The Tennessee Wars Commission (TWC) and the Tennessee Historical Commission (THC) announce today that applications for the Tennessee Civil War Sites Preservation Fund are now being accepted.
The grant program is a key source of matching funding for the preservation of properties associated with the 38 most significant Civil War sites in Tennessee. Additionally, grants can assist in funding the acquisition and protection of Underground Railroad sites eligible for the National Register of Historic Places or eligible for designation as a National Historic Landmark.
“Since its debut in 2013, $607,000 in funding has helped save 98 acres of battlefield properties in the state,” said Tennessee Historical Commission Executive Director Patrick McIntyre.
In 2015, funding went toward helping preserve 38 acres of property near the Battle of Shiloh in Hardin County as well as the purchase of 11 acres in Hamilton County, which included the Brown’s Ferry site that is associated with the 1863 Battle of Wauhatchie. In 2014, nearly 50 acres on Missionary Ridge in Hamilton County were purchased and protected for use as a city park.
The amount of grant funding available for 2017 is expected to be $375,000. Applicants must be a 501©3 nonprofit and only projects associated with the 38 most significant Civil War battlefields in the state, as defined by the National Park Service report, or Underground Railroad sites are eligible. After review, the applications will be scored, rated and ranked by staff members of the THC and TWC. The grants will pay a 50% match and the recipient must provide the remaining portion of the costs as matching funds from a non-state source.
Grant applications can be obtained by contacting Timothy Hyder, program director of the TWC, at tim.hyder@tn.gov, (615) 770-1095 or via mail at 2941 Lebanon Pike, Nashville, TN 37214. Completed applications must be submitted by Jan. 8, 2017.
For more information about the Tennessee Wars Commission, please visit http://www.tn.gov/environment/article/thc-tennessee-wars-commission or call (615) 770-1097.