Opportunity Information: Apply for ARCHIVAL 202311
The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), part of the National Archives and Records Administration, is offering the Archival Projects grant opportunity to support projects that make historical records easier to find and use online. The central goal is to significantly improve public discovery and access, with an emphasis on projects that serve the public interest through civic education and stronger understanding of United States history, democracy, and culture from the founding era to today. The program is especially interested in collections that help people grapple with the ideals behind the nations founding and how those ideals have been debated and reshaped over time, a priority heightened by the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
The NHPRC is looking for practical archival work that results in more material being discoverable and usable on the web. Funded projects must include at least one eligible activity: converting existing collection descriptions for online access, creating new online finding aids, and or digitizing historical records and making them freely available online. The program is open to a wide range of formats, including paper documents, photographs, born-digital files, and analog audio and moving image materials. In addition to general historical collections, the Commission explicitly encourages proposals centered on early American legal records, such as colonial, territorial, county, early statehood, and tribal proceedings that document the evolution of the nations legal history. It also places special value on collections that center the voices and experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
A competitive application is expected to do more than promise digitization or description work. It should clearly explain why the targeted collections matter for understanding US democracy, history, and culture, and it should present a realistic, detailed work plan grounded in archival best practices. Applicants should show they have the right staff in place, particularly qualified archivists, and they should offer a cost-effective budget. The NHPRC also wants applicants to think about use, not just processing, so strong proposals typically include outreach or engagement activities that connect researchers and the broader public to the project collections and, where appropriate, to the repositorys larger holdings.
Funding is available for one to two years, with a maximum award of 150,000 per grant. The Commission anticipates making up to 12 awards in this category, totaling up to 1.2 million across all funded projects. Recipients are required to acknowledge NHPRC support in publicity, publications, and other products produced with grant assistance.
Eligibility includes nonprofit organizations and institutions (including 501(c)(3) nonprofits), colleges and universities (public or private), state and local government agencies (including county and city or township governments), and federally recognized or acknowledged or state recognized Native American tribes or groups. To be considered, an application must both (1) include at least one of the eligible activities under the program and (2) include all required submission components, specifically the SF-424, the narrative, the NHPRC budget form, and supplemental materials. Applications missing these required elements or failing to meet the activity requirement are not reviewed.
Cost sharing is mandatory. The NHPRC will cover no more than 75 percent of total project costs, meaning the applicant must contribute at least 25 percent. The applicants share can include direct and indirect expenses, in-kind contributions, eligible non-federal third-party support, and income generated directly by the project. A key budgeting rule is that NHPRC funds may not be used for indirect costs; if indirect costs are included in the projects overall budget, they must be counted as part of the applicants cost share (consistent with 2 CFR 2600.101). The opportunity also points applicants to the Commissions guidance on funding limitations under the "What we do and do not fund" section.
On the compliance and submission side, applicants must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) before applying, must maintain an active SAM registration throughout the submission and award process, and must include a valid Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) in the application. The notice emphasizes that SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations can take up to a month to set up or reactivate, and the NHPRC will not extend deadlines due to registration delays. The opportunity is listed as a discretionary grant in the humanities and cultural affairs area (CFDA 89.003), under Funding Opportunity Number ARCHIVAL 202311, with an award ceiling of 150,000 and an original closing date of November 2, 2023 (as provided in the source notice).Apply for ARCHIVAL 202311
- The National Archives and Records Administration in the humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda) 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 May 18, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 02, 2023. (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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the NHPRC Archival Projects grant?
The Archival Projects grant is a funding opportunity from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), part of the National Archives and Records Administration. It supports practical archival work that makes historical records significantly easier to discover and use online, with an emphasis on improving public access.
What is the main goal of this grant program?
The central goal is to significantly improve public discovery and access to historical records online. The program especially prioritizes projects that serve the public interest through civic education and stronger understanding of United States history, democracy, and culture from the founding era to today.
What themes or topics does NHPRC prioritize for this opportunity?
The program emphasizes collections that help the public grapple with the ideals behind the nation's founding and how those ideals have been debated and reshaped over time. This priority is heightened by the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
What kinds of projects are eligible under this opportunity?
Funded projects must include at least one eligible activity. The eligible activities are: converting existing collection descriptions for online access, creating new online finding aids, and/or digitizing historical records and making them freely available online.
Does a project need to include all eligible activities to qualify?
No. A project must include at least one of the eligible activities (conversion of descriptions, creation of online finding aids, and/or digitization with free online access) to meet the activity requirement.
What formats of historical records can be supported?
The opportunity is open to a wide range of formats, including paper documents, photographs, born-digital files, and analog audio and moving image materials.
Are digitized records required to be free to the public?
Yes, if digitization is part of the project, the program specifies digitizing historical records and making them freely available online.
What types of collections does the Commission explicitly encourage?
In addition to general historical collections, the Commission explicitly encourages proposals centered on early American legal records, including colonial, territorial, county, early statehood, and tribal proceedings that document the evolution of the nation's legal history.
Does NHPRC encourage projects that elevate particular communities or perspectives?
Yes. The Commission places special value on collections that center the voices and experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
What makes an application competitive beyond simply proposing digitization or description work?
A competitive application is expected to clearly explain why the targeted collections matter for understanding US democracy, history, and culture, and to present a realistic, detailed work plan grounded in archival best practices. It should also demonstrate that the applicant has appropriate staff in place (particularly qualified archivists) and a cost-effective budget.
Does NHPRC care about outreach or public engagement?
Yes. The NHPRC emphasizes that applicants should think about use, not just processing. Strong proposals typically include outreach or engagement activities that connect researchers and the broader public to the project collections and, where appropriate, to the repository's larger holdings.
How long can a project period be?
Funding is available for one to two years.
What is the maximum award amount?
The maximum award is $150,000 per grant.
How many awards does NHPRC expect to make?
The Commission anticipates making up to 12 awards in this category.
What is the total funding NHPRC expects to award across all projects in this category?
NHPRC anticipates a total of up to $1.2 million across all funded projects in this category.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility includes nonprofit organizations and institutions (including 501(c)(3) nonprofits), colleges and universities (public or private), state and local government agencies (including county and city or township governments), and federally recognized or acknowledged or state recognized Native American tribes or groups.
What are the basic requirements for an application to be reviewed?
To be considered, an application must (1) include at least one of the eligible activities under the program and (2) include all required submission components: the SF-424, the narrative, the NHPRC budget form, and supplemental materials. Applications that miss required elements or do not meet the activity requirement are not reviewed.
Is cost sharing required?
Yes. Cost sharing is mandatory.
What percentage of total project costs will NHPRC cover?
The NHPRC will cover no more than 75 percent of total project costs.
What is the minimum required applicant cost share?
The applicant must contribute at least 25 percent of total project costs.
What kinds of contributions can count toward the applicant cost share?
The applicant's share can include direct and indirect expenses, in-kind contributions, eligible non-federal third-party support, and income generated directly by the project.
Can NHPRC grant funds be used for indirect costs?
No. A key budgeting rule is that NHPRC funds may not be used for indirect costs. If indirect costs are included in the overall project budget, they must be counted as part of the applicant's cost share (consistent with 2 CFR 2600.101).
Where should applicants look for limits on what NHPRC will and will not fund?
The opportunity points applicants to the Commission's guidance on funding limitations under the "What we do and do not fund" section.
Are SAM and Grants.gov registrations required?
Yes. Applicants must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) before applying, must maintain an active SAM registration throughout submission and the award process, and must include a valid Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) in the application.
How long can SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations take?
The notice emphasizes that SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations can take up to a month to set up or reactivate.
Will NHPRC extend deadlines if SAM or Grants.gov registration is delayed?
No. The notice states that NHPRC will not extend deadlines due to registration delays.
Do recipients have any acknowledgment requirements?
Yes. Recipients are required to acknowledge NHPRC support in publicity, publications, and other products produced with grant assistance.
What is the CFDA number and the funding opportunity number for this program?
The opportunity is listed as CFDA 89.003 (humanities and cultural affairs), under Funding Opportunity Number ARCHIVAL 202311.
What was the closing date listed in the source notice?
The original closing date provided in the source notice was November 2, 2023.
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