PRINTThe Preservation and Access Education and Training program is central to NEH’s efforts to preserve and establish access to cultural heritage collections. Thousands of libraries, archives, museums, and historical organizations across the country maintain important collections of books and manuscripts, photographs, sound recordings and moving images, archaeological and ethnographic artifacts, art and material culture collections, electronic records, and digital objects. The challenge of preserving and making accessible such large and diverse holdings is enormous, and the need for knowledgeable staff is significant and ongoing.
Preservation and Access Education and Training grants are awarded to organizations that offer national or regional education and training programs that reach audiences in more than one state. Grants aim to help the staff of cultural institutions, large and small, obtain the knowledge and skills needed to serve as effective stewards of humanities collections. Grants also support educational programs that prepare the next generation of preservation professionals, as well as projects that introduce the staff of cultural institutions to new information and advances in preservation and access practices.
What's New for 2016
Preservation field service organizations may now apply for funds enabling them to provide a one-year postgraduate training fellowship in preventive conservation for emerging preservation professionals. These fellowships aim to bridge the gap between completion of graduate training and full-time employment, by offering specialized training in preventive conservation and preservation services. The maximum fellowship stipend is $45,000 per year.
Program Statistics
In the last five competitions the Preservation and Access Education and Training program received an average of thirteen applications per year. The program made an average of seven awards per year, for a funding ratio of 54 percent.
The potential applicant pool for this program is limited, since the program supports education and training programs of regional or national scope. On the one hand, this has resulted in a small number of applications each year. On the other hand, the applications have tended to be very strong, which has led to higher funding ratios historically.
The number of applications to an NEH grant program can vary widely from year to year, as can the funding ratio. Information about the average number of applications and awards in recent competitions is meant only to provide historical context for the current competition. Information on the number of applications and awards in individual competitions is available from preservation@neh.gov.
Questions?
Program questions should be directed to NEH’s Division of Preservation and Access at 202-606-8570 or preservation@neh.gov. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing can contact NEH via Federal Relay at 800-877-8399.