Since time immemorial, people have settled along the saltwater shores of what is today Washington State, supported by the rich maritime resources for food, shelter, inspiration, trade, and transportation. Today, Washington’s shores continue to serve as home to many vibrant maritime cultures.
To support those who celebrate, maintain, and share our state’s water-based stories and resources, the Maritime Washington National Heritage Area is pleased to offer the Maritime Washington Grant Program.
This program will award funds to the nonprofit organizations, local governments, Tribes, regional educational institutions, and other entities that support our region’s maritime heritage. In this inaugural cycle, the Maritime Washington Grant Program will support projects related to the planning and implementation of interpretation initiatives centered on maritime heritage. The primary purpose of this program is to support projects that share diverse stories from, increase visibility of, and encourage public engagement with Washington’s maritime heritage, past and present.
In this grant cycle, we will offer two kinds of Interpretation Grants: Implementation Grants and Planning Grants.
Applications will open November 15, 2023, and remain open until December 15, 2023. Learn more about these different kinds of Interpretation Grants, eligible projects and organizations, and scoring criteria in our Interpretation Grants Program Guide.
Key Dates
November 30, 2023, 12:00 pm: Grant program Office Hours with grant administrators (Register here)
December 15, 2023, 6:00 pm: Application period closes
January 30, 2024: All applicants notified
Early February 2024: Grant contracts prepared for grant recipients
Mid-February 2024: Grant-supported project work and reimbursable expenses commence
August 2024: Progress reports are due for grantees
January 31, 2025: Grant-supported projects completed
Key Eligibility
For more information on eligibility requirements for the Maritime Washington Grant Program, be sure to check out our Program Guide.
Kinds of Interpretation Grants
Implementation Grants
Interpretation – Implementation Grants are matching-dollar grant funds that support the installation, fabrication, or otherwise rendering of an interpretive project or activity, such as exhibits, interpretive signage, brochures, limited podcast or video series, and interpretive webpages. This kind of grant is an excellent fit if you…
Type: Dollars
Maximum Grant Request: $15,000
Total Grantable Dollars Available: $60,000
Payment: These funds are reimbursement grants, meaning that you will pay for work on your project upfront, and Maritime Washington will reimburse you for project-related costs.
Matching Requirement? There is a required 1:1 match of non-federal funding and/or in-kind resources (including staff time) for these grant funds.
Planning Grants
Interpretation – Planning Grants connect grant recipients with regional interpretive planners and fund the costs of the planner’s expert consultation in the development of an interpretive plan for an exhibit, signage program, or other similar project. This kind of grant is an excellent fit if you…
- Have a solid idea for an interpretive project but need expert assistance and time to make it happen.
- Or: Have recently acquired a new collection of historic objects or stories that you would like to interpret.
- Or: Want to improve on existing exhibits or signage.
Type: Technical Assistance
Maximum Grant Request: Each Planning Grant will be approximately $10,000-15,000
Total Grantable Dollars Available: $30,000
Payment: Planners will be paid directly by Maritime Washington.
Matching Requirement? There is no cash match required for these grant funds, but grantees will be required to dedicate significant staff and/or volunteer time towards the planning process and provide documentation of that time.
What is Interpretation?
Interpretation can include everything from exhibits and signage, to walking tours and educational programs, to webpages and podcasts. Interpretation has been defined in many ways, such as…
- “A purposeful approach to communication that facilitates meaningful, relevant, and inclusive experiences that deepen understanding, broaden perspectives, and inspire engagement with the world around us.”—National Association for Interpretation
- “A communication process that provides opportunities for visitors to connect emotionally and intellectually with the world around them in meaningful ways.”—Washington State Parks
- “Heritage interpretation is a communication process that guides visitors to discover meaning in objects, places, and landscapes.”—Gross, Zimmerman, & Buchholz, 2006
Learn more about the interpretation projects and activities eligible for grant funding from the Maritime Washington Grant Program in our Program Guide.
The mission of the Maritime Washington National Heritage Area is to support a network that strengthens the maritime community and connects people with the stories, experiences, resources, and cultures of our state’s saltwater shores and waterways. The Maritime Washington Grant Program is one of the ways in which we are working to achieve this mission. To learn more about the other ways in which we are working to achieve this mission, please explore our website: www.maritimewa.org/who-we-are.