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An Aurora museum has received coronavirus crisis emergency funding help from a statewide nonprofit historic preservation organization.

Landmarks Illinois awarded $2,000 each to a number of museums in the state, including the Aurora Regional Fire Museum in downtown Aurora, the Preservation of Egyptian Theater Inc. in DeKalb and the Elgin Area Historical Society/Elgin History Museum.

The grants were among 13 totaling $26,000 awarded by Landmarks Illinois throughout the state to organizations financially impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

Through the Landmarks Illinois COVID-19 Organization Relief Grant Program, each nonprofit will receive a one-time $2,000 grant to use toward essential, organizational expenditures including employee payroll and rent or improvements to the organization’s digital platforms such as their websites that help to promote their mission and continue their programming.

Landmarks Illinois, a statewide historic preservation advocacy organization, created its COVID-19 Organization Relief Grant Program this spring to help community development, preservation and other partner nonprofits throughout the state during the coronavirus health crisis.

The organization received an overwhelming response to the grant program, with 94 applications for the 13 available grants. Landmarks Illinois staff evaluated each application based on most immediate need, the ability of the applicant to implement grant funds quickly and how closely the applicant’s mission aligned with Landmarks Illinois’ own work of promoting and preserving cultural and architectural heritage, group officials said.

The other organizations that received grants were: Firehouse Community Arts Center of Chicago; Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center in Chicago; Uptown United in Chicago; Save the Lorraine Foundation, Hoopeston; Oak Park Art League, Oak Park; Artists ReEnvisioning Tomorrow (ART Inc.), Peoria; Quincy Preserves, Quincy; Salem Community Activities Center, Salem; Enos Park Neighborhood Improvement Association, Springfield; and the McHenry County Historical Society and Museum, Union.

slord@tribpub.com