Opportunity Information: Apply for PRELIM 201701
The Access to Historical Records - Major Initiatives Preliminary Proposals opportunity is a National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) grant program, administered through the National Archives and Records Administration, focused on projects that meaningfully improve how the public discovers, accesses, and uses major historical records collections. It is designed for work that has a clear public access payoff, whether that means putting high-value collections online for free, making difficult born-digital content usable, or building new ways for people to find and work with historical records. The program is intentionally broad about format: eligible records can include paper documents, photographs, born-digital materials, and analog audio and moving image formats.
The types of projects NHPRC is looking for generally fall into a few categories. Applicants may propose digitizing substantial historical records collections held by a single institution and making the digital content freely available online. Projects can also focus on improving access to born-digital records, which often requires specialized workflows for description, preservation actions, and user access. Another major option is the creation of new virtual collections that bring together related records from multiple institutions into a unified, freely available online resource. Finally, the program supports the development of new tools, methods, or technical approaches that help users discover and access historical records, especially when those approaches can be adopted by others.
A key theme in this opportunity is impact beyond a single repository. While single-institution digitization can be supported, the NHPRC explicitly welcomes collaboration, particularly projects that unite related holdings from multiple institutions. Proposals are more competitive when they address significant field-wide needs and produce approaches that are replicable and scalable, meaning other archives and libraries could reasonably adapt the same workflows, models, or tools. The announcement also encourages active public engagement as part of the work, not just passive delivery at the end. Applicants are directed to review NHPRC funding limitations in the "What we do and do not fund" guidance (http://www.archives.gov/nhprc/apply/eligibility.html), since proposals made up entirely of ineligible activities will not move forward. The notice also flags that the Access to Historical Records Archival Projects program exists separately and has different requirements and award levels, so applicants should ensure they are targeting the right program.
Funding is offered as discretionary grants lasting one to three years, with an award ceiling of up to $350,000 per grant. The NHPRC expected to make up to five awards in this category, with total funding up to $1,000,000. Projects funded under this cycle were expected to start no earlier than January 1, 2018. Because this is the "Major Initiatives" category, applicants should think in terms of substantial work that produces a noticeable improvement in access, not small pilots unless the pilot clearly leads to a broader, reusable model.
Eligibility includes a range of public and nonprofit entities: nonprofit organizations and institutions, colleges and universities (public or private), state and local government agencies, and federally acknowledged or state recognized Native American tribes or groups. The underlying eligibility list also includes state governments, county governments, city or township governments, and public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, as well as 501(c)(3) nonprofits other than higher education institutions and private institutions of higher education. In practice, the applicant should be an organization with the legal and administrative capacity to manage a federal award and to sustain free public access to the resulting resources.
Cost sharing is mandatory. NHPRC will cover no more than 50 percent of total project costs for Major Initiatives, so the applicant must provide the remaining share. The applicant contribution can include a mix of direct and indirect expenses, in-kind support, non-federal third-party contributions, and program income earned directly by the project. A notable restriction is that NHPRC grant funds may not be used for indirect costs (per 2 CFR 2600.101). If the applicant is claiming indirect costs as part of the overall project budget, those indirect costs must appear under the cost-sharing portion rather than being charged to the federal share.
There are also standard federal registration requirements. Applicant organizations must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) before applying, must keep that registration active throughout review and award processing, and must include a valid DUNS number in the application materials (with directions pointing applicants to http://sam.gov and its user guides). Missing or lapsed registrations can delay submission or prevent award, so organizations typically need to start these steps early.
The application process is explicitly two-phase, beginning with a preliminary proposal submitted through Grants.gov. In Phase One, applicants submit three main items by the closing date (January 19, 2017): a five-page project narrative, the SF-424 (Application for Federal Domestic Assistance), and the SF-424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction Projects). The preliminary proposal is then reviewed by peer reviewers and NHPRC staff. Based on that feedback, NHPRC planned to invite a subset of applicants by April 3, 2017 to proceed to Phase Two.
In Phase Two, invited applicants prepare and submit a full application under the complete Major Initiatives announcement, again via Grants.gov, by July 12, 2017. The announcement notes that applicants may consult with the Director of the Access Program, Alex Lorch (alexander.lorch@nara.gov), during both stages, which can be helpful for clarifying fit, eligibility, or expectations before investing heavily in a full application. The preliminary proposal itself should be treated as a concise but serious plan: it must include basic organizational and contact information, a short project description, an initial budget estimate, and the five-page narrative explaining what will be done, why it matters for public access, and how the work will be carried out.Apply for PRELIM 201701
- The National Archives and Records Administration in the humanities sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Access to Historical Records – Major Initiatives Preliminary Proposals" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 89.003.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2016-07-25.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-01-19. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $350,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Access to Historical Records - Major Initiatives Preliminary Proposals (NHPRC)
1) What is the Access to Historical Records - Major Initiatives Preliminary Proposals program?
It is a National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) grant opportunity, administered through the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). It supports projects that meaningfully improve how the public discovers, accesses, and uses major historical records collections, with a clear payoff in public access.
2) What kinds of outcomes is NHPRC looking for?
Projects should produce a noticeable improvement in access to historical records. Examples described in the opportunity include putting high-value collections online for free, making difficult born-digital content usable, building new ways for people to find and work with historical records, and creating unified online resources that bring together related records across institutions.
3) What record formats are eligible under this program?
The opportunity is intentionally broad about formats. Eligible records can include paper documents, photographs, born-digital materials, and analog audio and moving image formats.
4) What types of projects are a good fit for the Major Initiatives category?
The announcement describes several common project categories:
- Digitizing substantial historical records held by a single institution and making them freely available online.
- Improving access to born-digital records through specialized workflows (description, preservation actions, and user access).
- Creating new virtual collections that unite related records from multiple institutions into one free online resource.
- Developing new tools, methods, or technical approaches that improve discovery and access, especially approaches others can adopt.
5) Does the program prefer multi-institution collaborations?
Collaboration is explicitly welcomed, especially when projects unite related holdings from multiple institutions. While single-institution digitization can be supported, proposals are more competitive when they have impact beyond a single repository and address broader field-wide needs.
6) What does NHPRC mean by “replicable and scalable” approaches?
The opportunity emphasizes approaches that other archives and libraries could reasonably adapt. This can include workflows, models, tools, or technical approaches that are reusable beyond the applicant organization and can scale to support similar collections and institutions.
7) Is public engagement expected, or is it enough to publish content online at the end?
The announcement encourages active public engagement as part of the work, not only passive delivery at the end. Projects that build in engagement while work is underway are consistent with the stated emphasis.
8) Are small pilot projects eligible?
This is the “Major Initiatives” category, so applicants are encouraged to propose substantial work that produces a noticeable improvement in access. Small pilots are not the focus unless the pilot clearly leads to a broader, reusable model.
9) How much funding is available per award?
Awards are discretionary grants lasting one to three years, with an award ceiling of up to $350,000 per grant.
10) How many awards does NHPRC expect to make, and what is the total funding?
NHPRC expected to make up to five awards in this category, with total funding up to $1,000,000.
11) What is the project period length?
Grants under this opportunity are expected to last one to three years.
12) When could funded projects start?
Projects funded under this cycle were expected to start no earlier than January 1, 2018.
13) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility includes a range of public and nonprofit entities, including nonprofit organizations and institutions, colleges and universities (public or private), state and local government agencies, and federally acknowledged or state recognized Native American tribes or groups. The underlying eligibility list also includes state governments, county governments, city or township governments, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, 501(c)(3) nonprofits other than higher education institutions, and private institutions of higher education.
14) What kind of organizational capacity is implied for applicants?
The applicant should be an organization with the legal and administrative capacity to manage a federal award and to sustain free public access to the resulting resources.
15) Is cost sharing required?
Yes. Cost sharing is mandatory. NHPRC will cover no more than 50 percent of total project costs for Major Initiatives, so the applicant must provide the remaining share.
16) What kinds of contributions can count toward the required cost share?
The applicant contribution can include a mix of direct and indirect expenses, in-kind support, non-federal third-party contributions, and program income earned directly by the project.
17) Can NHPRC grant funds be used to pay indirect costs?
No. The opportunity states that NHPRC grant funds may not be used for indirect costs (per 2 CFR 2600.101). If indirect costs are included in the overall project budget, they must be counted under the cost-sharing portion rather than being charged to the federal share.
18) Where can applicants check NHPRC’s funding limitations and ineligible activities?
Applicants are directed to review NHPRC funding limitations in the “What we do and do not fund” guidance at: http://www.archives.gov/nhprc/apply/eligibility.html. The announcement cautions that proposals made up entirely of ineligible activities will not move forward.
19) Is this the same as the Access to Historical Records Archival Projects program?
No. The notice flags that the Access to Historical Records Archival Projects program exists separately and has different requirements and award levels, so applicants should confirm they are targeting the correct program.
20) What registrations are required before applying?
Applicant organizations must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) before applying, must keep that registration active throughout review and award processing, and must include a valid DUNS number in the application materials. The notice points applicants to http://sam.gov and its user guides.
21) Why does SAM registration timing matter for this opportunity?
The announcement notes that missing or lapsed registrations can delay submission or prevent award, so organizations typically need to start SAM/DUNS steps early.
22) How does the two-phase application process work?
The process begins with a preliminary proposal (Phase One) submitted through Grants.gov. Preliminary proposals are reviewed by peer reviewers and NHPRC staff. Based on that feedback, NHPRC planned to invite a subset of applicants to submit a full application (Phase Two).
23) What is due in Phase One (the preliminary proposal), and when?
Phase One materials are submitted via Grants.gov by the closing date of January 19, 2017. The preliminary proposal includes three main items:
- A five-page project narrative
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Domestic Assistance)
- SF-424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction Projects)
24) What should the five-page preliminary narrative cover?
The narrative should explain what will be done, why it matters for public access, and how the work will be carried out. The preliminary proposal is described as a concise but serious plan.
25) What other information is expected in the preliminary proposal besides the narrative and federal forms?
The preliminary proposal should include basic organizational and contact information, a short project description, an initial budget estimate, and the five-page narrative.
26) When were invitations to submit full applications expected?
NHPRC planned to invite a subset of applicants to proceed to Phase Two by April 3, 2017.
27) When is the Phase Two full application due, and where is it submitted?
Invited applicants submit the full application under the complete Major Initiatives announcement via Grants.gov by July 12, 2017.
28) Who can applicants contact with questions about fit or expectations?
The announcement notes that applicants may consult with the Director of the Access Program, Alex Lorch, during both stages at alexander.lorch@nara.gov.
29) Is free public access to the resulting resources required?
The opportunity emphasizes making digital content freely available online and frames the program around meaningful improvement in public discovery, access, and use. It also states that applicants should be able to sustain free public access to the resulting resources.
30) What is the submission platform for this opportunity?
The opportunity specifies that Phase One preliminary proposals are submitted through Grants.gov, and Phase Two full applications are also submitted via Grants.gov.
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