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Eligibility Requirements

Local Government Records Law ARTICLE 57-A, ARTS & CULTURAL AFFAIRS LAW defines local government as any county, city, town, village, school district, board of cooperative educational services, district corporation, public benefit corporation, public corporation, or other government created under state law that is not a state department, division, board, bureau, commission or other agency, heretofore or hereafter established by law.

To be eligible to apply for an LGRMIF grant, most local governments in New York State are required to have the following in place by the application deadline:

The only exceptions to this are the City of New York and its five county clerks and five district attorneys, community school districts in New York City, and housing authorities, none of which are required to have RMOs or to adopt State Archives records retention and disposition schedules.

Community Colleges

  • A community college sponsored by more than one county may apply as a separate local government.
  • A community college sponsored by a single county may apply for grant funding only through its county’s RMO and with the approval of the county’s chief administrative official.

Fire Districts, Volunteer Fire Companies, Emergency Rescue Services, and Ambulance Services

  • Fire districts are eligible to apply for LGRMIF grants because they are local governments; they must meet the above eligibility requirements.
  • Pursuant to Chapter 508 of the Laws of 2014 volunteer fire companies and volunteer ambulance services are eligible to apply for LGRMIF grants. As they are not-for-profit entities, not local governments under the Local Government Records Law, they are not subject to the above eligibility requirements.

NYC Department of Records and Information Services (DORIS)

The departments of New York City can apply through the standard application process and must compete for funding, like other applicants. By law, the City of New York can receive up to $1 million in LGRMIF grant funds each year. As part of this $1 million allowance, DORIS, which directly administers LGRMIF grants to New York City departments, is also eligible for a grant of up to $200,000 to support the administration of these grants and may also apply for a grant to address its own archives and records management issues.

For the purposes of LGRMIF grants, individual agencies of the City of New York are treated as local governments. Agencies can apply for Individual grants and request up to $75,000. Also, two or more agencies may band together to apply for a Shared Services grant and request up to $150,000. The money for Shared Services grants will be part of the $1 million allowance to New York City.