Comer said the Selma-Dallas County Chamber of Commerce represents the county well.

“We’re very excited to partner with the chamber and it’s efforts,” Comer said. “Our board of directors felt the chamber was representative of all the great activities going on in Dallas County.”

With several organizations throughout the Black Belt included, Comer said Heritage’s mission is to support counties and their projects that enrich the Black Belt.

“ArtsRevive received the grant last year for Dallas County,” Comer said. “Projects in cultural education topics, or historical preservation, recreation, community development-type projects, (are what) we look for; there are several great organizations throughout the Black Belt (and) the purpose is to help jumpstart these efforts in each of the counties.”

The 2012 award recipients also include: Bibb County Extension Tourism Hospitality Training and Information Distribution; Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce Black Belt Treasurers Preview Gallery (Bibb County); Bethlehem Cemetery Restoration Workshop (Choctaw); Grove Hill Development Façade Grant Program (Clarke); Conecuh County Extension Old Federal Road Classroom visits and Field Day (Conecuh);

Sucarnochee Folklife Festival (Greene); Hale County Library (Hale); 19th Century Lowndesboro School Restoration (Lowndes); Harris Barrett School Museum (Macon); Rural Heritage Center Homespun Notions (Marengo); The Mockingbird Experience (Montgomery); Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and Justice Inc., (Monroe); Brochures for Alabama Women’s Hall of Fame (Perry); Emergency Repairs to Pickensville Rosenwald Community Center (Pickens); Performing Arts Festival/Workshop (Sumter) and Snow Hill Community Building Restoration (Wilcox).