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Thu, February 27, 2014

Grant for Alaska History

Cook Inlet Historical Society Brian Davies Memorial Grant for Alaska History

Range of Awards:  $400 — $1,000

Brian Davies (1940-2012) grew up on his family’s farm in north Herefordshire, England, close to the Welsh border hills. He attended Trinity College, Dublin, graduating with a degree in geology and was hired by British Petroleum (BP).  In 1971, BP sent him to Alaska where he met his wife, Sharon.  In 1979, Brian was transferred to San Francisco, and then to Houston.  In 1990, Brian and Sharon made their permanent return to Anchorage.  Sharon was the first Alaskan in their family and her love for the state helped make it their home.

Brian served as chairperson of the building committee for the Anchorage Museum’s recent expansion project and dedicated twelve years to the effort.  He developed a deep commitment to the Museum, and was serving on the Museum Foundation and the Museum Association Board at the time of his death.  The temporary exhibits gallery, the Brian E. Davies Chugach Gallery, is named in his honor.  Brian served as vice president of the Cook Inlet Historical Society for nearly two decades before his death.  Sharon and Brian were instrumental in helping the Society bring the compelling American Museum of Natural History exhibition on the legendary Antarctic voyage of Sir Ernest Shackleton to the Anchorage Museum in 2004.

Description

The Brian Davies Memorial Grant for Alaska History provides support for creative projects and in-depth research which promotes the study of Alaska history.  Applications for creative classroom projects must address how the project relates to the state’s Alaska History Standards.  Applications involving in-depth research must be based on Alaska-related primary resources held by an archive or library.  Applications are encouraged from students, teachers, university professors, and independent researchers.

To qualify, an applicant must:

1. Be a member of the Cook Inlet Historical Society at the time of application.

2. Be a resident of the State of Alaska.

Information about the Cook Inlet Historical Society and becoming a member is available on its website (http://www.cookinlethistory.org).

The recipient will be asked to provide a letter report to the Cook Inlet Historical Society’s Board of Directors at the end of the project along with research product.  The grant recipient will acknowledge assistance from CIHS.  The recipient may be asked to make a presentation of their project at a Cook Inlet Historical Society program and/or contribute material for CIHS’s web site.

Application Procedures:

An application consists of items 1 through 4:

  1. A letter of intent describing the classroom-based project, training opportunity, or school, academic, or independent research project for which you are requesting funds (no longer than two pages, single spaced).
  • Include information outlining the topic of interest as well as the nature, scope, and goals of the proposed project.
  • Applicants who are working on classroom-based creative projects (e.g., elementary, middle school, and high school teachers) must address in the application how the project relates to the state’s Alaska History Standards.
  • Include your name, mailing and email addresses and telephone number.
  1. A timetable for completion within one year from the date of the start of the project.  The anticipated work may start during the summer prior to the start of the school, college, or university fall semester/quarter and be completed by the end of the summer of the following year.
  1. A current resume.
  2. A budget.  Include a description of how the funds will be used.

Grant Criteria:
Applications will be evaluated by a committee according to the following criteria:

Overall quality and clarity of proposal;

  1. Importance of classroom-based project or school, academic, or independent research project to the study of Alaska history; and
  2. Ability of the applicant to carry out the project within the proposed budget and timeline.

Applications that are incomplete or that do not follow the instructions in the application procedures will be disqualified.

Due Date:  April 1 of each year (postmarked or hand delivered)

Send applications to:

Cook Inlet Historical Society
Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center
625 C Street
Anchorage, Alaska  99501-3544

For more information or to have any questions answered contact:
Ayse Gilbert, Treasurer, Cook Inlet Historical Society, at e-mail:  vonkotzebue@gci.net

An applicant who is selected for a grant will be notified by May 15.