Patapsco Valley Heritage Area Mini-Grant
Awardees Announced

Patapsco Heritage Greenway’s (PHG) Patapsco Valley Heritage Area (PVHA) Mini-Grant Program is designed to assist heritage-related sites, organizations and municipalities to develop new and innovative programs, partnerships, exhibits, tours, events, and other initiatives consistent with the regional goals and objectives stated within our state and county approved Management Plan.

The program, administered by the Patapsco Heritage Greenway (PHG), encourages mini-grant proposals that include collaborative partnerships, enhance preservation, encourage stewardship of natural resources, and promote heritage tourism. 
This year PHG received over $37,000 in grant requests for the PVHA Mini-Grant Program. The PVHA Mini-Grant Program is funded by a grant from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority for $25,000. Due to the large number of requests, this year’s awardees were chosen through a competitive process.

FY2020 Patapsco Valley Heritage Area Mini-Grant Awardees include:
  • Benjamin Banneker Foundation, “Colonial Market Fair Re-Enactors”- $2,500
  • Howard County Rec and Parks, “Rockburn Branch Trail”- $4,700 and “Title I Field Trip Opportunities with Living History and Heritage”- $2,000
  • Catonsville Rails to Trails, “Extension of Short Line Trail to Main Street”- $4700
  • Howard County EcoWorks, “Stream and Habitat Outreach”- $1,685
  • Oella Historical Society “Video Oral History of Charles Wagandt”- $500
  • Howard County Conservancy, “Family Bioblitz Program”- $2,000
  • Greater Patapsco Community Association “Supporting Habitat and Stream Health of Patapsco River Tributaries”- $500
  • Visit Howard County, “Holiday Promotion for Old Ellicott City”- $1,665
  • Catonsville Tree Canopy Project, “November 2, 2019 Community Street Tree Planting (1,000th Tree Planted Celebration) and April 4, 2020 Community Street Tree Planting”- $3,750
  • Howard County Historical Society, “Ellicott City Historical Walking Tour”- $1,000

All PVHA mini-grants require a 1:1 match with 75% cash match. This year, in an effort to open up our mini-grants to smaller organizations with less ability to provide cash match, PHG launced our micro-grant program. Organizations with an operating budget below $100,000 and a program budget below $1,000 could request to have 75% of their cash match covered by PHG. This year’s micro-grant recipients were Oella Historical Society and Greater Patapsco Community Association. We look forward to continuing our efforts to make our grants accessible to a wide range of partners doing work in the Patapsco Valley Heritage Area.
 
Patapsco Days: March 2020

Patapsco Heritage Greenway is happy to announce our second annual Patapsco Days.

Patapsco Days is an annual exploration of the histories of the Patapsco Valley. This year's Patapsco Days will focus on the contributions of women in the Patapsco Valley. Patapsco Heritage Greenway encourages partners to plan public programs, exhibits, hikes, and more to tie into the 2020 Patapsco Days theme. In the coming months, PHG will release a content guide, social media guide, and more to help partners prepare for Patapsco Days 2020. If you have any questions or a program idea, please email [email protected].
Patapsco Heritage Greenway Sponsorships

Patapsco Heritage Greenway has a sponsorship program available for non-profits within the Patapsco Valley Heritage Area.

The Sponsorship Program is made available through support from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, the Citizens of Baltimore County, and the Howard County Government.

Awarded quarterly, PHG is happy to announce our sponsorships for Quarter 1 of FY2020:

Visit Howard County- Annual Meeting Sponsorship
Catonsville Rails to Trails- Trolley Festivus Sponsorship
Spring Grove Arboretum- Treemendous Dance Part
Ellicott City Partnership- Holiday Celebration

To learn about our sponsorship program and apply for a sponsorship, visit here.
Other Opportunities


  • African American Nature & Parks Experience Announces #HarrietHikes: AANPE announces #Harriethikes in honor of Harriet's amazing legacy and film premiere. Women across the country are encouraged to organize hikes on November 2nd and 3rd. To learn more visit here.

  • Maryland Historical Society Announces Pathway Grant Program: MdHS Pathways provides funding to history and cultural organizations throughout the state of Maryland for programmatic capacity-building grants. Capacity-building in this context refers to non-capital projects that support the long-term fiscal and programmatic sustainability of the applicant organization. Visit here for more details.

  • Festival del Rio Patapsco Planned for June 21, 2020: Mark your calendars now for an opportunity to engage with Latinx visitors around the rich history, environmental stewardship, and recreational opportunities in the Patapsco Valley. Planned for June 21, 2020, the Festival del Rio Patapsco will be led by Patapsco Heritage Greenway and the Friends of Patapsco Valley State Park.

  • American Association and State and Local History Call for Papers: What Kind of Ancestor Will You Be? This question serves as the theme for the 2020 Annual Meeting in Las Vegas. AASLH will present its 2020 Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada, on September 23-26. Deadline for submissions is December 9. Visit here for more details on submitting a proposal.


  • National Park Service Preservation Grants Announced: The State, Tribal, Local, Plans & Grants Division is now accepting applications for four grant programs (African American Civil Rights Grants, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Save America's Treasures, and Underrepresented Communities) through the Historic Preservation Fund. To learn more, visit here.