Digitization Project of Southern Campaign of the American Revolution | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Digitization Project of Southern Campaign of the American Revolution (Funding Opportunity Number P16AS00547)?

It is a National Park Service (NPS) funding action issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior to support research and the digitization of primary source materials connected to the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution. The project focuses on locating, researching, and converting original historical records into digital formats so they are easier to discover, use, and share.

What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?

The core purpose is public access. The funding supports work that turns hard-to-access or physically fragile historical records into accessible digital resources that can be used by researchers, educators, and the general public.

What types of activities does this opportunity support?

Activities aligned with the stated objective include identifying relevant collections, researching and verifying provenance and historical context, preparing materials for scanning or photography, creating usable digital files, developing descriptive information (metadata) to make items searchable and understandable, and ensuring public access to digitized records through appropriate platforms or repositories.

What kinds of materials are being digitized?

The opportunity supports the digitization of primary source materials connected to the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution. These are original historical records that benefit from being converted into digital formats to improve preservation and access.

Why does the opportunity emphasize digitization and research together?

The description ties digitization to research and documentation work needed to locate materials, establish context, and make the digital results usable. The goal is not only creating digital files, but also improving discoverability and meaningful use through documentation and descriptive information.

Which agency is offering this opportunity?

The funding action is issued by the National Park Service (NPS), which is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

What is the activity category and CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity sits within the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category and is associated with CFDA 15.946.

What type of federal award is this?

This funding is structured as a cooperative agreement. This typically means the agency expects to have substantial involvement during the project, rather than issuing funding and stepping back.

What does "substantial involvement" mean in the context of this cooperative agreement?

Based on the description, substantial involvement can include coordination with the National Park Service on project scope, digitization standards, deliverables, and how the results are made available, consistent with NPS goals for preservation and interpretation of historically significant resources.

How much federal funding is available?

The total anticipated federal funding is capped at 40,000 dollars.

How many awards are expected?

The announcement anticipates a single award, which suggests a focused project with a defined partner rather than a broad, multi-recipient competition.

Who is eligible to receive this funding?

Eligibility is limited to nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status that are not institutions of higher education.

Are colleges and universities eligible to apply?

No. The eligibility statement explicitly excludes institutions of higher education.

What types of organizations does the eligibility requirement point to?

The eligibility requirement narrows the field to mission-driven public charities such as historical or preservation organizations, archives-related nonprofits, or similar entities capable of carrying out primary-source research and digitization workflows.

Is this an open call for proposals?

No. The opportunity is explicitly described as a Notice of Intent to Award, meaning it is not requesting applications as an open competition.

What does "Notice of Intent to Award" mean for applicants?

It means the National Park Service is providing public notice that it intends to fund a specific federal financial assistance project without full and open competition, rather than soliciting proposals from the public.

When was this opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on August 24, 2016.

What is the intended outcome of the project?

The intended outcome is a stronger, more accessible historical record related to the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution, supporting public education, scholarship, and broader engagement with Revolutionary War history in the southern theater.

How does this project support preservation goals?

By converting original records into digital formats, the project helps reduce reliance on physically handling fragile materials while also improving long-term usability and access, aligning with preservation and documentation goals described in the opportunity.

How does the project improve public access to historical records?

The project is designed to make records easier to discover, use, and share by creating digital versions and descriptive information (metadata), and by making the digitized records accessible to the public through appropriate platforms or repositories.

What is the historical focus of the funded work?

The funded work focuses on the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution, with digitization and research activities aimed at documenting and expanding access to related primary source records.