Sumner County committee to apply for TN250 grants; DAR seeks Jethro Sumner plaque

Sumner County Mayor John Isbell told the America 250 planning committee that the county will apply for two TN250 grant programs to fund local projects tied to the 250th anniversary celebrations. “The grants — there’s two primary grants that we’re gonna be able to apply for,” Isbell said, identifying a project support grant with a $20,000 maximum and a community support grant that can award up to $25,000.

The committee was told the first grant deadline is Sept. 1 and that applications must align with specific grant areas. Kim Northley, who Isbell said will assist the committee on grant narratives, is on loan from the school system to help prepare applications.

At least one formal project request already surfaced: Deborah Maggard, regent of the General Jethro Sumner chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), and committee members discussed placing a roadside-style plaque honoring Gen. Jethro Sumner, the county’s namesake. “Unbeknownst to me, we don't have anything like that recognizing Jethro Sumner,” Isbell said; committee members agreed to develop pricing and location options and to have the DAR provide details for a grant submission.

Isbell also said neighboring cities are pursuing TN250 work and that Sumner County would coordinate with Gallatin, Hendersonville and Portland on joint ideas such as a countywide scavenger hunt and educational programming tied to historical sites. He asked members with site knowledge — including representatives of local historical organizations — to submit project ideas before the committee’s next meeting.

Next steps the committee identified included collecting a list of candidate projects, assigning Kim Northley to draft grant narratives, and assembling cost and location information for the Jethro Sumner plaque. Isbell said he would circulate a meeting summary and action items by email and that the committee will keep projects and the grant timeline on a short lead time so applications can be completed before the stated deadlines.