The Heritage Network

The two burning questions (in my mind) are 1) How can we accept financial contributions to our grant project right now and count them in the application and 2) How should a research grant application be structured? 

The logical route for private contributions to the Preserve America Crossroads project is through the Stevens County Historical Society, who would be administering any funds given o the County by Preserve America.  We want to count any private donations of time or money that we get for that project before we submit a grant application (in June) as a part of our 50% match for the grant.  The question is: If a 501-c3 like SCHS takes money and redirects it to another cause like Preserve America, is it overstepping it's role as a non-profit and becoming a foundation?  I am seeking legal advise on that and if any of you have something to contribute on the topic, here it is on a forum so we can discuss it. 

On the research Grant stucture.  Have any of you readers seen or participated in a research grant?  There are questions on how to quantify the output, how to demostrate professional oversight and how do budget for travel, communications, office expenses etc.  So there you have it.  Lets see if this actually becomes a discussion. 

We are making some progress on these two questions.  After a meeting with the Stevens County Commissioners and Auditor Tim Gray on Monday Feb. 25th, we have an arrangement with the county to put any money contributed to Preserve America into the General Fund.  This will make it available to Preserve America projects.  Tim recommends that we set up a project review procedure to protect us from misappropriation of funds.  This will take any financial responsibility away from the Stevens County Historical Society and the Heritage Network.  It does create a need however to set up a financial review committee.

On the down side, David Baker at the National Park Service in Washington DC says that we cannot count any work or contributions expended before the actual period of the grant as part of the matching funds.  It will probably be a good idea to continue to keep track of these contributions, but we will need to look for time and money commitments to use with the grant application.

David Baker says he will send a paper copy of an appropriate sample grant application.