photo by: Journal-World

The west side of the Douglas County Courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St.

The Douglas County Heritage Council has launched a new fund to support community organizations that host annual cultural events.

According to a news release from Douglas County, the new Heritage Events and Celebrations Fund program has a total of $20,000 available to distribute in 2025. Organizations can request up to $10,000 in funding to support an annual event, and the council expects to select between two and four events to fund.

To be eligible, events must be established within the community, occur annually and be free and open to the public. The funding can be used for any expenses related to hosting, promoting and preparing for the event.

“This new fund is a wonderful opportunity for organizations to continue hosting annual events that celebrate the vibrant and diverse cultural heritage of our community,” said Douglas County Heritage Conservation Coordinator Kaitlyn Ammerlaan in the release. “While the funding is modest, we hope it provides meaningful support and inspires even more people to join in preserving and honoring our shared history.”

The money for the program was allocated by the Douglas County Commission during the 2025 budget process.

The deadline to apply for the program is 5 p.m. on Friday, April 11; more information can be found on the Douglas County website at dgcoks.gov/hcc. The council plans to announce the recipients of the funding during its meeting on May 1.