Small-Museum Grant Awarded to Buffalo Island Museum

On Tuesday, July 31, Monette Mayor Chub Qualls (third from left) was in Little Rock to receive a Small Arkansas Museum grant on behalf of the Buffalo Island Museum in Monette. The grants were announced during a ceremony at the Arkansas Studies Institute, 401 President Clinton Avenue, Little Rock. Presenting the grant were Archie Moore and Pat Ramsey (far L to R), members of the Arkansas Humanities Council, and Cathie Matthews (right), director of the Department of Arkansas Heritage. This is the third year that the agencies have partnered to fund and administer the grant program targeted at small Arkansas museums. Janie Miller and Royal Tilley, (between Qualls and Matthews), also represented the museum.

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On Tuesday, July 31, 22 organizations received a Small Arkansas Museum grant. The grants were announced during a ceremony at the Arkansas Studies Institute, 401 President Clinton Avenue, Little Rock. Buffalo Island Museum in Monette was one of the recipients.

Presenting the grants were Cathie Matthews, director of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, and Paul Austin, director of the Arkansas Humanities Council. This is the third year that the agencies have partnered to fund and administer the grant program targeted at small Arkansas museums.

"As our staff travels the state, we are always impressed with the efforts of many small communities to keep their heritage alive for future generations," said Matthews, "and we are delighted that these funds can help support those endeavors."

Thirty organizations applied for the grants, Austin indicated. "Local history is the bedrock of the humanities, and we are very pleased to be able to offer support to the small Arkansas museums in their efforts to promote and protect their local histories. Administering this program is a real boost for our work across the state, and we are proud to be a part of the Small Museums Project," he said.

To be eligible for the grants of up to $2,500, applicants had to be non-profit museums or historical societies with annual operating budgets of up to $250,000 and at least one staff person, either paid or unpaid. Staff time must be devoted primarily to the care of the museum and its collections, and the museum must be open to the public at least 90 days per year.

Other grants presented were to Eddie Mae Herron Center, Pocaohontas; Calico Rock Museum, Calico Rock; Randolph County Museum, Pocahontas; Dallas County Museum, Fordyce; Nevada County Depot and Museum, Prescott; Arkansas Livestock Show Association, Little Rock; Newton County Historical Society, Jasper; Two Rivers Museum, Pocahontas; Sevier County Historical Society, DeQueen; Central Delta Historical Society, Brinkley; Scott Connections, Scott; Fort Smith Museum of History, Fort Smith; Winslow Museum, Winslow; Fort Smith Heritage Foundation, Fort Smith; Little Rock Air Force Base Foundation, Jacksonville; Desha County Museum, Dumas; Dermott Historical Museu,, Dermott; Benton County Historical Society, Bentonville; Siloam Springs Museum, Siloam Springs; Altus Historical Society, Altus, and Lonoke County Museum, Lonoke.

The next funding cycle will open in Spring 2013. For more information on the grant process, contact the Arkansas Humanities Council at (501) 320-5761.