Save Our History Grants Available

The History Channel, in collaboration with the American Association for State and Local History and the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, has announced the first year of its Save Our History National Grant Program. This year, $250,000 in grants will be awarded to historical organizations that partner with educators on unique, rewarding projects that help students learn about and appreciate the history of their local communities.

Beginning September 29 through December 3, historical societies, preservation organizations, museums, historic sites, and other history organizations that partner with schools on Save Our History projects can apply for Save Our History grants. The History Channel will award grants between $1,000 and $10,000. Grant applications can be found and submitted online at www.saveourhistory.com.

Application Guidelines/Judging Criteria

• Historical organizations must work with partner educators who utilize the Save Our History Educator’s Manual.
• Projects must focus on a significant aspect of community history. For example, projects might focus on the history and/or preservation of a building, historic site, historic collections, or an historic event that is important to the local community. The project could include oral histories, primary research, historical documentation, archaeological, or architectural studies, exhibits, etc.
• Projects must raise awareness among students and community members about the significance of their local heritage and the importance of historic preservation.
• Projects must include a permanent resource to be shared with students and community members. Permanent resources can include oral histories, exhibits, a notebook or research documentation, photo or video documentaries, etc.

Judging of the grant applications will take place January 6, 2005 and grant recipients will be notified on January 10, 2005. Projects must be in progress by February 1, 2005 and completed by May 15, 2005. Judging will be handled by a panel composed of members from the AASLH, history professionals, and representatives from The History Channel.

History organizations that apply but do not receive Save Our History grants are encouraged to participate in the Save Our History, Program and will be eligible for The Save Our History National Awards Competition. Organizations that do not apply for a Save Our History grant are still encouraged to submit an entry for one of the national awards. Submissions can be made until April 8, 2005 by logging onto www.saveourhistory.com.

“We firmly believe that unless history lives in the present it has no future. Through the Save Our History National Grants Program, The History Channel is committed to helping historical societies and educational organizations make their preservation efforts more accessible to educators, their students and to the community-at-large,” said Dan Davids, President and General Manager of The History Channel.

“Preserving history whether on a local, state, or national scale is essential to the future of our country,” said Terry Davis, President & CEO of the American Association for State and Local History. “The History Channel Save Our History Program is a prime example of how to get people involved in historic preservation and the AASLH is thrilled to be a part of it.”

The History Channel will present the following prizes:

• The Save Our History Preservation Award – a $10,000 award to one exemplary historical organization that demonstrates outstanding commitment to preservation and history education.
• The Save Our History Classroom Award - a $10,000 cash prize to the school or educational organization that demonstrates exceptional commitment to the program through projects and implementation of lesson plans.
• The Lowe’s Community Award – a $10,000 cash prize to the school, preservation organization or community group that displays superior commitment to their project and community.

The History Channel has created the Save Our History National Awards to honor the local communities and classrooms that demonstrate outstanding commitment to history education and preservation of local history. The awards will be given during a ceremony to be held in Washington, D.C. in May, 2005.

A national awards committee made up of history experts and educators will judge all entries.

About Save Our History
Save Our History is an Emmy® Award-winning strategic philanthropic initiative of The History Channel that launched in 1998, designed to further historic preservation and history education. The program supplements the teaching of history in America’s classrooms, educates the public on the importance of historical preservation and motivates communities across the country to help save endangered local historic treasures. The Save Our History campaign includes original documentaries, special teachers’ materials, national promotion on The History Channel, broadband activities in schools, and has worked with The Smithsonian Institution, National Park Service, National Trust for Historic Preservation, National World War II Memorial, American Rivers and The White House 200th Anniversary.