Opportunity Information: Apply for ARCHIVAL 202010
The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), part of the National Archives and Records Administration, offers the Access to Historical Records: Archival Projects grant to help repositories make historical collections easier for the public to find and use online. The core goal is improved online discovery and access, meaning projects should result in clearer, more complete web-based descriptions of collections and/or freely available digital content that supports public research, learning, and engagement. While many topics and formats are eligible, the program specifically encourages strong proposals focused on Americas early legal records, including colonial, territorial, county, early statehood, and tribal proceedings that show how legal systems and governance developed over time.
A major thematic emphasis is the upcoming commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. NHPRC is particularly interested in projects that use historical records to explore the ideals associated with the nations founding and how those ideals have been interpreted, argued over, and applied across the past 250 years. Competitive projects are expected to go beyond basic preservation by helping the public connect with the records through online access, civic education, and broader understanding of US history, democracy, and culture from the founding era to the present. Applicants are encouraged to think about how their project will attract researchers to the targeted collections and also increase awareness and use of the rest of the repositorys holdings.
Funded work can include one or more of several eligible archival activities: converting existing collection descriptions for online access, creating new online finding aids, and digitizing records and posting them online for free public use. The program is flexible about record types, allowing paper-based documents, photographs, born-digital materials, and analog audio or moving image formats. In practice, applicants need to show both that the collections are historically valuable and that the proposed approach follows archival best practices, is staffed appropriately, and is organized with realistic workflows and deliverables.
Awards can run for one or two years, with a maximum request of $150,000. NHPRC expects to make up to 10 awards in this category, with total program funding up to $1,000,000. Recipients must acknowledge NHPRC support in publicity, publications, and other products that come out of the grant-funded work. The opportunity is a discretionary grant (CFDA 89.003, Humanities/Cultural Affairs).
Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations and institutions, colleges and universities, state and local government agencies, and federally recognized or acknowledged or state-recognized Native American tribes or groups. To be considered, a project must include at least one of the eligible activities described above and must submit all required application components, including the SF-424, project narrative, NHPRC budget form, and supplemental materials; incomplete applications or those that do not meet the activity requirement are not reviewed.
Cost sharing is mandatory. NHPRC will cover no more than 75 percent of total project costs, so the applicant must provide at least 25 percent through cash match and/or allowable in-kind and third-party contributions, including direct and indirect expenses and project-generated income. A key budgeting rule is that NHPRC funds cannot be used for indirect costs; if an organization includes indirect costs, they must be counted on the applicant side as part of the cost share (per 2 CFR 2600.101). Applicants also need to follow NHPRC grant administration rules and should consult the agencys published list of what it does and does not fund to avoid proposing unallowable costs or activities.
Administrative requirements include having an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) before applying, keeping that registration current through the review and award period, and providing a valid DUNS number in the application. The original opportunity posting lists a creation date of May 15, 2020, with an original closing date of October 8, 2020, and an award ceiling of $150,000 under funding opportunity number ARCHIVAL 202010.Apply for ARCHIVAL 202010
- The National Archives and Records Administration in the humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Access to Historical Records: 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 May 15, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 08, 2020. (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 10 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the NHPRC Access to Historical Records: Archival Projects grant?
This funding opportunity from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), part of the National Archives and Records Administration, supports archival projects that make historical collections easier for the public to find and use online. The central outcome is improved online discovery and access through clearer, more complete web-based collection descriptions and/or freely available digital content.
2. What is the main goal of projects funded under this opportunity?
The core goal is improved online discovery and access. Funded projects should result in better online descriptions of collections (for example, improved or newly created finding aids available on the web) and/or free online access to digitized or digital historical materials that support public research, learning, and engagement.
3. What types of collections or themes are especially encouraged?
While many topics and formats may be eligible, NHPRC specifically encourages strong proposals focused on Americas early legal records, including colonial, territorial, county, early statehood, and tribal proceedings that document the development of legal systems and governance over time.
4. How does the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence relate to this grant?
A major thematic emphasis is the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. NHPRC is particularly interested in projects that use historical records to explore founding ideals and how those ideals have been interpreted, debated, and applied over the past 250 years.
5. Does the program support basic preservation work?
Competitive projects are expected to go beyond basic preservation by helping the public connect with records through online access, civic education, and broader understanding of US history, democracy, and culture from the founding era to the present.
6. What kinds of project activities are eligible?
Funded work can include one or more of these eligible archival activities:
- Converting existing collection descriptions for online access
- Creating new online finding aids
- Digitizing records and posting them online for free public use
7. What record formats can be included in a project?
The program is flexible about record types and formats. Projects may involve paper-based documents, photographs, born-digital materials, and analog audio or moving image formats.
8. Do projects need to provide free public access to digitized content?
When digitization is part of the project, the opportunity describes posting records online for free public use. The overall program emphasis is public online discovery and access.
9. What makes an application competitive based on the description provided?
Applicants are expected to show that the collections are historically valuable and that the proposed work follows archival best practices, is staffed appropriately, and is organized with realistic workflows and clear deliverables. NHPRC also encourages applicants to think about how the project will attract researchers to the targeted collections and increase awareness and use of the rest of the repositorys holdings.
10. Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include:
- Nonprofit organizations and institutions
- Colleges and universities
- State and local government agencies
- Federally recognized or acknowledged or state-recognized Native American tribes or groups
11. How long can an award last?
Awards can run for one or two years.
12. What is the maximum amount that can be requested?
The maximum request is $150,000.
13. How many awards does NHPRC expect to make, and what is the total funding?
NHPRC expects to make up to 10 awards in this category, with total program funding up to $1,000,000.
14. Is cost sharing required?
Yes. Cost sharing is mandatory. NHPRC will cover no more than 75 percent of total project costs, so the applicant must provide at least 25 percent of the total project cost through cash match and/or allowable in-kind and third-party contributions (including direct and indirect expenses and project-generated income, as described in the opportunity).
15. Can NHPRC grant funds be used for indirect costs?
No. A key budgeting rule in this opportunity is that NHPRC funds cannot be used for indirect costs. If an organization includes indirect costs, they must be counted on the applicant side as part of the required cost share (per 2 CFR 2600.101).
16. What kinds of contributions can count toward the required 25 percent match?
The opportunity states that the 25 percent can be met through cash match and/or allowable in-kind and third-party contributions, and it may include direct and indirect expenses and project-generated income.
17. Are there specific application components that must be submitted?
Yes. The opportunity lists required application components, including the SF-424, a project narrative, the NHPRC budget form, and supplemental materials. It also notes that incomplete applications are not reviewed.
18. Is it enough to be eligible as an organization, or are there project eligibility requirements too?
Both matter. To be considered, a project must include at least one of the eligible activities (such as online descriptions/finding aids and/or digitization with free online posting) and must submit all required application components. Applications that do not meet the activity requirement are not reviewed.
19. What administrative registrations or identifiers are required to apply?
Applicants must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) before applying and keep it current through the review and award period. The application must also include a valid DUNS number.
20. What type of grant is this, and what is the CFDA number?
This opportunity is described as a discretionary grant under CFDA 89.003 (Humanities/Cultural Affairs).
21. Do recipients have to acknowledge NHPRC support?
Yes. Recipients must acknowledge NHPRC support in publicity, publications, and other products resulting from the grant-funded work.
22. Are there rules about what NHPRC does and does not fund?
Yes. Applicants are advised to follow NHPRC grant administration rules and consult the agencys published list of what it does and does not fund to avoid proposing unallowable costs or activities.
23. What is the funding opportunity number and original posting timeline listed?
The original opportunity posting lists funding opportunity number ARCHIVAL 202010, a creation date of May 15, 2020, and an original closing date of October 8, 2020.
24. What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?
The award ceiling listed is $150,000.
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