Opportunity Information: Apply for BASIC 201010
Apply for BASIC 201010
- The National Archives and Records Administration in the humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Archives Basic Projects" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 89.003 National Historical Publications and Records Grants.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 2, 2010 and posted on Jun 2, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 7, 2010. (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 $200,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 25 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Private institutions of higher education County governments State governments City or township governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Archives Basic Projects grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number BASIC 201010) is a discretionary grant program offered by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) within the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Its purpose is to support core, practical archival work that strengthens the preservation and public use of America's documentary heritage. In plain terms, the program is aimed at helping archives and record-holding organizations do the foundational work that makes historical collections stable, discoverable, and usable by researchers, educators, and communities.
The grant funds "basic" archival activities, meaning the essential building blocks of responsible archival stewardship rather than experimental or purely educational efforts. Applicants are expected to show that their plans rely on recognized best practices and that they have chosen methods that are both effective and cost-conscious. Projects may include one activity or a combination of several, depending on the needs of the institution and its collections. The eligible activity areas are: basic processing (such as arranging and describing collections, creating finding aids, and addressing backlogs), preservation planning (assessing risks, setting priorities, and building a practical plan for improving collection care), collections development (strengthening holdings through thoughtful acquisition strategies and documentation priorities), and establishing archives (building or formalizing an archival program, including foundational policies and workflows needed to operate responsibly).
A key boundary in this category is that projects focused exclusively on professional development are not eligible. At the same time, NHPRC encourages applicants to include professional development components when they are necessary to carry out the work successfully, for example, training staff to implement a processing plan, improving preservation handling procedures, or learning a specific descriptive standard required for the project. The announcement also points applicants to NHPRC's published limitations on what it will and will not fund, indicating that proposals must align not only with the category goals but also with broader program rules outlined by the Commission.
The opportunity anticipated making about 25 awards. The maximum award amount (ceiling) is $200,000, and the minimum award amount (floor) is listed as $0, which typically signals flexibility in the size of requests as long as the budget is justified and consistent with program expectations. Cost sharing or matching is required, meaning applicants must plan to contribute a portion of the project cost from non-federal sources, whether through cash, allowable in-kind support, or a combination, consistent with the program's matching rules.
Eligible applicants include a wide range of public and nonprofit entities that commonly steward historical records. This includes state, county, and city or township governments; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; and nonprofit organizations, including both 501(c)(3) nonprofits and certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (as specified in the eligibility list). The funding activity category is listed under Humanities (with cultural affairs referenced in the CFDA context), and the CFDA number associated with this program is 89.003 (National Historical Publications and Records Grants).
Key dates for this specific cycle were: posted June 2, 2010, with an application deadline of October 7, 2010, and an archive date of November 6, 2010. Applicants were directed to consult the full version of the grant announcement for additional requirements and detailed guidance, and a point of contact was provided for access issues: Alex Lorch, Archives Program Officer.
Archives Basic Projects (NHPRC) Grant FAQs
What is the Archives Basic Projects grant?
The Archives Basic Projects grant (Funding Opportunity Number BASIC 201010) is a discretionary grant program offered by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) within the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). It supports core, practical archival work that strengthens preservation and public use of Americas documentary heritage.
What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The purpose is to help archives and record-holding organizations carry out foundational work that makes historical collections stable, discoverable, and usable by researchers, educators, and communities.
What kinds of projects does NHPRC mean by "basic" archival activities?
"Basic" activities are the essential building blocks of responsible archival stewardship. The focus is on practical, recognized best-practice work rather than experimental projects or efforts that are purely educational in nature.
What activity areas are eligible under this program?
Eligible activity areas include:
- Basic processing (arranging and describing collections, creating finding aids, and addressing processing backlogs)
- Preservation planning (assessing risks, setting priorities, and developing a practical plan to improve collection care)
- Collections development (strengthening holdings through acquisition strategies and documentation priorities)
- Establishing archives (building or formalizing an archival program, including foundational policies and workflows needed to operate responsibly)
Can a project include more than one eligible activity area?
Yes. Projects may include one activity or a combination of several, depending on the needs of the institution and its collections.
Are experimental approaches or purely educational efforts a fit for this category?
The category is aimed at practical archival work based on recognized best practices. It is not described as a program for experimental projects or projects that are purely educational.
What does NHPRC expect regarding methods and standards?
Applicants are expected to show that their plans rely on recognized best practices and that the methods selected are both effective and cost-conscious.
Are projects focused exclusively on professional development eligible?
No. Projects focused exclusively on professional development are not eligible under this category.
Can professional development be included at all?
Yes. NHPRC encourages professional development components when they are necessary to carry out the work successfully, such as training staff to implement a processing plan, improving preservation handling procedures, or learning a descriptive standard required for the project.
Does the announcement mention any broader funding limitations?
Yes. The announcement points applicants to NHPRCs published limitations on what it will and will not fund, indicating proposals must align with both the category goals and broader Commission rules.
How many awards were expected to be made?
The opportunity anticipated making about 25 awards.
What is the maximum award amount?
The maximum (ceiling) award amount is $200,000.
What is the minimum award amount?
The minimum (floor) award amount is listed as $0, which typically indicates flexibility in request size as long as the budget is justified and consistent with program expectations.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. Cost sharing or matching is required, meaning applicants must contribute a portion of project costs from non-federal sources. This can include cash, allowable in-kind support, or a combination, consistent with the programs matching rules.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include public and nonprofit entities that commonly steward historical records, including:
- State, county, and city or township governments
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Nonprofit organizations, including 501(c)(3) nonprofits and certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (as specified in the eligibility list)
What agency administers this opportunity?
The program is offered by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) within the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).
What is the funding activity category and CFDA number?
The funding activity category is listed under Humanities (with cultural affairs referenced in the CFDA context). The CFDA number associated with this program is 89.003 (National Historical Publications and Records Grants).
What are the key dates for this cycle?
The notice was posted on June 2, 2010. The application deadline was October 7, 2010. The archive date was November 6, 2010.
Where should applicants look for additional requirements and detailed guidance?
Applicants were directed to consult the full version of the grant announcement for additional requirements and detailed guidance.
Who was listed as the point of contact for access issues?
The point of contact provided for access issues was Alex Lorch, Archives Program Officer.
What is this program trying to improve for the public?
It is intended to strengthen both the preservation and the public use of documentary heritage by supporting work that makes collections more stable, discoverable, and usable.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA)
Next opportunity: Archives Detailed Processing Projects
Previous opportunity: Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (BASIC 201010) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Archives Detailed Processing Projects Apply for DETAILED 201010 Funding Number: DETAILED 201010 Agency: National Archives and Records Administration Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Historical Editing Fellowships Apply for FELLOWSHIP 201010 Funding Number: FELLOWSHIP 201010 Agency: National Archives and Records Administration Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $60,000 |
| Publishing Historical Records Apply for PUBLISHING 201010 Funding Number: PUBLISHING 201010 Agency: National Archives and Records Administration Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Professional Development Grants for Archives and Historical Publishing Apply for PRODEV 201010 Funding Number: PRODEV 201010 Agency: National Archives and Records Administration Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| Strategies and Tools for Archives and Historical Publishing Projects Apply for STRATEGIES 201010 Funding Number: STRATEGIES 201010 Agency: National Archives and Records Administration Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| Publication Subventions Apply for SUBVENTIONS 201009 Funding Number: SUBVENTIONS 201009 Agency: National Archives and Records Administration Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $10,000 |
| Grants to Americas Historical and Cultural Organizations Apply for 20100818 GE Funding Number: 20100818 GE Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Americas Media Makers Grants Apply for 20100818 TD Funding Number: 20100818 TD Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutions Apply for 20100817 RA Funding Number: 20100817 RA Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $400,000 |
| Enduring Questions Apply for 20100915 AQ Funding Number: 20100915 AQ Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $25,000 |
| Teaching Development Fellowships Apply for 20100930 FW Funding Number: 20100930 FW Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $21,000 |
| Picturing America School Collaboration Projects Apply for 20101007 AP Funding Number: 20101007 AP Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Collaborative Research Apply for 20101028 RZ Funding Number: 20101028 RZ Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections Apply for 20101116 PF Funding Number: 20101116 PF Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $400,000 |
| Scholarly Editions and Translations Apply for 20101028 RQ Funding Number: 20101028 RQ Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Terra Firma Publication Apply for NPS NOI WASO 10 0003 Funding Number: NPS NOI WASO 10 0003 Agency: National Park Service Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Digital Humanities Start up Grants Apply for 20101005 HD Funding Number: 20101005 HD Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| NEH/DFG Symposia and Workshops Program Apply for 20101116 HW Funding Number: 20101116 HW Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| NEH/DFG Enriching Digital Collections Apply for 20101116 HG Funding Number: 20101116 HG Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $350,000 |
| National Digital Newspaper Program Apply for 20101102 PJ Funding Number: 20101102 PJ Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $400,000 |
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