Meeting Time: April 14, 2020 at 7:00pm EDT
The online Comment window has expired

Agenda Item

IV. Citizen Comment

  • Default_avatar
    Elizabeth Shatto over 4 years ago

    I am writing to say the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area is grateful to be included in the City budget with a Community Promotions Grant award. A current grant helps our service to the Frederick community during the COVID-19 crisis, including the following:

    Offering Civil War educational resources for students and teachers at home: Our online learning portal offers interdisciplinary lesson plans linked to National and State learning standards and Common Core. Check it out and share it with educators, students and parents you know: http://www.heartofthecivilwar.org/education/inside-the-classroom

    Supporting our partners as they tackle unprecedented challenges: Through local networks of visitor-serving organizations, we are helping our partners address challenges faced by our historical, cultural, and natural resources. We are funding access to COVID-19 webinars of the American Association of State and Local History, such as the April 2 session, “Planning for an Uncertain Financial Future.” We are also hosting local video conferences to explore ways to partner and collaborate as we navigate difficult times.

    Helping our communities reopen for business with heritage tourism project grants and emergency grant funds: Heritage tourism has a part in helping our local economies to bounce back from COVID-19. We are about to pass thirty project grant applications requesting nearly $1 million along to the Maryland Heritage Area Authority. We know that each grant dollar leverages $7.78 in non-State investment, generates $4.45 in return on investment, and helps create jobs and tax revenue. Not only that, but we are negotiating opportunities for emergency grants to help our visitor-serving nonprofits secure critical operating funds, to maintain stability so they are ready to serve the visiting public when on-site services can begin.

    Coordinating online outreach and promoting the Heritage Area from our homes to yours: A page devoted to online and virtual opportunities in the heritage area has been added to our website, and our robust social media program is boosting some truly impressive ways our local museums, historic sites and other cultural groups are offering mission-driven activities that forge relevant connections – past, present and future. We hope you will visit http://www.heartofthecivilwar.org/online-offerings and partake!

    Your confidence in the positive difference our organization makes to the City of Frederick is much appreciated.