Archival Projects

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Description

The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), part of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), invites proposals for projects that significantly improve online public discovery and use of historical records collections. The program especially encourages projects that engage the public, expand civic education, and promote understanding of U.S. history, democracy, and culture from the founding era to the present.

Priority is given to projects focusing on America’s early legal records, including colonial, territorial, county, early statehood, and tribal proceedings that document the evolution of the nation’s legal history. Eligible activities include arranging, describing, digitizing, and making historical records freely available online, as well as creating new finding aids and converting existing descriptions for online access.

All types of historical records are eligible, including documents, photographs, born-digital records, and analog audio or moving images.

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Due Dates

• Optional draft proposal: August 15, 2025
  (Drafts receive feedback from program staff; highly recommended.)
• Final application deadline: November 5, 2025
  (Applications must be submitted via Grants.gov.)
• Earliest project start date: July 1, 2026

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Funding Amount

• Maximum award: $150,000 per project
• Project duration: 1–2 years
• Expected number of awards: Up to 14
• Total program funding: Up to $1,400,000
• Cost sharing: Not required; voluntary cost share may be included but is not evaluated in review.
• Indirect costs: Not allowed from grant funds, but may be included as part of cost share.

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Eligibility

Eligible applicants include:

• U.S. nonprofit organizations (501(c)(3))
• Public and private colleges and universities
• State, county, city, or township governments
• Federally recognized or state-recognized Native American tribes or groups

Applicants must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) and have a valid Unique Entity ID.

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Application Process

1. Contact Program Staff:
   Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Nancy Melley, Director for Access Programs, to discuss project ideas and eligibility.

2. Draft Proposal (Optional):
   Submit a draft narrative and budget by August 15, 2025, to receive feedback.

3. Prepare Application:

   • Complete the SF-424 form (Application for Federal Assistance).
   • Prepare a project narrative (max 20 double-spaced pages) covering purpose, collections, methodologies, staffing, work plan, and quantifiable objectives.
   • Prepare up to 20 pages of supplementary materials (staff résumés, work plan charts, preservation plans, letters of support, etc.).
   • Complete the NHPRC Budget Form.

4. Submit Application:

   • Applications must be submitted via Grants.gov by November 5, 2025.
   • Ensure all registrations (SAM.gov, Grants.gov) are current; registration can take up to a month.

5. Review Process:

   • Peer review panel evaluates proposals based on collection significance, access strategies, staff qualifications, and dissemination plans.
   • Applicants may respond to reviewer comments before final decisions.
   • Final funding decisions are made by the Archivist of the United States.

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Additional Information

• Types of eligible projects:

  • Arranging, describing, and re-housing collections
  • Digitizing and making records available online
  • Creating or converting finding aids for online access
  • Developing new tools or methods to enhance access

• Evaluation criteria:

  • Value of collections for public understanding (30%)
  • Strategies to enhance public access (30%)
  • Staff qualifications and work plan (25%)
  • Dissemination plans (15%)

• Reporting:

  • Narrative reports every six months
  • Annual financial reports

• Acknowledgment:

  • Grant recipients must acknowledge NHPRC support in all products and publicity.

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External Links

• Full Grant Announcement and Application Instructions
• Apply via Grants.gov
• NHPRC Application Instructions
• What We Do and Do Not Fund
• Administering an NHPRC Grant
• SAM.gov Registration

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Contact Information

For technical issues with Grants.gov, contact support and, if unresolved, email Jeff de la Concepcion (jeff.delaconcepcion@nara.gov) before the deadline with your Grants.gov trouble ticket number.