Monthly Archives: April 2020

The International Sports Heritage Association is pleased to announce that it is taking applications for a Special Project Grant for 2020. Up to $2,000 is available.

In these uncertain times as a result of the Covid-19 Pandemic, the Board of Directors and the Grant Committee realize that projects at member organizations need to continue. Therefore, the Special Project grant recipient will be announced in August.

“With all of our institutions closed because of the Coronavirus, and as world leaders strategize a safe re-opening strategy, we are trying to keep ISHA business flowing as normal as possible for our members,” ISHA Board President Bryan Morry said. “We continue to follow all guidelines and examine scenarios as they unfold, but the board felt strongly that the Special Project grant should be awarded as it annually has been thanks to donations to the Founders’ Fund that supports all ISHA grants.”

Past projects include preservation of a Western Show collection at the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy, improved storage for the Saskatchewan Hall of Fame and Museum, and a digitization project at the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

Applications for member Conference Travel Grants and Conference-only grants will be made available as soon as Directors determine the status of the annual Conference planned for October in Newport, RI. Conference planning continues with a decision on its status to be made no later than August 15.

The Special Project Grant is supported through the ISHA Founders’ Fund and helps finance museum activities intended to address at least one of the following:

· Increase collection capacity

· Increase public access

· Improve documentation

· Increase awareness

· Improve preservation

· Increase interpretation

The grant is available to all regular institutional members of ISHA. Preference will be given to those in most financial need. Additional eligibility requirements are listed on the grant application. The application may be found on the ISHA Website at https://sportsheritage.org/isha-grants/ and should be submitted prior to June 30 at [email protected].

Applicants may receive a maximum of one (1) Special Project Grant within a five-year period. A grant will only be awarded once for any specific topic within an organization.

Personal and corporate Founders Fund donations may be made by contacting Karen Bednarski, executive director, at 541-991-7315 or at ISHA, PO Box 1321, Danville, KY, 40423. Donations and money raised through a Silent Auction and Reverse Raffle support the Founders Fund.

We understand that this is a difficult time for many individuals and organizations in our membership but wanted to give an update concerning the 50th ISHA Conference, scheduled for October 21-23, 2020, at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, RI. The Conference Committee has been meeting diligently and is still planning and preparing for the conference on that date. However, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing economic impact on many of our organizations, we are also aware that hosting our conference as we have historically done might not be a possibility this year.

A determination on whether or not the 50th ISHA Conference will take place in Newport in October 2020 will be made by the ISHA Board of Directors no later than August 15, 2020. Until that determination is made, the Conference Committee will continue to work as normal to host the Conference during the regularly scheduled time.

If we cannot host the 50th ISHA Conference as scheduled, provisions will be made for a “virtual conference” this year.

Regardless of how it happens, the ISHA Conference Committee is determined to provide the membership with the best possible continuing education experience that we can. We continue to monitor the Covid-19 situation and remain hopeful that we will all be able to get together in Newport while also preparing for virtual education sessions. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, about this year’s 50th ISHA Conference, please don’t hesitate to call or email anytime.