Grant Opportunities

Numerous federal and state agencies provide funding for preservation projects in one form or another. The following is a listing of those federal agencies and those state agencies in New England and neighboring states that provide some funding for preservation. Each listing also provides the agency's address and phone number, a brief description of the areas of preservation that it funds, and what deadlines are known. Anyone interested in pursuing preservation funding from any one of these agencies is advised to contact them directly for specifics.

Heritage Preservation
Institute of Museum and Library Services
Maine State Museum & State Archives
Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners
Massachusetts Cultural Council Professional Development Program
Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities
Massachusetts Historical Records Advisory Board
National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Humanities, Division of Preservation and Access
National Historical Publications and Records Commission
New Jersey State Library
New York State Library
Vermont Museum and Gallery Alliance

Preservation Survey Information and Sources in the Northeast

Do you want to apply for preservation project funding, but need professional assistance in establishing collection priorities?

Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC)

Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC)

Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts (CCAHA)

Agency:	Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities
Address:	101 Walnut Street, Watertown, MA 02472
Telephone:	(617) 923-1678
Email:	localhistory@mfh.org
Web Site:	http://www.mfh.org
Areas of Funding:	(1)Research Inventory Grant Program to conduct an inventory of primary source materials such as manuscripts, published records, photographs, artifacts, or other materials in the collections that relate to one or more specific research questions. (2) Scholar in Residence Program to define a research program that makes use of an institution's collections to advance a programmatic goal of the host organization and takes advantage of the scholar's expertise
Deadline:	(1) January 1, March 1, May 1, July 1, September 1. (2) November 15 for projects beginning after January 1; March 15 for projects beginning after May 1

Agency:	Heritage Preservation
Address:	1625 K Street NW, Suite 700, Washington, D.C. 20006
Telephone:	(202) 634-1422 x 236
Email:	rhouse@heritagepreservation.org
Web Site:	http://www.heritagepreservation.org
Areas of Funding:	CAP grants support a 2-day site visit to assist a museum's collections and environmental conditions.
Deadline:	December 2006. Request an application in early October 2006

Agency:	Institute of Museum and Library Services
Address:	1100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20506
Telephone:	(202)606-8339
Email:	imlsinfo@imls.fed.us
Web Site:	http://www.imls.gov/
Areas of Funding:	(1) Conservation Project Support Program. Funding to museums for conservation activities including treatment, surveys, and implementation. (2) National Leadership Grants. Funding to libraries or libraries and museums in partnership for a broad range of projects including preservation.
Deadline:	(1) October 15, 2006.(2) February 1, 2007.

Agency:	Massachusetts Historical Records Advisory Board
Address:	MHRAB, Massachusetts Archives, 220 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, MA 02125
Telephone:	(617) 727-2816
Email:	michael.comeau@sec.state.ma.us
Areas of Funding:	Documentary Heritage Grants Program. Over the course of one grant cycle, applicants may request between $3,000 and $10,000. The focus of the program is projects that promote and result in the documentation, preservation, and use of historical records in Massachusetts. Eligible applicants are non-profit, public or private organizations, such as repositories (libraries, historical societies, museums), educational institutions, community organizations, professional associations, or local or state government agencies. Priorities are to educate the public to value historical records and archives, work collaboratively to promote common goals, plan for the adequate documentation of Massachusetts history, improve the accessibility and preservation of historical records, involve and broaden the participation of new groups om historical records activities and issues, develop skills of records caretakers through eduction and training opportunities on archival issues, strengthen relationships among professionals and organizations, enhance the documentation of all aspects of Massachusetts history and make those materials available for use by the public, relate the documentary evidence to relevant historical materials in other forms, and utilize professional archival practices. More information can be found at http://www.sec.state.ma.us/arc/arcaac/aac04/aacforum2004.htm
Deadlines:	February 21, 2005 (Initial application); April 4, 2005 (Revised application); June 6, 2005 (Notification)

Agency:	Maine State Museum & State Archives
Address:	84 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0084
Telephone:	(207) 287-7591
Email:	maine.cric@state.me.us
Areas of Funding:	New Century Preservation Grant Program
Deadline:	October 1, 2006

Agency:	Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners
Address:	98 North Washington Street, Suite 401, Boston, MA 02114-1933
Telephone:	617) 725-1860 or (800) 952-7403 (in-state)
FAX:	(617) 725-0140
E-mail:	gregor.trinkaus-randall@state.ma.us
Web Site:	http://www.mass.gov/mblc
Areas of Funding:	-To help libraries conduct a preservation/conservation survey of the collection(s) to determine individual item conservation requirements, the needs for proper storage, care and handling. -To help libraries determine priorities for materials to be conserved and implement an action plan for their preservation. -To assist multi-type libraries to acquire equipment and supplies, including proper physical containers to house collections in all formats to assist in the preservation of at-risk materials. -To encourage and support evaluation and remediation, where needed, of physical facilities housing library materials in multi-type libraries. -To develop cost-effective methods of sharing preservation resources, including staff training, microfilming/reformatting, shared storage facilities and emergency preparedness.
Contact:	Gregor Trinkaus-Randall
Deadline:	Letters of Intent will be due at the M.B.L.C. in December 2006. Final applications are due in March 2007.

Agency:	Massachusetts Cultural Council Professional Development Program
Address:	120 Boylston Street, 2nd Floor, Boston, MA 02116-4600
Telephone:	(617) 727-3668 or (800) 232-0960
Web Site:	http://www.massculturalcouncil.org
Areas of Funding:	Professional Development grants are offered by the MCC to promote the continuing professional education of nonprofit administrators in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences, and of working artists. Professional Development Grants are specifically intended to help cover costs associated with attending professional conferences, workshops, seminars, or master classes. Any Massachusetts resident who is formally affiliated with a Massachusetts nonprofit cultural organization - including local cultural councils - that agrees to be a sponsor is eligible. Organizations may sponsor up to three successful applicants in any fiscal year (July 1 - June 30). Individuals may request up to a maximum of $500 for professional development with average awards ranging from $200 to $300. Please note that MCC funds are applicable only to registration fees and transportation costs.
Contact:	Matthew Liston
Telephone:	(617) 727-3668 x 329 or (800) 232-0960 (in-state)
Deadline:	Last day of each month

Agency:	National Endowment for the Arts
Address:	Museum Program, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Room 624, Washington, DC 20506.
Telephone:	(202) 682-5442
Web Site:	http://www.nea.gov
Areas of Funding:	Care of Collections: Conservation Collections Maintenance Heritage and Preservation
Deadline:	March 2007. Call for new deadline dates and guidelines

Agency:	National Endowment for the Humanities, Division of Preservation and Access
Address:	Room 411, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20506
Telephone:	(202) 606-8570
FAX:	(202) 606-8639
E-mail:	preservation@neh.fed.us
Web Site:	http://www.neh.gov
Areas of Funding:	Preservation and access projects including support for education and training, regional field service programs, and research and demonstration projects. The stabilization and documentation of materials culture collections. U.S. Newspaper program. Preservation Assistance Grants: Extending the Reach
Deadlines:	July 1 deadline for subsequent May 1 start date. For Preservation Assistance Grants: May 2007.

Agency:	National Historical Publications and Records Commission
Address:	NHPRC - NP, National Archives Building, Room 607,Washington, D.C. 20506
Telephone:	(202) 501-5610
E-mail:	nhprc@arch1.nara.gov
FAX:	(202) 501-5601
Areas of Funding:	-To help local organizations preserve records and make them accessible by providing grants to state historical records coordinators and boards for state regrants(October 1). -To increase access to and use of records, based on recommendations in the reports of the Historical Documents Study and the Society of American Archivists' Task Force on Goals and Priorities(October 1). -To help carry out the national agendas for archival progress put forward by the Society of American Archivists and the National Association of Government Archives and Records Administrators, with particular attention to needs for preservation, planning, training and institutional self-evaluation (February 1).
Contact:	In Massachusetts: contact John Warner at the Archives of the Commonwealth, (617) 727-2816 or jwarner@sec.state.ma.us In other states: State Archivist or Chair of the State Historical Records Advisory Board
Deadlines:	February 1 and October 1 (see above for specifics)

Agency:	New Jersey State Library
Address:	185 West State Street, Trenton, NJ 08625-0520
Telephone:	(609) 984-3282
E-mail:	steckman@njsl.tesc.edu
Areas of Funding:	Funding for preservation/conservation of collections of interest for New Jersey
Contact:	Betty Steckman
Deadline:	November 2006.

Agency:	New York State Library
Address:	Division of Library Development, New York State Library, 10-C-47 Cultural Education Center, Albany, NY 12230
Telephone:	(518) 474-6971
Areas of Funding:	Funding to preserve unique library materials in all types of nonprofit institutions within New York State
Deadline:	November 2006.

Agency:	Vermont Museum and Gallery Alliance
Address:	c/o Billings Farm Museum, P.O. Box 489, Woodstock, VT 05091
Telephone:	(800) 639-2330
Areas of Funding:	Vermont Collections Care
Deadline:	Call for deadline and information

Preservation Survey Information and Sources in the Northeast

Do you want to apply for preservation project funding, but need professional assistance in establishing collection priorities?

Agency:	Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC)
Address:	98 North Washington Street, Suite 401 Boston, MA, 02114-1933
Telephone:	(617) 725-1860 or (800) 952-7403 (in state).
Fax:	(617) 725-1860
E-Mail:	gregor.trinkaus-randall@state.ma.us
Web site:	http://www.mass.gov/mblc
Activity:	-To help libraries conduct a preservation/conservation survey of the collection(s) to determine individual item; conservation requirements, the needs for proper storage, care and handling. -To help public libraries determine priorities for materials to be conserved and implement an action plan for their preservation.
Contact:	Gregor Trinkaus-Randall
Deadline:	Letters of Intent will be due at the M.B.L.C. in December 2006

Agency:	Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC)
Address:	100 Brickstone Square, Andover, MA, 01810-1494
Telephone:	(978) 470-1010
Fax:	(978) 475-6021
E-Mail:	lfoley@nedcc.org
Web Site:	http://www.nedcc.org
Activity:	A grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) makes it possible for NEDCC to provide subsidized preservation planning surveys for collections of photographs, books and paper. Libraries, archives, museums, records repositories, and historical organizations in NEDCC's region are invited to apply. The cost of a subsidized survey is $250 plus travel costs. Since 1981 NEDCC has provided several hundred preservation planning surveys through its Field Service Office. A survey includes a one-day site visit by a member of the NEDCC field service team and a report of observations and recommendations. The surveyor evaluates building conditions, collections, and storage and handling procedures in order to identify potential hazards to collections and to design strategies for preserving paper-based and documentary materials in the best condition possible. Specific goals and priorities are suggested and steps needed to implement preservation measures are outlined. A survey provides the basis for a long-range plan. For many institutions, surveys have provided valuable support for funding requisitions for preservation projects. Subsidized surveys are awarded competitively, and a limited number are available. Preference is given to collections of unique or irreplaceable value and to institutions who can demonstrate financial need. Selections are made periodically; applications that are not accepted are automatically reconsidered in subsequent rounds. In addition to the general preservation planning survey, NEDCC's conservators are available to examine the conservation needs of specific collections or objects. Site visits by a conservator are provided at the Center's regular consulting rates; scheduling and costs can be discussed by telephone. For materials brought or sent to the Center for examination, treatment proposals and cost estimates are provided without charge.
Contact:	Requests for application forms should be sent to Lori Foley, Field Service Representative, NEDCC, 100 Brickstone Square, Andover, Massachusetts 01810; (978) 470-1010 or lfoley@nedcc.org

Agency:	Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts (CCAHA)
Address:	Preservation Services Office, CCAHA, 264 South 23rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Telephone:	(215) 545-0613
Fax:	(215) 735-9313
E-Mail:	ccaha@ccaha.org
Web Site:	http://www.ccaha.org
Activity:	A grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) makes it possible for CCAHA to provide subsidized preservation planning surveys for collections of paper-based collections in the humanities. The cost of a subsidized survey is $350 including travel costs. The survey process encompasses a general evaluation of the institution's preservation needs for the collection: environment (temperature, relative humidity, pollution, and light), housekeeping, pest control, fire protection, security, and disaster preparedness; collection storage, handling exhibition, and treatment; and preservation planning. the site visit consists of a review of the site, and examination of the collection, and interviews with relevant staff to identify your preservation needs. The written report provides observations, recommendations, and resources to serve as a guide in the development of a comprehensive plan for your paper-based collection.
Deadline:	Applications are due June 2007
Contact:	Requests for application forms should be sent to Preservation Services Office, CCAHA, 264 South 23rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103 or (215) 545-0613 or ccaha@ccaha.org