The National Archives and the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) has a grant program that may interest you. The program offers up to $350,000 for major archives initiatives with an emphasis on innovation and collaboration. The Access to Historical Records - Major Initiatives program is designed to broaden public access to historical and cultural records. There’s a five-page preliminary proposal due by 18 January 2017. The Commission will then invite a select number of applicants to submit a full proposal.

·         Does your institution need to conjoin the records of a major historical subject held by several repositories and make them freely available online?

·         Does research demand for a high-value audio or moving image recordings collection necessitate digitally converting and posting them online?

·         Are there new tools and methods that would greatly enhance the public’s ability to access and use records? 

·         Have you begun developing a method to make work with born digital records more efficient and want to prove that it’s replicable?

These are just a few suggestions. We want to hear your creative ideas and discuss how they might fit with this program. If you would like to schedule a time to talk about a proposal idea, please email or call the Director for Access, Alex Lorch ([log in to unmask]; 202-357-5101) or the Director for Technology Initiatives, Nancy Melley ([log in to unmask]; 202-357-5101).

Please feel free to broadly distribute this email to any LIS/Archives professionals you think may have interest in this grant program.