HERITAGE FOUNDATION EDUCATION INITIATIVES ENHANCED WITH HUMANITIES TENNESSEE GRANT
FRANKLIN, TN (October 13, 2022) – The education initiatives of the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County were recently bolstered through a Humanities Tennessee grant. Grant funds will be used to sustain free public offerings, support education staff development, and lay the groundwork for new historic preservation advocacy workshops in 2023. The department’s programs include the annual Preservation Symposium, quarterly Warwick Lecture Series, Practical Preservation Series, Countywide historic research, and the Jr. Heritage education program.
Humanities Tennessee received funds through the American Rescue Plan (SHARP), provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities. The program distributed more than $940,000 in grants to organizations across Tennessee. As a grant recipient, the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County received $11,936 to aid with education staff and its ongoing educational initiatives, leveraging operational support that will assist as the Heritage Foundation plans for the future.
“Helping the community engage with historic preservation and history education are core tenants of the Heritage Foundation,” commented Rachael Finch, Senior Director of Preservation and Education for the Heritage Foundation. “We work to elevate experts across a variety of public history disciplines available so that best practices may be learned and applied for the betterment of Williamson County, and we thank Humanities Tennessee for supporting these vital efforts.”
The mission of Humanities Tennessee is to foster community and civility in Tennessee through public programs that examine and reflect upon ideas, stories, history, arts, and culture. They partner with a variety of organizations across the state who encourage community dialogue and activities that push us to think deeper and develop mutual respect and understanding for each other. For more information, visit www.HumanitiesTennessee.org.
For more information about the education offerings of the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County, visit www.WilliamsonHeritage.org.
# # #
ABOUT THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY
Since 1967, the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County has been dedicated to preserving Williamson County’s architectural, geographic and cultural heritage as well as promoting the ongoing revitalization of downtown Franklin in the context of historic preservation. Notable projects include The Franklin Theatre, Roper’s Knob, parts of the Franklin battlefield and the Old, Old Jail. Events and festivals produced by the Heritage Foundation such as Main Street Festival, the Heritage Ball, PumpkinFest and Dickens of a Christmas bring an estimated 300,000+ locals and visitors to downtown Franklin each year that creates more a $8 million dollar economic impact annually. The Heritage Foundation owns and operates The Franklin Theatre, Downtown Franklin Association, Franklin Grove Estate & Gardens, and its newest entity: The History & Culture Center of Williamson County. For more information about the Heritage Foundation, visit www.williamsonheritage.org.
