State, Federal and Private Sources of Funding for Archives, Historical Societies, Libraries and Other Not-for-Profit Organizations
by Eileen Corcoran, DHP Regional Archivist, South Central Region and Ray LaFever, New York State Archives
Archives Technical Information Series #53
revised 2003
You can also download this publication as a pdf.
Introduction
State and federal agencies, private foundations and corporations fund programs that provide monetary and other help to archives, historical societies, libraries and other not-for-profit organizations that house and care for historical records.
This Documentary Heritage Program bulletin briefly describes what these organizations fund and provides websites, postal and email addresses and phone numbers if more detailed information is needed. Website links are subject to change. If a link is non-functional, truncating the address will usually bring you to the organization’s main page, from which you should be able to locate the relevant material.
In addition to offering information on funding sources for projects related to housing and sharing the information contained in records, this bulletin also strives to direct institutions to agencies and organizations that will address some of their other needs, including instituting preservation activities, staging exhibits, saving historic sites and locating personnel and technical help.
Information about the programs was taken from agency-generated materials. Since deadlines and types of projects funded are subject to change, the DHP suggests contacting agencies directly to obtain their most recent application guidelines.
Sections
- The section on state grant programs in New York provides information on the Grants Action Newsletter, a monthly free publication, and the New York State Register, a weekly publication of the Department of State, in which every state agency must publish notices of the funding it makes available to local governments and not-for-profit organizations. Also included in this section is information on legislative member initiatives.
- The section on federal funding agencies offers information on the many programs and grants offered by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, the Institute of Museum Services and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
- The section on private foundations includes the names and phone numbers of libraries around the state that have significant collections of information on foundations and corporations. Included in this section is the citation for The Big Book of Library Grant Money, which profiles foundations and corporations receptive to library grant proposals.
- The final section provides information on locating legal services and technical assistance and lists colleges and universities that may be sources of summer help through intern programs.
