JNPA has recently embarked on a new way to help the National Park Service protect our nation’s treasures.  Starting this month, we are partnering with NPS in an annual federal grant program aimed at preserving the unique culture and heritage of the Delta region.  Known as the Lower Mississippi Delta Initiative (LMDI), this effort provides Local Heritage Grants for small-scale cultural and historical projects in the Delta. 

The Lower Mississippi Delta Region is the cradle of a rich artistic, indigenous, musical, and literary heritage, brimming with stories that testify to both our nation’s diversity and its struggles.  Helping preserve the region’s historic and cultural treasures was the intent of a 1994 federal law which created the grant initiative.  Congress directed NPS to provide funding to protect, preserve, and interpret the irreplaceable cultural assets of local communities in the Delta, especially those that highlight the legacy of underrepresented peoples.

Over the years, more than 240 not-for-profit cultural groups and programs have benefited from LMDI grants, benefitting such diverse projects as blues festivals, archeological sites, and history museums.  These in turn have not only generated local pride but have also brought new tourism dollars to many Delta communities.  And now, JNPA is co-administering this important grant program with NPS.

The 2022 grant application process is underway, and eligible applicants are invited to apply before May 20^th. Details on projects that are eligible for funding, are available here.

JNPA is proud to be involved in this worthy endeavor, and we look forward to seeing the impact that the LMDI grants will have, says President & CEO David Grove: “We are pleased to partner with the National Park Service in ensuring that communities throughout the Delta will have an opportunity to preserve and promote the culture and heritage of this important vibrant region.”