River.
  • The National Museum of Civil War Medicine  – $23,343 for the production of collections video and orientation video.
  • The National Park Service- Catoctin Mountain Park – $29,500 for new interpretive exhibits at the Catoctin Mountain Park Visitor Center.
  • The Save Historic Antietam Foundation, Inc. – $17,500 for the restoration of the Poffenberger Tract.
  • The Town of Emmitsburg – $9,000 for Main Street wayside exhibits.
  • The Town of Thurmont – $12,300 for wayfinding signage.
  • The Town of Sykesville –  $18,000 for its Gate House Museum.
  • The Union Mills Homestead Foundation, Inc. – $24,159 for a historic resource study.
  • The Washington County Museum of Fine Art – $50,850 for the refurbishment of its Smith-Mason-Thieblot galleries of American Art from the Colonial Era to the Gilded Age.
FY18 Awardees in the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area
  • The Catoctin Furnace Historical Society – $90,000 for development of the Museum of the Ironworker at Cunningham Falls State Park.
  • Heritage Frederick – $10,095 for development of a history activities exhibit room.
  • National Road Heritage Foundation, Inc. – $50,000 for Phase 5, specifications for exhibit production, for the anticipated National Road Museum in Boonsboro. 
  • The Washington County Historical Society – $10,555 for a vertical platform lift for the Miller House ADA Project.
FY17 Awardees in the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area
  • The Friends of Cunningham Falls and Gambrill State Parks, Inc. – $5,000 for the second phase of stabilization of the ironmaster house ruins at Cunningham Falls State Park.
  • The Carroll County Farm Museum – $27,000 for the new exhibition, “’Stinking Motherwort’: Maryland’s Million Dollar Wormseed Industry.”
  • Main Street Middletown – $10,000 for the 250th anniversary commemorations of the town’s founding.
FY16 Awardees in the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area
  • The National Road Heritage Foundation – $50,000 to plan, write and design interpretive exhibits.
  • The Historical Society of Carroll County – $23,116 to restore the facades of the Kimmey House (c. 1800) and the Shellman House (1807).
  • Catoctin Furnace Historical Society – $14,000 for the Catoctin Furnace African American Cemetery Commemoration Project.
  • C&O Canal Trust – $7,500 for the final phase of the Plan Your Visit mobile app development.
  • City of Hagerstown – $50,000 for signage for the new City Park to Downtown Trail.
FY15 Awardees in the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area
  • Antietam National Battlefield – $92,000 for repair/restoration of Burnside Bridge. 
  • National Road Heritage Foundation –$75,000 for interior rehabilitation of building for a National Road Museum.
  • Town of Manchester – $48,300 to expand Manchester's Heritage and Education Museum. 
  • Catoctin Furnace Historical Society, Inc. – $48,000 to renovate the circa 1817 stone Forgeman's House.
  • Tourism Council of Frederick County, Inc. – $15,000 for Frederick Under the Flag Home of the Brave commemorative events.