Henry Clay Yerger High School Museum in Hope awarded grant

Left to right, Arkansas Heritage Director Marty Ryall, from Yerger Museum Gwen Duvall and Ala Mae Flenory, and Shea Lewis, Secretary, Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism

LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Heritage recognized recipients of Small Museum and Arkansas Heritage grants last week at its headquarters in Little Rock. These grant programs provide awards to Arkansas’s small history museums, historical societies, historic houses and sites, and military museums. For this grant cycle, Arkansas Heritage awarded $55,600 to 17 recipients from across the state.“These grant programs provide funds to help promote education, awareness and enjoyment of Arkansas history,” said Shea Lewis, director of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. “Our hope is that these funds will enrich current programs and provide inspiration for future activities, continuing to build momentum and energy.”

The Henry Clay Yerger High School Museum in Hope was awarded $2,500 for utilities. “This small grant will help us keep the utilities paid for the coming year. We are very appreciative of this great honor and hope that we can continue to forge ahead to make many more contacts and relationships to keep our great school legacy alive. Special thanks to the great State of Arkansas and especially Ms. Debra Fithen and her team for always being there to support us in this process,” the museum said in a statement.

The Small Museum Grant Program aims to increase the ability of community-based small museums/organizations to research, preserve, present and conserve Arkansas history.

Eligible organizations must have an annual operating budget of $250,000 or less; must have a staff of at least one person, either paid or volunteer; and must be open to the public at least 90 days per year. Eligible activities include building and grounds maintenance, operating costs, equipment purchases up to $1,000, accessioning of artifact collections, educational programming, research, exhibits, and website design and maintenance. The maximum grant award is $2,500.

“Arkansas’s small museums and historical organizations play a vital role in preserving places and items that have shaped Arkansas’s history,” said Marty Ryall, director of Arkansas Heritage. “These grants provide funds that help them to continue to tell the story of our shared heritage.”