Heritage Conservation Council awards total of $250,000 in grants to 22 community projects

The Douglas County Heritage Conservation Council (HCC) announces the recipients of the 2026 Natural and Cultural Heritage grant program after receiving approval from the Board of County Commissioners on April 15. A total of $250,000 was awarded to 22 projects.

"The Natural and Cultural Heritage Grant Program continues to be a critical funding source for important heritage conservation projects across Douglas County,” Heritage Conservation Coordinator Kaitlyn Ammerlaan said. “Spanning many different topics and places across the county, this year’s award recipients will host community events and uplift living heritage, protect heritage resources that may soon be lost, and promote and share our rich heritage stories to both residents and visitors."

There were two grant categories:
• Target grants, which support projects that have a significant and lasting impact on the conservation of the county’s natural and cultural resources. Eleven projects were awarded a total of $210,000.
• Seed grants, which support smaller-scale projects. Eleven projects were awarded $40,000.

Target grants

The following projects received target grants:

• Douglas County Historical Society, $35,000, for “Stories of Resilience” exhibitions that will explore experiences of Indigenous Peoples and their relationships with other groups in Douglas County across time. It will be displayed on the second floor of Watkins Museum of History.

• Haskell Indian Nations University, $35,000, to support a powwow and community buffalo harvest and feed that will commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the Haskell Stadium and Arch. This community-led event will bring together Native students, alumni, tribal leaders, artists, and the public to honor the past, celebrate the present and inspire future generations.

• Native Lands Restoration Collaborative, Inc., $30,000, for restoration of the woodlands encompassing Burroughs Creek to native plant life. This project will connect restoration work at Haskell Indian Nations University campus to the public lands of Lawrence, providing education on native landscapes and the connections with native plants in our region.

• KU Museum Studies (KU Center for Research, Inc.), $26,600, to pay a graduate assistant from KU’s Museum Studies masters’ program to conduct preservation, documentation and publicity activities relating to the historic collections of the Haskell Cultural Center and Museum, which include 3,000 Native American historical artifacts, photographs and artworks, making them more accessible to the community.

• Outdoors Unscripted, $20,000, to support five artist commissions and present five public events that invite residents to explore prairie ecosystems, river corridors and rural heritage sites through art, storytelling and hands-on discovery.

• Kapwa Leadership, $19,200, to commission Native artists through The Douglas County Native Mural Mentorship Project to create garage-door-scale public murals across Lawrence by pairing each artist with a paid intern to build the next generation of public art practitioners.

• Kansas Biological Survey (KU Center for Research, Inc.), $13,000, to conduct research and develop mobile educational kits and create an exhibit for the Baker Wetlands Discovery Center that highlights the variety of freshwater mussels found in the Wakarusa River including themes related to river ecology, threats to the mussel populations and historical significance regarding tribal uses of mussels.

• United Cemetery Association, $12,200, to hire a professional restoration service to clean and restore grave markers dating from the late 1800s to the early 1900s in the Appanoose Cemetery.

• Lawrence Model Railroad Club, $10,000, to create a model railroad to educate the public about the historical significance of railroading in the development and growth of Douglas County.

• Botanical Belonging, $5,000, to develop and implement a school-based native garden and prairie education initiative in partnership with USD 497 and the Environmental Studies Program at the University of Kansas through educational workshops, installation of native plant gardens on school grounds and long-term stewardship practices.

• Fisch Bowl Inc., $4,000, for a collaboration between Open Studios and the Haskell Cultural Center and Museum to partner with landlords who own vacant storefronts to offer indigenous artists free studios to share their art, history and culture with the public launching in time for the World Cup.

Seed grants

The following projects received seed grants:

• Lawrence Arts Center, $5,000, for The La Yarda children’s book which will tell the story and history of the East Lawrence Mexican American community that was housed by the Santa Fe Railroad between 1920-1951.

• Prairie City Cemetery Association, $5,000, to support Phase 2 of the Prairie City Cemetery Preservation & Heritage Project, preserving 95 of the cemetery’s historic tombstones.

• Kaw Valley Prescribed Burn Association, $4,500, for necessary equipment to support a newly-formed Prescribed Burn Association, a group of landowners who help each other with prescribed burning to benefit wildlife, combat woody encroachment and re-establish native habitat.

• Harvestry by Hand, $4,000, to host seasonal events about the heritage craft of wool making and weaving.

• Lawrence Public Library, $4,000, for educational programs about native plants and landscapes in the community and to increase access to the plants.

• Sparks on the Creek, $4,000, for the return and expansion of the Firefly Festival along Burroughs Creek in Lawrence.

• Great Blue Heron, Inc., $3,000, to create or improve canoe and kayak access points on Rock Creek above Clinton Reservoir.

• Douglas County Extension Master Gardeners, $3,000, to create gravel pathways for the new native and medicinal garden.

• Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, $2,725, for the third annual Traditions Fest in honor of Minority Mental Health Month to expand the event into a community-building gathering for team members and clients.

• Operation Wildlife Inc., $2,500, to purchase and distribute educational yard signs that prompt pet owners to take steps to protect birds and wildlife in their backyards.

• Lumberyard Arts Center, Inc., $2,275, for a program that invites residents to explore conserved and historically significant landscapes and respond through creative expression.

Since the program launched in 2011, Douglas County has awarded more than $3.6 million to over 150 projects. A story map of past projects is available at http://dgcoks.gov/hcc/grantmap.

For more information about these grants and the Douglas Heritage Conservation Council, visit: https://www.dgcoks.gov/hcc.