Opportunity Information: Apply for P18AS00045
Save America's Treasures - Collections is a discretionary federal grant program run by the Department of the Interior through the National Park Service (NPS) that supports the preservation and conservation of nationally significant historic collections. The funding comes from the Historic Preservation Fund and is aimed at helping safeguard important cultural and historical materials that have recognized value to the nation, with grants focused specifically on collection-related needs rather than general operating support. Awards are made through a competitive process, meaning proposals are evaluated against each other and must clearly justify national significance, the urgency and appropriateness of the proposed work, and the applicant's ability to complete the project to professional standards.
A key feature of this opportunity is its cost-sharing requirement. Recipients must provide a dollar-for-dollar, non-federal match equal to the amount of federal funding requested. This match can be provided as cash contributions or as documented in-kind support, as long as it is allowable and properly tracked. In practice, this means applicants need a realistic plan to cover half of the total project cost and must be able to show credible commitments and documentation for matching resources.
The program supports preservation and/or conservation assistance for collections, which typically includes activities like conservation treatment, stabilization, rehousing, environmental improvements directly tied to collections care, condition assessments, specialized conservation services, and other tangible work that improves the long-term survival of historically significant items. Because it is centered on nationally significant collections, strong applications generally connect the collection to major themes in U.S. history, culture, science, or the arts and explain why the materials are exceptional and worthy of federal investment.
Administration of the program is led by the NPS, but it is carried out in partnership with several major cultural agencies: the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). This multi-agency partnership signals that the program sits at the intersection of historic preservation, humanities, and cultural heritage stewardship, and applicants are typically expected to follow high professional standards common to museums, libraries, archives, and conservation practice.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of public and nonprofit entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; and nonprofit organizations, including both 501(c)(3) nonprofits and certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (as specified in the opportunity's additional eligibility guidance). This wide eligibility allows a variety of institutions that hold significant collections such as museums, archives, libraries, universities, historical societies, and tribal cultural organizations to compete for support.
For the cycle described in the source data, the opportunity number is P18AS00045 under CFDA 15.904. The posting date (creation date) was December 20, 2017, with an original application deadline of February 21, 2018. The maximum award amount (award ceiling) was $500,000, and the program anticipated making about 9 awards. Overall, the opportunity is designed for institutions that can demonstrate both the national importance of their collections and a well-developed, match-supported plan to carry out measurable preservation or conservation work within the grant period.Apply for P18AS00045
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda), other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Save America's Treasures - Collections" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.904.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 20, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 21, 2018. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 9 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Save America's Treasures - Collections: FAQs
What is the Save America's Treasures - Collections grant program?
Save America's Treasures - Collections is a discretionary federal grant program run by the U.S. Department of the Interior through the National Park Service (NPS). It supports the preservation and conservation of nationally significant historic collections.
What types of projects does this program fund?
The program supports preservation and/or conservation assistance for collections. Typical supported activities include conservation treatment, stabilization, rehousing, environmental improvements directly tied to collections care, condition assessments, specialized conservation services, and other tangible work that improves the long-term survival of historically significant items.
Does the program fund general operating support?
No. The focus is on collection-related needs rather than general operating support.
What does "nationally significant historic collections" mean in this context?
The program is aimed at collections with recognized value to the nation. Strong proposals generally connect the collection to major themes in U.S. history, culture, science, or the arts and explain why the materials are exceptional and worthy of federal investment.
How are awards made (competitive or non-competitive)?
Awards are made through a competitive process. Proposals are evaluated against each other and must clearly justify national significance, the urgency and appropriateness of the proposed work, and the applicant's ability to complete the project to professional standards.
What is the source of the funding for this grant?
Funding comes from the Historic Preservation Fund.
Who administers the program?
The program is administered by the National Park Service (NPS) within the Department of the Interior.
Which agencies partner in carrying out this program?
The program is carried out in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), alongside the NPS.
What is the cost-sharing or matching requirement?
Recipients must provide a dollar-for-dollar, non-federal match equal to the amount of federal funding requested. This means applicants need a plan to cover half of the total project cost using non-federal resources.
Can the match be provided as in-kind support, or does it have to be cash?
The match can be provided as cash contributions or as documented in-kind support, as long as it is allowable and properly tracked.
What does "non-federal match" mean?
A non-federal match means the matching share cannot come from federal funding. Applicants must provide matching resources from non-federal sources to equal the amount of federal funds requested.
What does the program expect regarding documentation of the match?
Applicants are expected to show credible commitments and documentation for matching resources and to properly track any match provided, including in-kind support.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility includes a broad range of public and nonprofit entities, including state, county, and city or township governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; and nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) nonprofits and certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status, as specified in additional eligibility guidance).
Are tribal governments eligible to apply?
Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are eligible applicants.
Can colleges and universities apply?
Yes. Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education are eligible.
Can nonprofits apply if they are not a 501(c)(3)?
Yes. The opportunity includes 501(c)(3) nonprofits and certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status, as specified in the opportunity's additional eligibility guidance.
What kinds of institutions are typical applicants?
The program's broad eligibility allows many institutions that hold significant collections to compete, such as museums, archives, libraries, universities, historical societies, and tribal cultural organizations.
What standards are applicants expected to meet?
Because the program sits at the intersection of historic preservation, humanities, and cultural heritage stewardship, applicants are typically expected to follow high professional standards common to museums, libraries, archives, and conservation practice.
What is the maximum award amount for the cycle described?
For the cycle described in the source data, the maximum award amount (award ceiling) was $500,000.
About how many awards were anticipated for the cycle described?
For the cycle described in the source data, the program anticipated making about 9 awards.
What is the opportunity number and CFDA number listed for this cycle?
The opportunity number listed is P18AS00045 under CFDA 15.904.
When was this opportunity posted and when was the application deadline (for the cycle described)?
The posting (creation) date was December 20, 2017, and the original application deadline was February 21, 2018.
What makes an application strong based on the program description?
Strong applications clearly demonstrate the national importance of the collection, explain the urgency and appropriateness of the proposed preservation or conservation work, and show the applicant has the capacity to complete the project to professional standards with a realistic, well-documented matching plan.
What is the main goal of the program?
The main goal is to help safeguard important cultural and historical materials by funding measurable preservation or conservation work that improves the long-term survival of nationally significant collections.
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Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (P18AS00045) also looked into and applied for these:
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| Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Grant Program Apply for P18AS00071 Funding Number: P18AS00071 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA), Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Grant Program Apply for P20AS00007 Funding Number: P20AS00007 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA), Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $500,000 |
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