NTHP Awards CRMA Preservation Grant from Jeffris Heartland Fund
Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Janaury 2011)—The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art (CRMA) has been awarded a $9,000 grant by the Midwest Office of the National Trust for Historic Preservation from the Jeffris Heartland Fund. The seed money is a matching grant for the Decorative Arts Analysis & Interior Restoration Plan for the Grant Wood Studio.
The project to develop a Decorative Arts Analysis & Interior Restoration Plan for the Grant Wood Studio calls for an architect to prepare existing conditions drawings, conduct a new field investigation of the studio, and make written recommendations for architectural restoration. Although a Historic Structure Report was done in 2003, previous preservation work on the Studio has led to new discoveries and questions that need to be incorporated into the interior restoration. The architect is Rick Seely, project architect from OPN Architects, Inc. Des Moines, who specializes in historic preservation projects.
“Funding made possible by the Jeffris Family Foundation for the Jeffris Heartland Fund will help towns across the Midwest preserve the historic places that have anchored their communities for generations,” said Stephanie Meeks, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “At a time when the national economy is experiencing profound challenges, funding from sources like the Jeffris Family Foundation is especially critical to ensure that the historic fabric of our smaller towns is not lost forever.”
For over ten years, the Jeffris Family Foundation has served as a catalyst to community support for historic preservation by making capital challenge grants to community-based projects in Wisconsin. In 2008, the Jeffris Heartland Fund was established to expand its scope to the entire Midwest, including the states of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin. Grants are awarded to nonprofit groups and public agencies, with priority going to projects in smaller cities and towns where funding sources are typically more limited.
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About Cedar Rapids Museum of Art
The mission of the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art is to excite, engage and educate our community and visitors through our collection, exhibitions and programs. The Museum’s collection contains more than 5,600 works of art by hundreds of artists, including the world's largest collection of works by Grant Wood. For more information on exhibitions or related programs call the Museum at 319.366.7503 or visit the Museum's web site at www.crma.org. Museum Hours: noon to 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday; noon to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday; 10:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. on Saturday.
About the National Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation (www.PreservationNation.org) is a non-profit membership organization bringing people together to protect, enhance and enjoy the places that matter to them. By saving the places where great moments from history – and the important moments of everyday life – took place, the National Trust for Historic Preservation helps revitalize neighborhoods and communities, spark economic development and promote environmental sustainability. With headquarters in Washington, DC, nine regional and field offices, 29 historic sites, and partner organizations in all 50 states, the National Trust for Historic Preservation provides leadership, education, advocacy and resources to a national network of people, organizations and local communities committed to saving places, connecting us to our history and collectively shaping the future of America’s stories.