Minnesota Historical Society outlines grants, digital access and $61.5 million request from legacy funds

The Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) presented an overview of legacy‑funded history programs and a funding request to the House Legacy Committee on March 5, asking legislators to consider combined appropriations totaling $61.5 million for the next biennium.

Director and CEO Kent Whitworth, Vice President David Kelleher and Executive Vice President Avi Viswanathan described how legacy history money supports statewide grants, digitization and public programs. Kelleher told the committee the society has administered roughly 3,400 grants since the creation of the legacy amendment; Whitworth highlighted a return‑on‑investment estimate that every history legacy dollar produces about $2 in economic benefit.

Why it matters: MNHS‑administered grants and programs preserve historic structures and collections, support local history organizations across all 87 counties, expand digital access to historic newspapers and fund exhibitions and K‑12 learning resources. Committee members asked about outreach, inclusion of Southeast Asian histories, and programs to reduce visitation costs for low‑income Minnesotans.

Items MNHS presented to the committee included:

- Grants and geographic reach: The Statewide Historical and Cultural Heritage (SHCH) competitive grant program supports museum collections, public programs and historic preservation. Staff said grants have reached all 87 counties and total roughly $83 million distributed over the life of the legacy amendment.

- Structure and oversight: The Historic Resources Advisory Committee (15 citizen volunteers) reviews and scores applications; grants over $50,000 require site visits or presentations; MNHS staff produce a grants manual and run applicant workshops and pre‑award outreach.

- Digital access and preservation: MNHS reported approximately 7 million pages of Minnesota newspapers digitized on its platform, covering many languages and spanning from pre‑statehood to near‑present.

- Targeted and one‑time grants: MNHS described a one‑time $400,000 grant program to commemorate 50 years of Southeast Asian communities in Minnesota. The program received 37 applications requesting about $2 million; 11 grantees were funded and MNHS used partnership agreements and additional funds to broaden inclusion across Hmong, Lao, Cambodian and Vietnamese communities.

- Reducing financial barriers: MNHS described participation in Museums for All, instituting several free days and reinstating free Thursday evenings at the Minnesota History Center to lower cost barriers for visitors.

Funding request and totals presented: MNHS requested the following biennial appropriations from the Arts and Cultural Heritage (legacy) Fund: $26 million for the SHCH competitive grants program; $26 million for statewide MNHS programs; $7.5 million for history partnerships; $1 million for the statewide historical and archaeological survey; and $1 million for the Minnesota Digital Library — a $61.5 million total. MNHS said the request was framed as roughly one‑third of the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund allocation, noting that the constitutional allocation to arts and cultural heritage is a major component of legacy funding.

Committee members praised digitization work and the Southeast Asian grants while several legislators thanked MNHS staff for outreach to diverse communities and emphasized the educational value of broader public access.

Next steps: MNHS requested the Legislature consider the proposed appropriations during the budget process. The committee did not vote on MNHS requests at the March 5 meeting; MNHS staff said they would be available for follow‑up conversations with members and staff.