CLEVELAND — The Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area (MDNHA), with support from the National Park Service and the Mississippi Development Authority, opened its next round of Cultural Heritage Grant applications on Wednesday, May 13. Grant awards of up to $25,000 are available, and applications will be accepted through June 12, 2026.
The program provides funding for projects that preserve, interpret, and celebrate the rich and complex heritage of the Mississippi Delta while supporting community development and cultural tourism across the region.
MDNHA’s mission is to preserve, perpetuate, and celebrate the Mississippi Delta’s heritage by fostering collaboration that strengthens Delta communities and their economies.
“We are excited to launch this next round of funding and support new, impactful projects across the Mississippi Delta,” said Stephanie Patton, MDNHA board chair. “These grants help bring local stories to life, strengthen community identity, and enhance cultural heritage tourism throughout the region.”
Successful applications must align with one or more of MDNHA’s five cultural heritage themes:
1. The Mississippi River and the Land It Embraces – The Mississippi River and the alluvial floodplain it formed created the ecological conditions that shaped the Delta. Projects should interpret human connections to the region’s ecology.
2. The Culture of the Blues – From Charlie Patton to B.B. King, the Mississippi Delta is internationally known as the Birthplace of the Blues. Projects should explore and interpret the history and cultural legacy of the Blues in the Delta.
3. Moving Toward Freedom: Changing America’s Character in the Struggle for Rights – The Civil Rights Movement in the Mississippi Delta was driven by people working to build better lives for their families and communities. Projects should explore the complex and enduring legacy of this struggle.
4. Growing More Than Cotton: The Delta as a Wellspring of Creativity – Beyond the Blues, the Delta has produced influential artists across literature, sculpture, and the culinary arts. Projects should highlight the region’s diverse creative traditions.
5. The Delta Divide: Creating the Delta’s Diverse Communities – The Delta’s migratory history has created rich multicultural communities. From long-established African-American, Lebanese, Chinese, Jewish, and Italian populations to a growing Latino community, projects should interpret these diverse cultural stories.
Designated by Congress in 2009, MDNHA is one of 62 National Heritage Areas in the United States. It represents a partnership between the people of the Mississippi Delta and the National Park Service, working to tell nationally significant stories through community-based collaboration.
The MDNHA includes 18 counties within the alluvial floodplain: Bolivar, Carroll, Coahoma, DeSoto, Holmes, Humphreys, Issaquena, Leflore, Panola, Quitman, Sharkey, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tunica, Warren, Washington, and Yazoo.
For more information or to apply, visit www.msdeltaheritage.com or contact Dr. Christy Riddle, interim executive director, at info@msdeltaheritage.com.
