MAJOR COLLABORATIVE ARCHIVAL INITIATIVES | MAJOR 202405

Opportunity Information: Apply for MAJOR 202405

The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), part of the National Archives and Records Administration, is offering the Major Collaborative Archival Initiatives grant to support projects that make it easier for the public to find, access, and use historical records. The program is designed for high-impact efforts that open up significant collections to researchers, educators, and the general public. It is broadly inclusive in terms of formats, welcoming projects involving paper-based documents, photographs, born-digital materials, and analog audio and moving image recordings. Content-wise, projects can address major themes and movements in U.S. history such as law, politics, social reform, business, the military, and the arts, or they can focus on the papers of one or more notable individuals. NHPRC also signals a strong interest in projects that better represent and foreground the experiences and histories of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. In addition, with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence approaching, the Commission is especially interested in proposals that improve discovery and access to materials examining the ideals associated with the nation’s founding and the ongoing arguments and debates over those ideals from 1776 to the present.

A defining feature of this opportunity is that it requires true collaboration among multiple institutions. Eligible projects must pursue at least one of two core activities. The first option is to digitize and publish online a “virtual” collection that pulls together related historical records held across multiple repositories, united by a shared theme, organization, or historically important figure or figures. The second option is to create and test new tools, workflows, or methods that strengthen public access to archival materials, with particular emphasis on born-digital records where access and usability challenges are often more complex. Proposals that include meaningful public engagement, such as inviting the public to participate in aspects of description, transcription, tagging, community review, outreach programs, or other hands-on involvement, are described as more competitive. NHPRC also clarifies where this program sits in its larger funding lineup: if a project is primarily about processing and/or digitizing collections and would require no more than $150,000 in NHPRC funds, applicants are encouraged to consider the separate Archival Projects program instead.

Competitive applications are expected to do several things well. They should make a clear case for the significance and research value of the targeted collections, showing why these materials matter and how improved access will benefit public understanding and scholarship. They must describe a work plan grounded in archival best practices, with appropriate attention to standards, quality control, rights considerations where relevant, sustainable access, and sound technical planning for digitization or born-digital access strategies. The proposal should show that the project team is properly staffed, with the expertise and capacity needed to deliver the work across partner institutions. The budget should be realistic and cost-effective, demonstrating that requested funds directly support achievable outcomes. Finally, NHPRC wants applicants to think beyond simply putting materials online by including outreach and engagement activities that actively bring researchers and other users to the collections being highlighted, while also increasing awareness of the participating repositories’ broader holdings.

In terms of funding, grants may run from one to three years, with award amounts ranging from $150,000 to $350,000. NHPRC anticipates making up to five awards in this category, with a combined total of up to $1,000,000. Funded projects are expected to start no earlier than January 1, 2025. Recipients must acknowledge NHPRC support in any publicity, publications, or other products produced with grant assistance, which typically includes websites, digital portals, reports, finding aids, presentations, and other project outputs.

Eligibility is limited to U.S.-based organizations and entities that can manage federal awards, including U.S. nonprofit organizations and institutions, colleges and universities (public or private), state and local government agencies, and federally acknowledged or state recognized Native American tribes or groups. Because collaboration is central to this program, projects must involve multiple institutions and include at least one of the two eligible activity tracks described above. Applications must be complete and include all required components, specifically the SF-424, a project narrative, the NHPRC budget form, and any required supplemental materials; incomplete applications or proposals that do not meet the collaboration and eligible-activity requirements will not be considered.

The program requires cost sharing, meaning the applicant and its partners must cover a portion of total project costs. NHPRC will provide no more than 50 percent of the overall project budget under this program, so applicants must document the remaining share through allowable contributions such as direct costs, in-kind support, non-federal third-party contributions, certain indirect expenses, and any income generated directly by the project. A key budgeting rule is that NHPRC funds cannot be used to pay indirect costs; if indirect costs are part of the overall project budget, they must be included under the applicant’s cost-share portion rather than charged to the federal award.

There are also important administrative requirements tied to federal funding. Applicant organizations must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) before submitting, must keep that registration active throughout the application and award period, and must include a valid Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) in the application. The guidance notes that SAM and Grants.gov registration or reactivation can take up to a month, and NHPRC will not extend deadlines because an organization failed to complete registrations in time. For this specific opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number: MAJOR 202405), the closing date listed is May 8, 2024, the award ceiling is $350,000, the funding instrument is a discretionary grant, and the CFDA/Assistance Listing number is 89.003.

• The National Archives and Records Administration in the humanities sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "MAJOR COLLABORATIVE ARCHIVAL INITIATIVES" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 89.003.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-11-27.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-05-08. (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 $350,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for MAJOR 202405

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