Examples of Grant Applications

Less Successful Example of a Narrative/Project Summary:

Five counties in the area have come together to make a commitment to renovate the classic style old County Jail (built in 1939) in the historic downtown for use as the museum. The primary focus of the five partner counties is on education/history/entertainment tourism not only for the judicial museum, but also for the museum as a link to other attractions on the scenic byway and surrounding area, such as the attractions on the Scenic Byway in partner counties. The major subject of the museum is the judicial process; starting with the law making process then with law enforcement, the court system and finally punishment/rehabilitation. Story boards will also cover the judicial process relative to attractions on all three Scenic Byways.

The town and County have recruited other major local and state government and institutional partners to this project, including, State University, Public Broadcasting, local and Supreme Court Judges and Justices, Department of Public Safety, and local school and law enforcement agencies. (See attached letters of support for the museum.)

The local community has been successful in obtaining several state grants in making improvements to the interior and exterior of the former County Jail. In July, 2001, the County received a grant from the Heritage Program to repair the roof that was necessary to save the building from further deterioration. In June, 2007, the County received a grant for other exterior renovations and improvements to the interior of the building (see attached photo with the Governor).  The County, the City, the Better Hometown Program and the Byway Commission have also committed funds to building and site renovations.

Finally, in April, 2008, the Hometown Program received a Garden Club grant to complete restoration of the old jail garden. In short, there is an enormous state and local investment that has been made to the museum project to date.

The museum will cover two floors of approximately 2,000 sq. ft. each in the old County Jail building. The first floor, which was the original living quarters of the sheriff and his family will consist of a media room, separate display area with story boards on the walls and artifacts and other story boards in secure display cases, offices and a snack bar. The second floor that contains the jail cells and much of the original graffiti will include story boards and other displays that depict life in the five participating counties, including the scenic byway over 50 years ago with specific references to the judicial process.

The National Scenic Byways Program grant would be used to secure the following interpretive materials for the museum:

• Media Room
  1. Projector, Screen, Laptop, and Associated Equipment
  2. Digital Video Camera
  3. Professional Fees for Taping Narrative
  4. Seating for 24; including tables and chairs
  5. 8 Story Boards, 3' x 2'
• First Floor Display Area:
  1. 8 Secure Display Cases
  2. 20 Story Boards, 3' x 2'
  3. 10 Story Boards, 1 1/2 x 2'
  4. Artifacts and Display Items
• Second Floor Display Area
  1. 6 Story Boards, 3' x 2'
  2. Displays, Period Clothing and Mannequins

A sample of the museum quality display boards that would be secured by the Scenic Byway Grant is attached. The materials that will be placed on the story boards and in the display cases funded by this grant will be donated by a variety of local, state and private entities (see attachments).

The Scenic Byway Grant will also be used to develop marketing materials, such as, 1). brochures that include information on the interpretive material in the museum for distribution to the visitor as he/she enters the building; and 2). print and media advertising to convey the interpretive message so to attract visitors to the museum; and to purchase two museum interpretive identification signs.

The proposed project will be located directly on the scenic byway, thus the traveler will not have to venture off the highway to visit the museum. While inside the museum, the traveler will be educated about the judicial process beginning from the law making process all the way through time of punishment/rehabilitation of the inmate. The story boards and artifacts on display on the first and second floors along with the video in the media room and the brochures will give the traveler an outstanding historical and cultural perspective of: 1). famous judicial events and crimes that occurred in these counties including those that occurred on all three Scenic Byways; 2). the role the sheriff played in this process, how he and family lived in the building and interacted with the inmates, the importance of the garden to the sheriff's residence and jail complex; and 3). the inner workings of the local and state court systems, including the first court sessions and documents dating back to 1806-08 and rulings and decisions that were handed down by these important bodies. In addition, because of the impact of a Native American effigy mound on the Byway, there will be a storyboard dedicated to Native American justice.

As shown on the attached brochure that was developed as part of the Scenic Byway marketing program funded by a National Scenic Byways Program grant, the byway traveler would be able to take a ride through history along 6 loop routes on or near the Byway, and will be able to visit the 1st County Seat, Courthouse and Jail Site for all of the partner counties that on the County portion of the Byway with its respective markers and displays. Loop #2: The Historic Downtown Loop contains the proposed Judicial Museum.  While in the Historic Downtown Loop, the byway traveler will be within the National Register Historic District that features over 100 antebellum and Victorian structures that are currently being used for residential and commercial purposes (a map illustrating the National Register District with the proposed Museum highlighted is attached.) He/She would also be able to take the self-guided historic walking tour that would include the Judicial Museum.

Improvements to the old County Jail building and the family garden is part of an overall plan by the Better Hometown Program, the Byway Commission, the County Board of Commissioners and the City to improve the streetscape along Marion Street. A map illustrating this streetscape plan is attached. Such improvements are designed to enhance the traveler's experience in downtown, and in particular the scenic byway.

In should be noted that the Judicial Museum is a project sponsored by X County and four surrounding counties. In addition to being an important educational and historical institution, the museum is being viewed by these sponsoring counties as a key entertainment and tourist attraction that will provide a link to the other attractions in these counties, most of which are along one of the three Scenic Byways. The Promotional materials on these attractions will be made available at the museum as well as the respective Chambers of Commerce.

The byway traveler will have the opportunity to visit and tour two other designated scenic byways in this area. In essence, the Judicial Museum becomes a multi-county and three-scenic byway trailhead.

The Judicial Museum will add to the relevance and value of the Scenic Byway by significantly enhancing the Byway's historical and cultural intrinsic qualities, and by implementing key segments of the Corridor Management Plan.

Historic Intrinsic Qualities' Enhancement- The Downtown Historic District is one of the most important historical intrinsic qualities on the Byway. The building in which the Judicial Museum will be housed is a contributing structure within this District, and is the anchor to the western portion of the District. Improving the exterior and interior appearance and creating a meaningful use for the property will maintain the structure's significance within the District, and greatly enhance the historical intrinsic quality of the Byway.

Cultural Intrinsic Qualities' Enhancement- This museum will not only describe in detail the judicial process that took place in the participating counties and in the State over time, but also will reveal how this process impacted and shaped the lives of the people who administered the process, as well as those who were on the receiving end of this process. The judicial process in the South, and in particular the region had a profound impact on the daily lives and culture of the residents in this area. It is this relationship that the museum will attempt to convey to the current residents and the byway traveler, thus making this institution an important cultural contribution to both the scenic byway and the partnering counties.

In relation to implementing key portions of the Corridor Management Plan:

1. Under Preservation and Enhancement Strategies section of the CMP, it states that the Commission will "apply for property improvement facade grants and restoration programs for structures along the byway." This application addresses this strategy by establishing a restoration program and a productive use for an outstanding historical structure on the Byway. The Judicial Museum is specifically mentioned as a project, "...historic sites as a basis for interpretive materials and programs, such as the Judicial Museum in the Old County Jail."
2. Under the Culture Preservation and Enhancement Strategies section of the CMP, museums are listed as one means that the Commission will use to preserve and enhance the cultural qualities of the scenic byway. It is through this application, the Commission is expressing its commitment to initiate the implementation of this strategy.