Archival Projects | ARCHIVAL 202411

Opportunity Information: Apply for ARCHIVAL 202411

The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), part of the National Archives and Records Administration, is offering the Archival Projects grant program to support archival work that meaningfully improves how the public discovers and uses historical records online. The core aim is to strengthen public access to primary sources in ways that encourage civic education and deepen understanding of United States history, democracy, and culture from the nation’s founding era through the present. The program places special emphasis on projects that help people find and use records that illuminate how American democratic ideals were formed, contested, and reinterpreted over time, an interest that is sharpened by the approaching 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

A key thematic priority is early American legal history. The NHPRC explicitly encourages projects centered on America’s early legal records, including colonial, territorial, county, early statehood, and tribal proceedings, because these materials document the development of legal systems and governance in the United States. Another strong priority is expanding access to collections that center the voices and experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, with the intention of improving public understanding of the nation’s full historical record and ensuring historically marginalized perspectives are more discoverable and usable.

Funded projects must include at least one eligible archival activity focused on preserving, processing, and providing access to historical records. Supported work can include arranging collections, rehousing materials to improve long-term preservation, and creating or improving descriptive information so collections can be understood and used. Projects may also convert existing descriptions into formats suitable for online access, develop new online finding aids, and digitize historical records so they can be made freely available online. The program is open to a wide range of formats, including paper documents, photographs, born-digital materials, and analog audio and moving images, as long as the end result significantly improves discovery and access.

Competitive applications are expected to clearly explain why the targeted collections matter for understanding U.S. democracy, history, and culture. They should present a realistic and detailed work plan grounded in archival best practices, show that the project will be carried out by appropriately qualified archival staff, and provide a cost-effective budget. Applicants are also expected to include outreach or connection activities that help researchers and the public engage with the featured collections and, ideally, discover related holdings within the broader repository as well.

Awards are available for one- to two-year projects, with a maximum request of up to $150,000 per grant. The NHPRC anticipates making up to 12 awards in this category, with total program funding up to $1.2 million. Recipients must acknowledge NHPRC support in publicity, publications, and any products created with grant assistance. The opportunity is listed as discretionary funding under CFDA 89.003, with funding opportunity number ARCHIVAL 202411, and the application deadline is November 7, 2024.

Eligibility includes nonprofit organizations and institutions, colleges and universities (public or private), state and local government agencies, and federally recognized or acknowledged, or state-recognized Native American tribes or groups. Applications must include the required submission components (including the SF-424, a narrative, the NHPRC budget form, and supplemental materials). Proposals that fail to include the required elements or do not contain at least one eligible activity will not be considered.

Cost sharing is required. NHPRC will cover no more than 75 percent of total project costs, meaning the applicant must provide at least 25 percent through cash or allowable contributions such as in-kind support, non-federal third-party contributions, certain direct and indirect expenses, and project-generated income. A practical example provided in the announcement is that a $150,000 federal request would require $50,000 in cost share, producing a $200,000 total project budget. A notable restriction is that NHPRC funds cannot be used for indirect costs; if indirect costs are part of the overall budget, they must be counted under the applicant’s cost share instead.

Applicants also need to plan ahead for federal registration requirements. The organization must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) before applying, must keep that registration active throughout the process, and must include a valid Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) in the application. Because SAM.gov and Grants.gov registration or reactivation can take up to a month, the notice stresses that applicants should confirm accounts, passwords, and registrations well in advance, as deadline extensions will not be granted due to registration delays.

• The National Archives and Records Administration in the humanities sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Archival Projects" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 89.003.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-05-31.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-11-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $150,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 12 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for ARCHIVAL 202411

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