Does your community have a great piece of folklore that should be shared? Legends & Lore is designed to promote cultural tourism and commemorate legends and folklore as part of the heritage.
Donor Name: William G. Pomeroy Foundation
State: Selected States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 04/29/2024
Size of the Grant: Not Available
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
Generally speaking, folklore is the stories, customs, traditions, and expressive arts and crafts that are passed on from one person to another, often from generation to generation. Folklore is the knowledge that people share as members of a group or community. The shared identities and sense of belonging are the result of shared traditions, stories, customs, and activities.
Categories
Successful Legends & Lore marker applications typically fall within three main categories:
- Folktale — Fictional stories passed down about people or events not proven to have existed. (e.g. Thirteen Curves, Champy, Headless Horseman, Tramping Ground)
- Legends — Stories passed down that are popularly regarded as historical although not verifiable. (e.g. John Henry, Grancer’s Ghost, Betsy’s Ride, Natty Bumppo, “Natty Bumppo”)
- Folklife — Traditions such as music, skills, crafts, and events passed along within a community. Often involving real people that can be verified with primary sources. (e.g. “Goose Day,” The Arborglyphs, Dennis McGee, Herbs & Healing, Folk Singer)
Subjects which are not successful include:
- Historical events lacking a folkloric aspect
- Purely literary creations
- Personal/family folklore which does not extend to the greater community.
Eligibility Criteria
- Legends & Lore grants are available to 501(c)(3) organizations, nonprofit academic institutions, and local, state and federal government entities within the United States. Interested individuals are encouraged to contact an eligible local organization, such as an applicable historical society or folklore-related nonprofit. They will often apply for the grant on behalf of the individual.
- Please note that Legends & Lore is currently available in the following 14 states: Alabama, Connecticut, Idaho, Louisiana, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont and West Virginia.
Applications must include the following:
- the applying agency’s information
- contact information for the person responsible for the application
- proposed installation location in specific detail (including GPS coordinates)
- a brief description and significance of the folklore being commemorated
- proposed inscription for marker
- a letter from the landowner granting permission for the marker to be installed
- documentation supporting proposed marker inscription.
For more information, visit William G. Pomeroy Foundation.