Opportunity Information: Apply for 20090730 PR
Apply for 20090730 PR
- The National Endowment for the Humanities in the humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Preservation and Access Research and Development Grants" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 45.149 Promotion of the HumanitiesDivision of Preservation and Access.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 31, 2009 and posted on Mar 31, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 30, 2009. (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 $400,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 30 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education State governments Private institutions of higher education Special district governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education City or township governments.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Preservation and Access Research and Development Grants program funds practical research and experimentation aimed at solving major, field-wide problems in the preservation of and access to humanities collections. The core purpose is to help libraries, archives, museums, universities, and other stewards of cultural heritage develop better ways to protect and make usable the materials that underpin humanities scholarship and public history, ranging from fragile physical artifacts and manuscripts to analog audio and video and born-digital content that can become unreadable as technologies change. In addition to preservation itself, the program also supports work that improves how people search for, discover, and use humanities resources, especially when collections are distributed across many systems or formats.
Projects are expected to be problem-driven and methodical. Applicants need to clearly define a specific preservation or access challenge, propose procedures and potential solutions, and explain how they will test or evaluate whether the approach works. Just as important, applicants must show how results will be shared so others can learn from the work and reuse what is developed. NEH emphasizes that project outcomes should serve a significant segment of humanists, meaning the deliverables should be broadly relevant and not narrowly tailored to a single local workflow unless that local work produces replicable lessons, tools, or standards that others can adopt.
The program is oriented toward research and development rather than routine digitization or standard preservation operations. Examples of eligible project types include creating or refining technical standards, best practices, and tools that help preserve collections or expand access; exploring improved scientific and technical methods for conserving humanities materials; building automated procedures and computational tools that integrate or connect humanities data across separate online resources; and investigating new models of digital access for materials that do not fit conventional digitization approaches. In practice, this could include work on scalable metadata extraction, improved methods for describing complex objects, novel interfaces for discovery and use, or preservation techniques that address hard-to-save media.
NEH highlights three priority areas in particular. The first is digital preservation, including strategies for sustaining born-digital humanities materials that have no physical original and may depend on software, file formats, platforms, or network services that become obsolete. The second is recorded sound and moving image collections, with an emphasis on preserving and expanding access to the twentieth-century historical record stored on media such as tapes, discs, film, and early digital formats. The third is preventive conservation, focused on sustainable strategies that slow deterioration and reduce risks to collections over time, often by improving storage environments, handling practices, and collection care policies rather than relying only on item-by-item treatment.
Collaboration is described as a defining feature of this grant line. NEH welcomes projects that bring together humanities professionals with technical partners such as computer scientists, information scientists, engineers, or conservation scientists, especially when that collaboration produces methods and outputs that no single discipline could easily develop alone. When a project aims to create a standard or widely applicable procedure, NEH expects applicants to involve a committee or advisory group that represents the relevant professional communities, helping ensure the results are credible, comprehensive, and more likely to be adopted across the field.
A key deliverable for successful projects is a public-facing white paper. NEH expects grantees to write up what was learned during the project, including both successes and setbacks, so that others can benefit from the experience without repeating the same mistakes. The white paper also needs to document any software, workflows, or techniques produced. NEH posts these white papers on its website to support broader dissemination and encourage reuse.
In terms of program logistics from the posted announcement, this is a discretionary grant program under CFDA 45.149 (Promotion of the Humanities) administered by the NEH Division of Preservation and Access. The award ceiling listed is $400,000, with no stated minimum award amount, and the program indicates no cost sharing or matching requirement. The opportunity anticipated about 30 awards in that cycle. Eligible applicants include a wide range of public and nonprofit entities, including federally recognized tribal governments and tribal organizations, state and local governments, public and private institutions of higher education, special district governments, and nonprofits (including those with and without 501(c)(3) status, other than institutions of higher education). NEH also explicitly encourages applications from small and mid-sized institutions, particularly those that have never received an NEH grant, signaling an interest in expanding participation beyond the most frequent NEH applicants.
The announcement referenced a posted date of March 31, 2009, with an application deadline of July 30, 2009, and an archive date of August 29, 2009. Additional program details were provided through an NEH webpage, and applicants could contact NEH staff in the Preservation and Access Research and Development office by phone or email for assistance.
FAQs: NEH Preservation and Access Research and Development Grants
What is the NEH Preservation and Access Research and Development Grants program?
It is a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) program that funds practical research and experimentation to solve major, field-wide problems related to preserving and providing access to humanities collections. The focus is on developing, testing, and sharing methods, standards, tools, and models that help steward cultural heritage materials and improve discovery and use.
What kinds of collections and materials does this program address?
The program targets humanities collections broadly, including fragile physical artifacts and manuscripts, analog audio and video, recorded sound and moving image media (tapes, discs, film, early digital formats), and born-digital content that can become unreadable as technologies change.
Is the program focused more on preservation, access, or both?
Both. While preservation is central, the program also supports work that improves how people search for, discover, and use humanities resources, especially when collections are distributed across many systems or formats.
What is the core goal NEH is trying to achieve through these grants?
The goal is to help libraries, archives, museums, universities, and other stewards develop better, broadly useful ways to protect and make usable the materials that underpin humanities scholarship and public history, and to ensure the results are shared so others can reuse or build on them.
What makes a project a good fit for this program?
A good fit is problem-driven and methodical: it clearly defines a specific preservation or access challenge, proposes procedures and potential solutions, and explains how the approach will be tested or evaluated. NEH also emphasizes dissemination so the field can learn from and reuse the results.
Does NEH expect projects to be broadly relevant beyond a single institution?
Yes. NEH emphasizes that outcomes should serve a significant segment of humanists. Projects should not be narrowly tailored to a single local workflow unless that local work produces replicable lessons, tools, standards, or procedures that others can adopt.
Is routine digitization or standard preservation work eligible?
The program is oriented toward research and development rather than routine digitization or standard preservation operations. It supports experimentation and development aimed at solving larger, field-wide problems, rather than day-to-day or standard production activities.
What types of projects are described as eligible?
Examples include creating or refining technical standards, best practices, and tools; exploring improved scientific and technical methods for conservation; building automated procedures and computational tools to integrate or connect humanities data across separate online resources; and investigating new models of digital access for materials that do not fit conventional digitization approaches.
What are some concrete examples of activities mentioned in the announcement?
The announcement mentions work such as scalable metadata extraction, improved methods for describing complex objects, novel interfaces for discovery and use, and preservation techniques for hard-to-save media.
What are the three NEH priority areas highlighted for this program?
The program highlights: (1) digital preservation (especially sustaining born-digital materials that depend on software, formats, platforms, or network services that may become obsolete); (2) recorded sound and moving image collections (preserving and expanding access to twentieth-century historical records on legacy media); and (3) preventive conservation (sustainable strategies that reduce risk and slow deterioration through improved environments, handling, and policies).
What does NEH mean by "digital preservation" in this opportunity?
It includes strategies for sustaining born-digital humanities materials that may have no physical original and may rely on file formats, software, platforms, or networked services that can become obsolete, making the content difficult or impossible to read over time.
What does NEH emphasize about recorded sound and moving image collections?
NEH emphasizes preserving and expanding access to the twentieth-century historical record stored on media such as tapes, discs, film, and early digital formats, which can be vulnerable to deterioration and technological obsolescence.
What does "preventive conservation" mean in the context of this grant?
It refers to sustainable strategies that slow deterioration and reduce risks to collections over time, often by improving storage environments, handling practices, and collection care policies rather than relying only on item-by-item treatment.
Is collaboration required or encouraged?
Collaboration is described as a defining feature of this grant line. NEH welcomes projects that bring together humanities professionals with technical partners (for example, computer scientists, information scientists, engineers, or conservation scientists), particularly when collaboration enables outputs that a single discipline could not easily develop alone.
When a project is developing a standard or widely applicable procedure, what does NEH expect?
NEH expects applicants to involve a committee or advisory group representing relevant professional communities. This is intended to make the results more credible, comprehensive, and more likely to be adopted across the field.
What is a key required deliverable for successful projects?
A public-facing white paper is described as a key deliverable. NEH expects grantees to write up what was learned, including successes and setbacks, and to document any software, workflows, or techniques produced.
Where are the project white papers shared?
NEH posts these white papers on its website to support broader dissemination and encourage reuse.
How should applicants address evaluation or testing in their proposals?
Applicants are expected to explain how they will test or evaluate whether the proposed procedures or solutions work. The program description emphasizes methodical, research-and-development approaches rather than untested implementation.
What is the maximum award amount for this opportunity?
The award ceiling listed is $400,000.
Is there a minimum award amount stated?
No stated minimum award amount is listed in the provided announcement details.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The program indicates no cost sharing or matching requirement.
About how many awards were anticipated for that cycle?
The opportunity anticipated about 30 awards in that cycle.
What is the CFDA number and program classification?
This is a discretionary grant program under CFDA 45.149 (Promotion of the Humanities), administered by the NEH Division of Preservation and Access.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include a wide range of public and nonprofit entities, including federally recognized tribal governments and tribal organizations, state and local governments, public and private institutions of higher education, special district governments, and nonprofits (including those with and without 501(c)(3) status, other than institutions of higher education).
Does NEH encourage applications from smaller or less experienced institutions?
Yes. NEH explicitly encourages applications from small and mid-sized institutions, particularly those that have never received an NEH grant, signaling an interest in expanding participation beyond the most frequent NEH applicants.
What were the posted date, deadline, and archive date listed in the announcement?
The announcement referenced a posted date of March 31, 2009; an application deadline of July 30, 2009; and an archive date of August 29, 2009.
Where could applicants find additional program details?
Additional program details were provided through an NEH webpage referenced in the announcement.
How could applicants contact NEH for help with this program?
Applicants could contact NEH staff in the Preservation and Access Research and Development office by phone or email, as referenced in the announcement.
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| Humanities Collections and Reference Resources Apply for 20090715 PW Funding Number: 20090715 PW Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $350,000 |
| Summer Stipends Apply for 20091001 FT Funding Number: 20091001 FT Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $6,000 |
| Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutions Apply for 20090820 RA Funding Number: 20090820 RA Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $700,000 |
| Picturing America School Collaboration Projects Apply for 20091007 AP Funding Number: 20091007 AP Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Archives Basic Projects Apply for BASIC 200910 Funding Number: BASIC 200910 Agency: National Archives and Records Administration Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Archives Detailed Processing Projects Apply for DETAILED 200910 Funding Number: DETAILED 200910 Agency: National Archives and Records Administration Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Historical Editing Fellowships Apply for FELLOWSHIP 200910 Funding Number: FELLOWSHIP 200910 Agency: National Archives and Records Administration Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $60,000 |
| State and National Archival Partnership (SNAP) Grants Apply for SNAP 201003 Funding Number: SNAP 201003 Agency: National Archives and Records Administration Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $70,000 |
| Professional Development Grants for Archives and Historical Publishing Apply for PRODEV 200910 Funding Number: PRODEV 200910 Agency: National Archives and Records Administration Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| Publishing Historical Records Apply for PUBLISHING 200910 Funding Number: PUBLISHING 200910 Agency: National Archives and Records Administration Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Strategies and Tools for Archives and Historical Publishing Projects Apply for STRATEGIES 200910 Funding Number: STRATEGIES 200910 Agency: National Archives and Records Administration Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| Truss Analysis of Wood Covered Bridges Apply for NPS 09WASO 00003 Funding Number: NPS 09WASO 00003 Agency: National Park Service Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Fellowships at Digital Humanities Centers Apply for 20090915 RF Funding Number: 20090915 RF Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $100,800 |
| Americas Historical and Cultural Organizations Planning Grants Apply for 20090826 GE Funding Number: 20090826 GE Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Americas Historical and Cultural Organizations Implementation Grants Apply for 20090826 GI Funding Number: 20090826 GI Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Interpreting Americas Historic Places Planning Grants Apply for 20090826 BP Funding Number: 20090826 BP Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Interpreting Americas Historic Places Implementation Grants Apply for 20090826 BR Funding Number: 20090826 BR Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Americas Media Makers Development Grants Apply for 20090826 TD Funding Number: 20090826 TD Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Americas Media Makers Production Grants Apply for 20090826 TR Funding Number: 20090826 TR Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Teaching Development Fellowships Apply for 20091001 FW Funding Number: 20091001 FW Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $21,000 |
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