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Preservation and Access Education and Training (NEH) - FAQs

1) What is the Preservation and Access Education and Training grant program?

It is a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) program, offered through the Division of Preservation and Access, that funds education and training efforts to strengthen the preservation and accessibility of humanities collections by investing in people and skills.

2) What is the main goal of this grant opportunity?

The core purpose is to fund organizations that provide preservation and access education and training with national reach or regional coverage across multiple states. The emphasis is on building field-wide capacity by teaching practical, current methods for preserving collections and maintaining access over time.

3) Is this funding meant to preserve one institution's collections?

No. The opportunity is focused on training and capacity-building across the broader cultural heritage field rather than supporting preservation work for a single institution's holdings.

4) What kinds of institutions and collections does the program recognize?

The program recognizes that cultural heritage institutions across the United States (including libraries, archives, museums, and historical organizations) care for a wide range of materials, such as books and manuscripts, photographs, audio recordings and moving images, archaeological and ethnographic objects, artworks and material culture, electronic records, and born-digital or digitized content.

5) Why does NEH emphasize education and training for preservation and access?

Because collections are large, diverse, and often fragile, the program is designed to address the ongoing national need for staff who understand current preservation challenges and best practices for maintaining long-term access.

6) What types of projects does the program aim to fund?

Funded projects are intended to teach practical, up-to-date preservation and access methods and to help staff at both small and large cultural institutions develop the skills needed to be effective stewards of humanities collections. The program also supports initiatives that help prepare the next generation of conservators and preservation professionals, and training that introduces working staff to new research, evolving standards, and emerging tools.

7) Who is the intended audience for the training supported by this program?

The supported training is intended to help cultural heritage staff at small and large institutions, and also to help prepare future conservators and preservation professionals.

8) What does "national reach" or "regional coverage spanning multiple states" mean in this context?

Based on the announcement description, the program is meant to support training programs that serve participants beyond a single institution or a single local area, either nationwide or across a region that includes multiple states.

9) What agency offered this opportunity and which NEH division administered it?

The opportunity was offered by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and administered through NEH's Division of Preservation and Access.

10) What is the CFDA number and funding category for this program?

This was a discretionary grant under the humanities funding category, listed as CFDA 45.149, Promotion of the Humanities.

11) What was the award amount range for this opportunity?

Awards ranged from a minimum of $1 to a maximum (ceiling) of $350,000.

12) Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. The program did not require cost sharing or matching funds.

13) Who was eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants included a broad range of public and nonprofit entities, including city or township governments, county governments, state governments, special district governments, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations. Nonprofits could include 501(c)(3) organizations as well as certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status, as long as they were not institutions of higher education.

14) Are federally recognized Native American tribal governments eligible?

Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments were listed among eligible applicants.

15) Are colleges and universities eligible applicants?

Yes. Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education were listed as eligible applicants.

16) What was the funding opportunity number for this specific announcement?

The funding opportunity number was 20150505-PE.

17) When was this notice posted and created?

The notice was posted and created on February 25, 2015.

18) What was the application deadline for this announcement?

The original and current application deadline was May 5, 2015.

19) Where could applicants find additional details?

Additional details were made available through the NEH website page for the Preservation and Access Education and Training program.

20) Who can be contacted for help accessing the full announcement?

Applicants or interested parties needing help accessing the full announcement were directed to contact NEH's Preservation and Access Education and Training staff at the Washington, DC office by phone at 202-606-8570 or by email at preservation@neh.gov.