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Backgrounder/Fact Sheet
Q: What is the Preserve America Grant program?
A: The Preserve
America Grant program, a White House initiative that began in 2006, is administered
by the Department of the Interior’s National
Park Service in partnership with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.
Preserve American gives grants for innovative activities and programs that
promote heritage tourism and serve as models for other communities. For more
information, visit: www.preserveamerica.gov.
Q: What will the Journey Through Hallowed Ground (JTHG) Preserve America Grant
be used for?
A: The JTHG Preserve America Grant will be used to develop and launch an
extensive frontline hospitality training/professional development program
in anticipation of the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War, which begins in
2009. The goal is to begin training frontline hospitality professionals in
the spring of 2009 and throughout the Sesquicentennial commemoration, which
ends in 2015.
Q: How will the JTHG Preserve America Grant benefit the region?
A:
It’s simple. We will provide in-depth training to people who interact
with visitors. This training will help staff engage visitors—who, in
turn, will stay longer and spend more at sites. The grant will encourage economic
development by promoting the characteristics of communities and historic downtowns
along the Journey that make them unique. JTHG Partnership will oversee the
program to make sure that the message is consistent and that each individual
gets the necessary training. We want to create a seamless visitor experience.
We will do this by bringing together those who interact with our visitors.
People who are on the “front line” at the counter of a B&B,
in the visitors center of one of our many parks or heritage sites. As we plan
programs to attract visitors from around the country, and the world, to visit
this region during the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War, we want to be sure
that they are afforded every opportunity to learn more about this magnificent
region, so they’ll stay longer, or return to explore other areas of interests.
The goal is to spread good word of mouth and encourage others to Take the Journey.
Q: How Many People will be trained in this program?
A: This
grant covers the first two years of this multi-year program and will train
4,000 people. By 2015 the goal is to have trained 10,000. The JTHG Partnership’s
intent extends beyond the length of this grant and the Partnership will continue
to pursue funding to make this training available in years to come.
Q: Who was involved in the application process for the JTHG Preserve America
Grant?
A: The JTHG Preserve America Grant application was successfully submitted
by Robert Carter, with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources in collaboration
with the JTHG Partnership. And the grant was awarded to the Virginia Department
of Historic Resources in partnership with the Journey Through Hallowed Ground
Partnership.
Q: How much funding is included in the JTHG Preserve America Grant?
A: The Grant will provide $236,165 in federal funding. The Partnership will
match this amount, dollar for dollar, with non-federal funds. To date, many
of our Partners, including The Loudoun Convention and Visitors Association,
The Tourism Council of Frederick, The Virginia Tourism Corporation and the
Gettysburg Convention and Visitors Bureau have already pledged funding to support
this important program.
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