NFPF Matching Grants

The National Film Preservation Foundation (NFPF), a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress, administers the Matching Grants program to support the complex preservation, reconstruction, or restoration of films or film collections of exceptional cultural, historic, or artistic significance. This grant initiative is federally funded and targets large-scale preservation projects that involve a single film or collection, particularly those works created in the United States or by American citizens abroad and that are not currently protected by commercial interests. The NFPF aims to help safeguard America’s film heritage by enabling institutions to carry out projects that would otherwise remain unrealized due to financial limitations. Eligible applicants include public and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that have previously completed at least one NFPF grant and that possess the necessary experience and institutional capacity to handle complex film preservation efforts. The proposed projects must involve materials that are not originally created for television or video, including those made with funding from broadcast or cable television entities. To qualify, applicants must demonstrate that their film or collection represents a unique and critical resource, and that their copy is the best available version for preservation purposes. This involves performing comparative research through databases like the FIAF Treasures from the Film Archives Database and consulting with relevant creators or rights holders. Funding for the Matching Grants ranges from $20,001 to $75,000, awarded as cash stipends for film laboratory work only. In order to receive these funds, applicants must provide matching cash support equal to at least one-fifth of the total project costs. The grant funds may be used for the creation of new preservation elements (including soundtrack protection), production of two new public access copies (including at least one film print), translation or reconstruction of English-language intertitles for silent films, and accessibility features such as closed captioning or audio description. However, the grant does not cover administrative, staffing, operational, or general shipping costs, except for shipping nitrate materials. To apply, institutions must register their interest with NFPF by emailing a brief project summary and organizational contact details by March 20, 2026. Upon confirmation of eligibility, they may submit a formal letter proposal by April 24, 2026. The proposal must include a detailed narrative outlining the film's research significance, the uniqueness and condition of the source material, a laboratory cost estimate, and any relevant supporting materials such as still images or video. If collaboration with another organization is involved, a letter of affirmation from that partner is also required. Proposals may be submitted via email or mailed to the NFPF office in San Francisco. Projects selected for funding will be announced in July 2026. The grant performance period begins in July 2026 and runs through September 2027. Successful applicants will enter into a formal agreement with the NFPF and must confirm that any newly created preservation masters will be stored under archivally acceptable conditions. The program strongly emphasizes public access, and grantees are expected to describe how the preserved films will be made available for research, exhibition, and online distribution, subject to donor or legal restrictions. Matching funds may be raised from other external sources and must be clearly accounted for in the proposal. This grant opportunity recurs annually, subject to continued federal funding.