State Board Programming Grants

The National Historical Publications and Records Commission seeks proposals that support the work of state historical records advisory boards through projects that engage the public, expand civic education, and promote understanding of the nations history, democracy, and culture. The Commission welcomes projects that commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and that use collections to examine the ideals behind the founding of the United States and the continual interpretation and debate over these ideals over the past 250 years. Collections that center the voices and document the history of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color are especially encouraged. The purpose of this grant program is to assist state boards to broaden preservation of, and increased online access to, historical records; develop and promote best practices; support activities that put the American people in touch with primary sources in their communities and online; promote the institutional advancement of organizations in underserved communities; and assist locally based repositories with training and tools to improve their stewardship abilities. The Commission will award grants to state historical records advisory boards to: ? Operate state-based regrant programs that preserve historical records and make them available online ? Carry out traveling archivist programs that provide onsite assistance and follow-up advice to repositories ? Provide educational and outreach programs, workshops, and other activities that enhance citizen and student engagement with historical records ? Offer scholarships, training opportunities, and other programs that support institutional advancement among records repositories, especially those in underserved communities ? Collaborate on projects with other organizations to address common problems or shared opportunities within a state or among a consortium of state archives ? Hold or participate in meetings and public forums on statewide or national archival issues. State boards should review the NHPRCs strategic plan and consider its goals, objectives, and tactics when evaluating the boards current programming and considering new programs. Some tactics call on the NHPRC to partner with state boards to undertake particular activities, and other tactics relate to activities that are already common among state boards. Applications that outline programs that address the following tactics, and others that relate to the work of the state boards, will be more competitive: ? Target institutional advancement for small and underserved local archives and repositories, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Minority-Serving Institutions, and tribal entities. ? Develop outreach strategies to historical records collections that center the voices and perspectives of African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans. ? Support opportunities for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in professional development as archivists. ? Offer workshops through a variety of sponsors to educate potential applicants about project design and the NHPRC application process. ? Implement local and statewide projects that enhance public participation and engagement in the work of archives. Projects utilizing traditional approaches with a proven record of success, as well as projects testing innovative approaches, are welcome. All applications should outline a process for contacting institutions and individuals who participate in the boards programs (i.e., regrant and training scholarship recipients, workshop attendees, etc.) to determine how they benefited. Applications should also outline a process for evaluating the boards programs, determining their effectiveness, and proposing appropriate changes. For a comprehensive list of Commission limitations on funding, please see: "What we do and do not fund." Applications that consist entirely of ineligible activities will not be considered. State boards, as well as state archives, are encouraged to consider also applying under the Commissions Archival Collaboratives: Planning and Implementation Grants program. Funding from this program can be used to build on the current efforts of state archives and state boards to address the needs of small and underrepresented archives; utilize best practices, tools, and techniques; and implement management structures that will promote long-term sustainability and growth. The Archives Collaboratives program can provide the funding necessary to support the staffing, consultants, travel, and other expenses related to the development of archival collaboratives within the state or among several states. The development of collaboratives will provide a mechanism for repositories to work together on a continuing basis to expand on what they have learned through a regrant project, a workshop, or some other program opportunity. These collaboratives can also be used to expand the capabilities of institutions so that they are in a position to apply for a regrant or for funding directly from the NHPRC, either individually or as a collaborative. Award Information The Commission offers two levels of funding. A Level I grant is for one year and for up to $12,000. A Level II grant is for one year and for up to $40,000 or for two years and for up to $80,000. Applicants may request either Level I or Level II funding, but not both. The Commission expects to make up to a total of 30 grants in this category for a total of up to $800,000. Grants begin no earlier than January 1, 2025. The Commission requires that grant recipients acknowledge NHPRC grant assistance in all publicity, publications, and other products that result from its support. Eligibility These grants are awarded only to state historical records advisory boards in each state, or to the state agency responsible for the state board, ordinarily the state archives. Another state agency, or a non-profit organization, such as a foundation or university, acting on behalf of the designated state agency may apply. States also include the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and United States territories. Projects must include at least one of the eligible activities described for the program. Applicants must include all required elements (SF 424, Narrative, NHPRC Budget Form, and Supplemental Materials). Applications that do not meet either of these criteria will not be considered. In order to ensure eligibility, applicants should first review the rules and regulations governing NHPRC grants under the Administering an NHPRC Grant section. Cost Sharing The total costs of a project are shared between the NHPRC and the applicant organization. Cost sharing is required. The applicant's financial contribution may include both direct and indirect expenses, in-kind contributions, non-Federal third-party contributions, and any income earned directly by the project. NHPRC grant recipients are not permitted to use grant funds for indirect costs (as indicated in 2 CFR 2600.101). Indirect costs must be listed under the applicant's cost sharing contribution if they are included in the budget. The Commission provides no more than 75 percent of total project costs in the State Board Programming Grants category. For example, a request of $40,000 in NHPRC grant funds means the applicant institution must provide at least $13,333 in cost share.