Colonial St. Mary's City, which was on the site where St. Mary's College of Maryland is located today, was a place where struggles over 'Liberty of conscience' in religion, representative political practices, freedom of the press, and minority rights all came to the fore at various times. Utilizing early Maryland as a case study in "emerging democracy," the foundation works to apply the lessons of the region's history to a domestic and international discussion of democracy's role in the modern world. The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) "We the People" initiative awarded the center a $500,000 challenge grant in September 2004.