Mars Chocolate North America, Hackettstown, NJ, is accepting submissions for its 2014 Chocolate History Research and Investigative Studies Grant through Oct. 1. The grant provides funding for innovation in the areas of chocolate history research, scholarship and education. A minimum of three one-year grants will be awarded, with two $10,000 grants focused on chocolate programming development or expansion at living history, historic or museum locations in North America, and one award of $5,000 focused on new research in chocolate history.

“At Mars, we are committed to uncovering all there is to know about the rich history of cocoa and chocolate,” says Harold Schmitz, chief science officer. “We consider ourselves fortunate to be able to work with leading researchers, historians, scientists and scholars across North America, and this grant is awarded to encourage discovery and inspire activity in this uniquely interesting field of research and scholarship.”

The Chocolate History Research and Investigative Studies Grant winners will be announced at the annual meeting of the Colonial Chocolate Society, a group formed in 2003 with the mission to investigate the history of chocolate in the Americas. The meeting will be held Nov. 18-20 at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello.

Submissions can be made on the American Heritage Chocolate website at www.americanheritagechocolate.com/home/grant. American Heritage Chocolate is a line of authentic chocolate products based on an 18th century recipe developed by Mars Chocolate North America. The products are available at more than 150 living history and museum gift shops in the United States and Canada.

Source: PRNewswire