Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections

The Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections (SCHC) program is a funding opportunity designed to help cultural institutions, such as libraries, archives, museums, and historical organizations, preserve humanities collections for future generations. The program emphasizes environmentally sustainable preventive care strategies that address challenges such as temperature control, humidity, pollutants, and light exposure. It also supports protective storage systems and safeguards against disasters like fire, theft, and floods. By employing these methods, institutions can reduce their reliance on fossil fuels, lower energy consumption and costs, and improve resilience in the face of climate change. The program offers three levels of funding. Planning grants provide up to $50,000 to develop and assess sustainable preventive care strategies. Implementation Level I grants offer up to $100,000 for projects addressing specific preservation challenges identified through prior assessments. Implementation Level II grants, which provide up to $350,000, support larger or more complex projects that require multidisciplinary teams and extensive collaboration. Organizations in non-contiguous U.S. states or territories, such as Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, and others, may request additional funding to cover increased travel, shipping, and material costs. Funding is intended to improve conditions for collection storage and display, enhance systems and resilience for collections, reduce energy usage, and support in-depth preservation planning. Planning and Implementation Level I projects have a maximum period of performance of two years, while Implementation Level II projects may span up to three years. Eligible applicants include cultural institutions such as museums, libraries, archives, and other organizations dedicated to preserving humanities collections. Projects must align with the program’s focus on sustainable preservation practices. Applicants are encouraged to consult with program officers during the planning phase to ensure alignment with program goals. The next application cycle is anticipated to open on October 9, 2025, with a submission deadline of January 9, 2026. Notification of awards is expected by August 31, 2026, with project start dates beginning as early as October 1, 2026, or January 1, 2027. Updated application guidelines will be provided in advance of the next deadline, and past guidelines can be reviewed for a general sense of the requirements. Applications are evaluated based on criteria such as the project’s alignment with the program’s purpose, its potential impact on preservation, and the feasibility of the proposed methods. Examples of previously funded projects include energy-efficient HVAC upgrades, sustainable storage environments, and construction of preservation spaces. For assistance, applicants can contact the Division of Preservation and Access at preservation@neh.gov or by phone. Additional resources, including a webinar and examples of funded projects, are available to guide prospective applicants in preparing their proposals.