Opportunity Information: Apply for MAJOR 201707
Apply for MAJOR 201707
- The National Archives and Records Administration in the humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Access to Historical Records - Major Initiatives" 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 Jul 25, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 12, 2017. (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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Opportunity Summary:
The Access to Historical Records - Major Initiatives grant is a discretionary funding opportunity from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), part of the National Archives and Records Administration, aimed at projects that measurably expand public discovery and use of major historical records collections. The program is intentionally broad about what kinds of records qualify, supporting work with traditional paper documents and photographs as well as born-digital materials and analog audio or moving image formats. The core idea is to move significant historical content from being difficult to find or use into being more openly discoverable, more usable, and more meaningfully accessible to the public.
The kinds of projects NHPRC is looking for generally fall into a few categories. Applicants can propose digitizing historical records (or closely related collections) from a single institution and making the resulting digital content freely available online. They can also focus on improving access to born-digital records, which often require specialized workflows for description, preservation, and public delivery. Another strong fit is building new virtual collections that bring together related historical records held across multiple institutions, essentially creating a unified access experience even when the physical materials are distributed. Finally, the program supports the creation of new tools, platforms, or methods that help users search, explore, and engage with historical records more effectively. Collaborative proposals are especially encouraged, particularly when they connect materials across repositories, and the most competitive projects tend to address a clear field-wide need while producing approaches that others can replicate and scale. NHPRC also signals that projects will be stronger if they actively involve the public, not just as end users, but as participants in the project work where appropriate.
Awards in this category run from one to three years, with an award ceiling of up to $350,000 per grant. NHPRC anticipated making up to five awards, with total funding in the category of up to $1,000,000. Funded projects were expected to start no earlier than January 1, 2018. The opportunity is listed under CFDA 89.003 (humanities/cultural affairs). As with most federal programs, applicants are expected to review NHPRC's published rules on what it will and will not fund; proposals made up entirely of ineligible activities are not considered.
Eligibility covers a range of public-serving organizations. Applicants may include nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) nonprofits), colleges and universities (public or private), state and local government agencies (including county and city/township governments), and federally acknowledged or state-recognized Native American tribes or groups. This wide eligibility is consistent with the program's goal of improving access to major historical records collections wherever they are held, whether in academic archives, government repositories, tribal archives, or independent nonprofit institutions.
A key requirement is cost sharing. NHPRC will provide no more than 50 percent of the total project costs for Major Initiatives, meaning the applicant must cover at least the remaining half through a combination of cash and allowable contributions. The applicant share can include direct expenses, indirect expenses, in-kind contributions, non-federal third-party contributions, and any income earned directly by the project. An important budgeting constraint is that NHPRC grant funds cannot be used for indirect costs under this program (referencing 2 CFR 2600.101), so if an organization has indirect costs, they need to appear on the cost-share side of the budget rather than being charged to the federal portion.
There are also standard federal registration and submission requirements. Applicants must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) before submitting, must keep that registration active through the application and award period, and must include a valid DUNS number in the application (the notice directs applicants to sam.gov for guidance and user materials). Full proposals are submitted through Grants.gov, and the announcement notes that alternative formats can be requested by contacting NHPRC by phone if needed.
The application process is two-phase, which is important for planning timelines and effort. In Phase One, organizations submit a five-page preliminary proposal along with SF-424 (short organizational form) and SF-424A (budget information for non-construction projects) by the preliminary deadline (January 19, 2017). Only applicants who complete Phase One successfully and receive an invitation from the Commission may proceed to Phase Two. In Phase Two, invited applicants submit the complete application package through Grants.gov by the full proposal deadline (July 12, 2017). The required components include the Standard Form 424, Standard Form 424B (assurances for non-construction programs), a project narrative, supplementary materials, and a budget; applications missing any of these elements are not reviewed. The program also provides a named point of contact for consultation during both stages: Alex Lorch, Director of the Access Program (alexander.lorch@nara.gov).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Access to Historical Records - Major Initiatives (NHPRC)
What is the Access to Historical Records - Major Initiatives grant?
Access to Historical Records - Major Initiatives is a discretionary funding opportunity from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), part of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). It supports projects that measurably expand public discovery and use of major historical records collections by making them easier to find, use, and meaningfully access.
What is the main purpose of this program?
The core goal is to move significant historical content from being difficult to discover or use into being more openly discoverable, more usable, and more accessible to the public. Competitive projects typically demonstrate clear public impact on discovery and use.
What kinds of historical records does the program support?
The program is intentionally broad and can support work with traditional paper documents and photographs, born-digital materials, and analog audio or moving image formats.
What types of projects are a good fit for this opportunity?
Projects NHPRC is looking for generally fall into these categories:
- Digitizing historical records (or closely related collections) from a single institution and making the resulting digital content freely available online.
- Improving access to born-digital records, including specialized workflows for description, preservation, and public delivery.
- Creating new virtual collections that bring together related historical records held across multiple institutions to provide unified access.
- Developing new tools, platforms, or methods that help users search, explore, and engage with historical records more effectively.
Does the program encourage collaboration across institutions?
Yes. Collaborative proposals are especially encouraged, particularly when they connect materials across repositories and create a shared access experience even when the physical materials are distributed.
What makes a proposal more competitive under this program?
The announcement indicates that strong projects tend to address a clear field-wide need and produce approaches that others can replicate and scale. Projects may also be stronger if they actively involve the public as participants in the project work (where appropriate), not only as end users.
How long can a project period be?
Awards in this category run from one to three years.
What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling is up to $350,000 per grant.
How many awards were expected to be made?
NHPRC anticipated making up to five awards in this category.
How much total funding was anticipated for this category?
Total funding anticipated for the category was up to $1,000,000.
When were funded projects expected to start?
Funded projects were expected to start no earlier than January 1, 2018.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 89.003 (humanities/cultural affairs).
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include public-serving organizations such as:
- Nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) nonprofits)
- Colleges and universities (public or private)
- State and local government agencies (including county and city/township governments)
- Federally acknowledged or state-recognized Native American tribes or groups
Is cost sharing required?
Yes. Cost sharing is required for Major Initiatives. NHPRC will provide no more than 50 percent of total project costs, so the applicant must cover at least the remaining half.
What can count toward the applicant cost share?
The applicant share may include a combination of cash and allowable contributions, including direct expenses, indirect expenses, in-kind contributions, non-federal third-party contributions, and any income earned directly by the project.
Can NHPRC grant funds be used to pay indirect costs?
No. Under this program, NHPRC grant funds cannot be used for indirect costs (referencing 2 CFR 2600.101). If an organization has indirect costs, they must appear on the cost-share side of the budget rather than being charged to the federal portion.
Are there restrictions on what NHPRC will fund?
Yes. Applicants are expected to review NHPRC rules on what it will and will not fund. Proposals made up entirely of ineligible activities are not considered.
Where are applications submitted?
Full proposals are submitted through Grants.gov.
Is federal registration required before applying?
Yes. Applicants must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) before submitting and must keep that registration active through the application and award period.
Is a DUNS number required?
Yes. A valid DUNS number must be included in the application. The notice directs applicants to sam.gov for guidance and user materials.
Is there an option to request alternative application formats?
Yes. The announcement notes that alternative formats can be requested by contacting NHPRC by phone if needed.
Is the application process single-step or multi-step?
The application process is two-phase. Phase One is a preliminary proposal, and only applicants invited by the Commission after Phase One may submit a full application in Phase Two.
What is required in Phase One (preliminary proposal)?
Phase One requires a five-page preliminary proposal plus SF-424 (short organizational form) and SF-424A (budget information for non-construction projects), submitted by the preliminary deadline.
What was the Phase One deadline?
The preliminary proposal deadline was January 19, 2017.
Who can submit a Phase Two application?
Only applicants who complete Phase One successfully and receive an invitation from the Commission may proceed to Phase Two.
What is required in Phase Two (full proposal)?
Invited applicants submit the complete application package through Grants.gov by the full proposal deadline. Required components include:
- Standard Form 424
- Standard Form 424B (assurances for non-construction programs)
- Project narrative
- Supplementary materials
- Budget
What happens if required application elements are missing?
Applications missing any required elements are not reviewed.
What was the Phase Two (full proposal) deadline?
The full proposal deadline was July 12, 2017.
Is there a program contact for consultation?
Yes. The notice provides a point of contact for consultation during both stages: Alex Lorch, Director of the Access Program (alexander.lorch@nara.gov).
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA)
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Previous opportunity: Access to Historical Records – Archival Projects
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