Recordings at Risk
The Recordings at Risk program funds the digital preservation of rare and unique audio and audiovisual media at risk of loss through external digitization for nonprofit organizations in the US and Canada.
Funder: Council on Library and Information Resources
Due Dates (Anticipated): February 2027 (Full application submission deadline, projected)
Funding Amounts: $10,000–$60,000 per project; funds cover direct costs of external digital reformatting; project duration 3–12 months.
Summary: Supports the digital preservation of rare and unique audio and audiovisual media at risk of loss by funding reformatting projects at nonprofit organizations in the US and Canada.
Description
The Recordings at Risk program, administered by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) and funded by the Mellon Foundation, provides grants to support the preservation of rare and unique time-based media of public value—such as audio tapes, grooved discs, wax cylinders, wire recordings, and film—through digital reformatting. The program is designed to help organizations with limited resources or technical expertise act quickly to prevent the loss of content at risk due to media degradation and obsolescence. Projects must involve digitization by qualified external service providers, and applicants are encouraged to identify preservation priorities, develop practical digitization strategies, and promote best practices in digital preservation. The initiative aims to ensure that at-risk media content is preserved and made accessible for future generations.
