Opportunity Information: Apply for 20101116 PF
Apply for 20101116 PF
- The National Endowment for the Humanities in the humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections" 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 Sep 15, 2010 and posted on Jul 28, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 1, 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 $400,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 40 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Private institutions of higher education Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Special district governments State governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education County governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education City or township governments.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Opportunity Summary:
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections (SCHC) grant program is designed to help cultural institutions take practical, preventive steps to preserve humanities collections for the long term. The central focus is preventive conservation: projects that slow deterioration and extend the usable life of collections by reducing the most common risks that damage materials over time. Rather than concentrating on item-by-item conservation treatments, SCHC emphasizes broader measures that improve how collections are housed, monitored, and protected so that institutions can sustain access for researchers, educators, and the public.
SCHC recognizes that libraries, archives, museums, and historical organizations care for a wide range of humanities materials, including books and manuscripts, photographic collections, audio recordings and moving images, archaeological and ethnographic objects, artworks, and other historically significant artifacts. Because these holdings are often large and diverse, long-term preservation depends heavily on managing the environments and systems that surround them. The opportunity supports activities such as improving control of relative humidity and temperature, managing light exposure and airborne pollutants, upgrading or implementing protective storage enclosures and collection storage systems, and strengthening safeguards against theft. It also supports planning and mitigation for emergencies, including natural disasters and human-caused events, because preparedness and risk reduction are viewed as essential parts of keeping collections intact and accessible.
A major theme of the program is sustainable preservation, meaning strategies that balance preservation effectiveness with cost and environmental impact. NEH highlights the growing research base showing that preservation goals can often be met through energy-efficient and environmentally sensitive approaches, especially in how buildings and systems manage conditions in storage and exhibit areas. In that spirit, NEH encourages proposals that are risk-based rather than driven by rigid, prescriptive environmental targets. In other words, applicants are invited to focus on interventions that address the biggest, most realistic threats to their specific collections and circumstances, instead of trying to force every space into one uniform set of ideal numbers.
Because effective preventive conservation often requires coordination across roles and expertise, the program explicitly encourages collaborative and interdisciplinary planning. Strong projects typically consider multiple factors at once: what the collection materials are and how vulnerable they may be, how the building (including its envelope and mechanical systems) actually performs, what staffing and operational capacity the institution has to maintain changes over time, and how local climate conditions and climate change may affect future preservation risks. Proposals are also expected to think through cost effectiveness, energy use, and environmental impact so the chosen approach is both responsible and realistically sustainable for the institution.
Administratively, this is a discretionary federal grant opportunity under NEH (CFDA 45.149, Promotion of the Humanities) through the Division of Preservation and Access. The funding opportunity number is 20101116-PF. NEH anticipated making about 40 awards, with an award ceiling of $400,000 and no stated award floor. The program does not require cost sharing or matching. Eligible applicants include a broad range of public and private entities, including state, county, and city governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; special district governments; and nonprofit organizations (including those with 501(c)(3) status, and certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status other than institutions of higher education). For the cycle described in the notice, the opportunity was posted July 28, 2010, with an original closing date of November 16, 2010, and a current closing date listed as December 1, 2010.
Additional details and official guidance were provided through NEH at http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/SCHC.html. The program contact was the Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections program staff in NEH’s Division of Preservation and Access, Room 411, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20506, phone 202-606-8570, email preservation@neh.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): NEH Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections (SCHC)
What is the NEH Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections (SCHC) grant program?
The Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections (SCHC) program is a discretionary federal grant opportunity from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) that supports practical, preventive steps to preserve humanities collections for the long term. The core idea is to slow deterioration and extend the usable life of collections by reducing common, ongoing risks that cause damage over time.
What does SCHC mean by "preventive conservation"?
In this program, preventive conservation focuses on improving the overall conditions and systems that surround collections, such as storage environments, monitoring, protection, and preparedness. Rather than emphasizing item-by-item conservation treatments, the program prioritizes broader measures that help institutions sustain access to collections for researchers, educators, and the public.
What kinds of collections does SCHC support?
SCHC recognizes that cultural institutions hold a wide range of humanities materials, including (but not limited to) books and manuscripts, photographic collections, audio recordings and moving images, archaeological and ethnographic objects, artworks, and other historically significant artifacts.
What types of projects or activities are supported?
The opportunity supports practical steps that reduce key risks to collections, including activities such as improving control of relative humidity and temperature, managing light exposure and airborne pollutants, upgrading or implementing protective storage enclosures and collection storage systems, and strengthening safeguards against theft.
Does SCHC support emergency preparedness and mitigation?
Yes. SCHC supports planning and mitigation for emergencies, including both natural disasters and human-caused events. Preparedness and risk reduction are treated as essential parts of keeping collections intact and accessible over time.
Is SCHC focused on treating individual items (item-by-item conservation)?
The central emphasis is not item-by-item treatments. SCHC prioritizes broader preventive approaches that improve housing, monitoring, and protection for collections as a whole, particularly when holdings are large and diverse.
What does NEH mean by "sustainable preservation" in this program?
Sustainable preservation refers to strategies that balance preservation effectiveness with cost and environmental impact. NEH points to a growing research base indicating preservation goals can often be achieved through energy-efficient and environmentally sensitive approaches, especially in how buildings and systems manage storage and exhibit conditions.
Does NEH require strict environmental targets for storage and exhibit spaces?
NEH encourages proposals that are risk-based rather than driven by rigid, prescriptive environmental targets. Applicants are invited to focus on interventions that address the biggest and most realistic threats to their specific collections and circumstances, rather than attempting to force every space to meet a single uniform set of "ideal" numbers.
Why does the program emphasize collaboration and interdisciplinary planning?
Preventive conservation often requires coordination across roles and expertise. The program explicitly encourages collaborative and interdisciplinary planning so projects can consider collections needs, building performance, staffing and operational capacity, and external conditions that affect long-term preservation.
What factors are strong proposals expected to consider?
Based on the program description, strong projects typically consider multiple factors at once, including: the collection materials and their vulnerabilities; how the building envelope and mechanical systems actually perform; the institution's staffing and operational ability to maintain changes over time; local climate conditions and climate change impacts; and cost effectiveness, energy use, and environmental impact.
What is the CFDA number and the NEH division for this opportunity?
This is a discretionary federal grant opportunity under NEH listed under CFDA 45.149 (Promotion of the Humanities) through NEH's Division of Preservation and Access.
What is the funding opportunity number for SCHC in the notice described?
The funding opportunity number provided is 20101116-PF.
How many awards did NEH anticipate making under this notice?
NEH anticipated making about 40 awards.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling listed in the notice is $400,000.
Is there a minimum award amount (award floor)?
No award floor is stated in the information provided.
Does SCHC require cost sharing or a match?
No. The program does not require cost sharing or matching.
Who is eligible to apply for the SCHC grant?
Eligible applicants include a broad range of public and private entities, including state, county, and city governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; special district governments; and nonprofit organizations (including those with 501(c)(3) status, and certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status other than institutions of higher education).
When was this opportunity posted and what were the closing dates listed?
For the cycle described, the opportunity was posted on July 28, 2010. The original closing date was November 16, 2010, and a current closing date was listed as December 1, 2010.
Where can applicants find the official program guidance for SCHC?
Official details and guidance were provided by NEH at http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/SCHC.html.
Who is the program contact for SCHC and how can they be reached?
The contact listed is the Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections program staff in NEH's Division of Preservation and Access, Room 411, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20506. Phone: 202-606-8570. Email: preservation@neh.gov.
What is the overall purpose of SCHC for the public?
The program supports approaches that help institutions sustain long-term access to humanities collections for researchers, educators, and the public by reducing ongoing risks, improving preservation environments and systems, and strengthening preparedness and protection.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA)
Next opportunity: Freedom s Way Heritage Association Management Plan
Previous opportunity: Wheeling National Heritage Area Corporation Management Plan
USGrants.org Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for 20101116 PF
[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (20101116 PF) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| 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 |
| Conduct Research and Produce a Report on Latin American Immigrants in Southeast Louisiana to Preserve a Unique Culture Apply for NPS NOI JELA J7530100052 Funding Number: NPS NOI JELA J7530100052 Agency: National Park Service Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $40,400 |
| Challenge Grants for Two Year Colleges Apply for 20110202 CZ Funding Number: 20110202 CZ Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Digital Humanities Start Up Grants Apply for 20110223 HD Funding Number: 20110223 HD Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Sesquicentennial National Library Program Apply for 20101110 BX Funding Number: 20101110 BX Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $800,000 |
| Bridging Cultures Through Film Apply for 20110105 TW Funding Number: 20110105 TW Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $800,000 |
| Americas Media Makers Apply for 20110112 TD Funding Number: 20110112 TD Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Americas Historical and Cultural Organizations Apply for 20110112 GE Funding Number: 20110112 GE Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Institutes for Advanced Topics in the Digital Humanities Apply for 20110216 HT Funding Number: 20110216 HT Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Programming Grants to Accompany NEH on the Road Exhibitions Apply for 20111231 MR Funding Number: 20111231 MR Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $1,000 |
| Publication Subventions Apply for SUBVENTIONS 201103 Funding Number: SUBVENTIONS 201103 Agency: National Archives and Records Administration Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $10,000 |
| Digitizing Historical Records Apply for DIGITIZING 201106 Funding Number: DIGITIZING 201106 Agency: National Archives and Records Administration Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| Publishing Historical Records Apply for PUBLISHING 201106 Funding Number: PUBLISHING 201106 Agency: National Archives and Records Administration Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Electronic Records Projects Apply for ELECTRONIC 201106 Funding Number: ELECTRONIC 201106 Agency: National Archives and Records Administration Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| State and National Archival Partnership (SNAP) Apply for SNAP 201109 Funding Number: SNAP 201109 Agency: National Archives and Records Administration Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA) Funding Amount: $65,000 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Subscribe to Leads
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "20101116 PF", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.