For the history community, one of the most important resources for Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) funding has been the New York State Office of Parks and Historic Preservation (State Parks), despite the agency is mostly concerned with parks, not historic sites.
In looking at the 2018 REDC grants, not all counties have history-related funding. Whether that’s because none were submitted, or none approved, is anyone’s guess. Ironically, the Preservation League of New York received an award to help preserve its own office in Albany.
I’ve been reporting on REDC grants to the history community. You can read about it here.
In the name of transparency in government coupled with the apparent on-going interest in REDC funding awards to or within the history community, I think all requests for funding should be summarized and showing which were accepted and which were not and perhaps even go so far as to list the major reason for acceptance or for denial of award.
I have worked with a highly respected individual who has written a submitted a funding request year after year without any success. I think it is a very important project with state, national and even international implications yet no award is forth coming. I think we should know why and what projects were placed ahead of the one we worked on repeatedly.
Have you reached out to see your score on then application? That’s something the applicant should have access to and might be helpful.