Giannoulias Awards Archives Grants to Preserve Illinois History

The Illinois State Historical Records Advisory Board (ISHRAB), overseen by Illinois Secretary of State and State Archivist Alexi Giannoulias, has awarded grants to enable 11 historical records repositories across the state to digitize, preserve and expand access to archival materials that document Illinois' cultural heritage. Two grants will be going to Millstadt & Mascoutah in the 114th District.

The grants support projects that make historically significant records - from rare photographs and correspondence to community bulletins, board proceedings and film collections - more accessible to the public through online platforms.

Funding for the grants was provided through a State Board Programming Grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC). Since 2010, the ISHRAB has awarded 144 grants through the NHPRC to archives and cultural institutions in 34 Illinois counties.

Millstadt & Mascoutah received grants for their historical records projects during the 2025-2026 grant cycle:

Mascoutah: Mascoutah Public Library
Mascoutah Local History & Genealogy Digitization: $1,755 to digitize community history records and make them accessible online.

Millstadt: Millstadt Historical Society
Preserving Millstadt's Liederkranz Legacy: $1,162 to digitize deteriorating records documenting the cultural impact of Liederkranz, a 19th-century community organization.