October 2024
Galena, IL – The Galena – Jo Daviess County Historical Society is excited to announce two significant grant awards that will advance our capital campaign, “Our History Matters.” These grants represent a crucial milestone in our journey to establish a new museum campus, set to open by summer 2026.
We are honored to have received a $450,000 tourism attraction matching grant in
cooperation with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and Illinois Office of Tourism. This funding will support the construction of the new Galena & U.S. Grant Museum. This funding represents a crucial step forward, but we must meet the matching requirement as soon as possible to ensure the project stays on track.
In addition, we are thrilled to announce that we have been awarded the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Save America’s Treasures grant, providing
approximately $576,600 for collection care toward our future exhibit cases, archival storage, and artifact moving expenses. Similar to the state grant, this federal award also requires matching funds.
To fully realize our vision for the new museum campus, we aim to raise a remaining $3.5 million to complete our $10.3 million capital campaign project. This will cover both matching grants and essential project costs, including construction, exhibitions, and moving expenses. The Society anticipates going out to bid later this year and opening the new museum by summer 2026. Various naming opportunities and donor recognition options throughout the campus are available, allowing supporters to leave a lasting legacy. This is a tremendous opportunity for our community to unite in support of preserving our history for future generations.
“We are incredibly grateful for these grants, which bring us one step closer to our goal,” said Executive Director Tessa Flak. “However, we cannot succeed without the support of our community. Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a significant difference.” The Society is committed to seeking additional funding through federal, state, and local grants, as well as private donations.
Join us in making history! Your support of our capital campaign is vital. For more information on how you can contribute to bringing our vision to life, please visit www.galenahistory.org or contact us directly at 815-777-9129.
Together, let’s ensure that our history matters.