The National Historical Publications and Records Commission seeks projects that will significantly improve public discovery and use of major historical records collections.

All types of historical records are eligible, including documents, photographs, born-digital records, and analog audio and

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Projects may:• Digitize historical records collections, or related collections, held by a single institution and make them freely available online• Provide access to born-digital records• Create new freely-available virtual collections drawn from historical records held by multiple institutions• Create new tools and methods for users to access recordsThe NHPRC welcomes collaborative projects, particularly for bringing together related records from multiple institutions.

Projects that address significant needs in the field and result in replicable and scalable approaches will be more competitive.

We also encourage organizations to actively engage the public in the work of the project.Applicants should also consult Access to Historical Records:
Archival Projects (include link) program, which has different requirements and award amounts.For a comprehensive list of Commission limitations on funding, please see “What we do and do not fund” (http://www.archives.gov/nhprc/apply/eligibility.html).

Applications that consist entirely of ineligible activities will not be considered.

Award InformationA grant is for one to three years and for up to $350,00 0. We expect to make up to five grants in this category for a total of up to $1,000,00 0. Grants begin no earlier than January 1, 201 8. Eligible applicants:• Nonprofit organizations or institutions • Colleges, universities, and other academic institutions • State or local government agencies • Federally-acknowledged or state-recognized Native American tribes or groups Cost SharingThe total costs of a project are shared between the NHPRC and the applicant organization.

The Commission provides no more than 50 per cent of total project costs in the Access to Historical Records:
Major Initiatives category.

NHPRC grant recipients are not permitted to use grant funds for indirect costs (as indicated in 2 CFR 260 0. 101).

Cost sharing is required.

The applicant’s financial contribution may include both direct and indirect expenses, in-kind contributions, non-Federal third-party contributions, and any income earned directly by the project.

Indirect costs must be listed under the applicant’s cost sharing contribution.

Other RequirementsApplicant organizations must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) prior to submitting an application, maintain SAM registration throughout the application and award process, and include a valid DUNS number in their application.

Details on SAM registration and requesting a DUNS number can be found at the System for Award Management website at http://sam.gov.

Please refer to the User Guides section and the Grants Registrations PDF.

APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATIONYou must use Grants.gov to submit a Preliminary Proposal.

All information necessary to apply is included in this announcement, the Application Instructions, and the forms on Grants.gov.

If you need the information supplied in an alternative format, please call the NHPRC at 202-357-501 0. Applying for the Access to Historical Records:
Major Initiatives program is a two-phase process.

Phase OneUsing this announcement, all applicants must submit a five-page project narrative along with the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance – Short Organizational form SF424 and the Budget Information for Non-Construction Projects form SF424A via Grants.gov by January 19, 201 7. Preliminary proposals will then undergo peer and staff review.

Based on those reviews, a selection of promising applicants will be invited by April 3, 2017 to participate in the second phase of the process.Phase TwoInvited applicants will then prepare and submit a complete application to the full Major Initiatives grant announcement via Grants.gov by July 12, 201 7. Applicants may consult with the Director of the Access Program, Alex Lorch (alexander.lorch@nara.gov) during both the preliminary and full proposal project phases.

In order to ensure eligibility, applicants should first review the rules and regulations governing NHPRC grants under the Administering an NHPRC Grant section.SUBMITTING A PRELIMINARY PROPOSALFill out the Application for Federal Domestic Assistance – Short Organizational form SF424 and the Budget Information for Non-Construction Projects form SF424A, which provide contact information, a short description of the project, and a preliminary budget estimate for your project.

Attach a five-page project narrative.