NYSCA/GHHN Conservation Treatment Grant Program

The NYSCA/GHHN Conservation Treatment Grant is a collaborative funding opportunity offered by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) in partnership with the Greater Hudson Heritage Network (GHHN). Additional support is provided by the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, which funds projects in Long Island and New York City, and the Coby Foundation, which supports textile conservation. This grant program is specifically intended to provide financial assistance for the professional conservation of objects held in the collections of nonprofit museums, historical societies, and cultural organizations throughout New York State. The purpose of the grant is to support conservation treatment procedures that stabilize and preserve objects of historical, cultural, or artistic significance. The program emphasizes diversity, equity, inclusion, and access (DEIA) by encouraging applications that represent the heritage and stories of historically marginalized and underrepresented communities, including but not limited to African American, Caribbean, Latino/Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, Native American/Indigenous populations, LGBTQIA individuals, and people with disabilities. Conservation work must be performed by or under the direct supervision of a qualified professional conservator. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations incorporated or registered in New York State that own, care for, and publicly exhibit collections. Applicant institutions must be open to the public and cannot have in-house conservation expertise in the specific treatment area. Only one application per organization is allowed, and the request may include a single object or a group of related objects. State agency collections and religious institutions are ineligible, while federal and municipal institutions must consult with the grant administrator regarding eligibility. The grant supports conservation treatments for a broad range of object types including paintings, paper-based works, textiles, sculptures, furniture, frames, and ethnographic objects. Associated costs such as in-state transportation and insurance are also eligible. However, funds will not support salaries, out-of-state transportation, estimates for conservation treatment, or preventive conservation measures. Projects that begin before grant approval are not eligible, and this is not a reimbursable grant. The application portal opened on June 3, 2025, and all submissions are due by 11:59 PM on September 2, 2025. Award announcements will be made in late November or early December 2025. Projects must be completed by October 1, 2026, unless a new application for 2026 is submitted, in which case the final report is due July 15, 2026. Award amounts will not exceed $7,500, and no match is required. All applicants must include thorough documentation and reports from conservators, and a final report will be required from successful awardees. For assistance or inquiries, applicants may contact Priscilla Brendler, Executive Director of GHHN, at 914.592.6726 or via email at greaterhudson@gmail.com. For technical issues related to the application portal, contact Kerry Sclafani at 914.582.3353. Extensive guidance, including checklists, example application materials, and educational videos, is available on the program website. Interested applicants are encouraged to consult these resources and schedule a phone consultation if they have eligibility or application questions.

Use professional conservator, include all conservator documentation, address DEIA priorities