Megan has been busy in the past few years. In addition to her personal genealogy, she was an integral part of the second "Ancestors" series on PBS and wrote a companion volume to the series, In Search of Our Ancestors: 101 Inspiring Stories of Serendipity and Connection in Rediscovering Our Family History (which included one of my family stories!). Additionally, she has been working with the U.S. Army on the Korean Repatriation Project: www.koreanwar.org.

A little over a year ago, Megan began soliciting applications for grants for genealogical projects that are short on funding. Since she uses her own money, the grants usually fall in the $200-$250 range. She has been selecting one grant winner each month since May 2000 and posts the results on her Honoring Our Ancestors Web site: www.honoringourancestors.com/grants.html.

So who's eligible to receive Megan's grant funds? Genealogical societies, libraries, non-profit organizations, and individuals all qualify. The trick is to have an innovative idea or project that inspires Megan. She says, however, "I try to spread the grants around geographically, but because these grants have mostly been promoted by groups I'm associated with, I get a disproportionate number of applications to support Eastern European projects. The grants to date reflect this, but it's honestly not a bias—it's just a reflection of who's applying."

Megan suggests that organizations that have large projects they're trying to launch should still consider applying for one of her grants. Even if the grant is small, it could be the impetus that other donors need to come onboard with the project.

The range of projects that have intrigued Megan so far is enlightening in itself. In April, she granted $200 to the Blue Torysa River Region Foundation in Lipany, Slovak Republic, for its Cultural Heritage Program that is "designed to preserve and rescue Slovak craft traditions." In March, she granted Linda Alexander $150 to research and write up the story of a six-year-old indentured servant girl who was murdered in 1843 by her owner. In October she granted $250 to a group of friends in Fairacres, New Mexico, who are working together to restore and maintain a long-abandoned cemetery. The money was being used to erect a sign for the cemetery so others can find it.

Megan doesn't put restrictions on the money that she grants. She feels that if the project is worthy enough to be selected, those working on the project will ensure the funds are spent wisely. She says "genealogists are generally a trustworthy bunch!"

To apply for one of these grants, visit Megan's Web site at: www.honoringourancestors.com/grants.html. After the listing for the selected grants, you'll find a form that is easily filled in and submitted for her consideration. She keeps applications on file for six months, so even if your idea isn't selected the first time around, it could be selected down the road.

Many people help others within the genealogical community in a variety of ways. Few of us, however, can afford to systematically give our own money away to help genealogical causes. Megan Smolenyak is giving of herself, so others can pursue projects that will ultimately help even more people. Maybe angel investors will become a new trend in genealogy and will follow in Megan's footsteps. Thank you, Megan, for your generosity of money and spirit!

This article is from the Ancestry.com site column, "GC Extra" by Elizabeth Kelley Kerstens, CGRS, CGL. Liz is the managing editor of Genealogical Computing, editor of the Board for Certification of Genealogists' newsletter "OnBoard," the creator of "Clooz"—the electronic filing cabinet for genealogical records, co-creator of the new family health history program "GeneWeaver," and a frequent contributor to "Ancestry." She can be reached via e-mail at liz@ancestordetective.com or gceditor@ancestry.com

GC Extra can be found online at: www.ancestry.com/library/view/columns/extra/extra.asp