The William G. Pomeroy Foundation is now accepting online applications for its Legends & Lore® Marker Grant Program, which helps communities promote cultural tourism by highlighting their local folklore and legends with fully-funded roadside markers.
“Legends & Lore markers create opportunities for meaningful conversations and community awareness surrounding folklore and legends,” said Deryn Pomeroy, Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Pomeroy Foundation. “The Pomeroy Foundation encourages communities to consider how local and regional cultural traditions might gain further recognition through the public spotlight of a Legends & Lore roadside marker.”
The Legends & Lore grant applications will be accepted through Monday, October 16. Grant funding includes the full cost of a marker, pole and shipping. Prospective applicants must apply through a 501(c)(3) organization such as a historical society, nonprofit academic institution, or local, state, or federal government entities in the following states where the program has a Legends & Lore partner organization: Alabama, Connecticut, Idaho, Louisiana, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont and West Virginia.
To review program guidelines and details about how to apply online, visit https://www.wgpfoundation.org/history/legends-lore/.
Since the program was launched in 2015, the Pomeroy Foundation has funded more than 160 Legends & Lore markers across multiple states nationwide. Current marker examples highlight a wide range of subject matter, from folk heroes and folk songs to cultural phenomena and stories told for generations.
“Legends & Lore markers elevate the characters and stories we often forget to celebrate, yet are so pivotal to community identity,” said Emily Blejwas, Executive Director of the Alabama Folklife Association, which is among the 14 Legends & Lore partner organizations. “That’s the power of this program: it brings the herbal healers, beneficent outlaws and freedom fighters from the vague background to center stage of our shared heritage.”
The Pomeroy Foundation is also seeking potential Legends & Lore partners such as folklore organizations, folklore-related academic departments, and state supported councils and agencies to evaluate grant applications and raise program awareness in their state. To learn more about Legends & Lore partnerships, go to https://www.wgpfoundation.org/history/legends-lore/our-partners/.
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