Grants to Organizations

The Society of American Archivists defines archives as the records created or received by a person, family, or organization and preserved because of their continuing value. The papers of artists and the records of community groups, galleries and collectives tend to contain items like letters, emails, notebooks, photo documentation, meeting minutes and other primary sources, in both analog and digital formats. We have funded many projects that help organizations catalogue and digitize archives like these.

However, our definition of archives is not limited to a focus on material collections. We know that not everyone has benefited from past collecting and preservation practices, and many marginalized communities have had to develop other ways of documenting their histories. This is why, for these grants, the term archive can encompass many forms of documentation and knowledge-creation, such as oral histories and other kinds of story-telling. Similarly, programs that focus on archival education increase access to the archival record by sharing knowledge and tools that preserve and activate archives. The list of past grantees below gives a good sense of the breadth of archival projects we have supported.

Applicants prepare two- to three-page narrative overviews of their proposed projects along with a simple budget, as well as images that document the organization’s larger mission. Grantees are chosen by a selection committee composed of members of our Advisory Board.