The Preservation Handbook Online

Table of Contents

Introduction
I. Preservation
II. Assessment
III. Collection Assessment
IV. Agents of Deterioration
V. Monitoring collections
VI. Materials
VII. Storage
VIII. Conservation
XI. Disaster Planning
X. Housekeeping
XI. Resources / Suppliers
XII. Preservation Grants

Preservation/Conservation Grants

Preservation and conservation efforts can be costly but will only extend the life of the materials housed within. Factors to consider will be product costs, time, staff, and resources. Grants are a highly desirable funding source for the implementation of preservation and conservation measures. Not only do grants provide revenue without increased collection exposure, they are educational tools based on research and analysis and help others interested in participating in similar undertakings.

The Office of Museum Services, Institute of Museum and Library Services, National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities grant # 45.301 is a general operating support grant. The average grant issued is $6,000 with direct payments and unrestricted use. This grant is slotted for several different cultural institutions, including historic houses, and is not dependent on museum status.

The Office of Museum Services, Institute of Museum and Library Services, National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities grant # 45.304 is a conservation assessment program grant. The average grant issued is $6,000 with direct payments and specified use. Conservation Assessment Program grants are awarded on a first come first served basis.


The Office of Museum Services, Institute of Museum and Library Services, National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities grant # 45.303 is a Conservation Project support grant. This is a competitive grant that funds projects related to the safe keeping of collections. This includes surveys, environmental conditions, treatment, research and training of museum staff on collection care. Conservation grants do not exceed $50,000. This grant requires a fifty-percent match from the applicant.

The Office of Museum Services, Institute of Museum and Library Services, National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities grant # 45.312 is National Leadership grants that promote cooperative discourse between libraries and museums. This grant is an opportunity to increase collection access and therefore community value. Projects such as classification and organization of collection materials, finding aids, and on-line resources would encourage opportunities to expand mission statements to include education and open up several avenues of potential resources. Awards over $250,000 must be matched one-to-one. The range of assistance is $15,000 to $500,000.

The Office of Museum Services, Institute of Museum and Library Services, National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities grant # 15.904 is a grant aimed at protecting sites, buildings, objects, and structures significant in American history. The grant is distributed on the State level and would require a cooperative endeavor with a State institution such as the State Historical Society. The money can be used for several things including staff salary and development projects.This type of grant ensures the continual growth of historical communities. This grant requires a 60/40 matching requirement and has a range of $160,847 to 934,281.

Details about these programs and 1,400 other grant and loan programs can be found through the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance: http://www.cfda.gov/public/allprogs.asp

*Grants listed above can be submitted to the Institute of Museum and Library Services, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, Room 510, NW., Washington, DC 20506. Contacts Noelle Giguere at (202) 606-8550, Public Affairs at (202) 606-8339, or imlsinfo@imls.gov. Hor general information visit http://www.imls.gov or call (202) 606-5226 for information on library programs and (202) 606-8539 for information on museum programs. The TYY number is (202) 606-8636.

Heritage Preservation Services offers a Cultural Resource Training Initiative grant that support training and education of historic house staff. This type of grant must be written in partnership with a cultural resource organization. Educational opportunities can be used as an initiative to attract interns and a reliable source for educating volunteer staff.

*Write: Cultural Resource Training Initiative, Heritage Preservation Services, National Par Service, 1849 C St. NW, NC330, Washington, DC 20240
Call: Michael Auer at (202) 343 9594; fax (202) 343-3921
email: hps-info@nps.gov

The Getty Conservation Institute has an in the field program that partners with sites in need of conservation assessment and application. The J. Paul Getty Trust engages in activities dedicated to furthering conservation practice and education in order to enhance and encourage the preservation, understanding, and interpretation of the visual arts- broadly interpreted to include objects, collections, architecture, and sites.
http://www.getty.edu/conservation/work/field.html

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has a grant concerning Heritage and Preservation; a Preservation and Access grant; the Our History is America's History grant; and a Research and Education grant. The NEA also maintains a database of online resources available to cultural institutes.
http://www.arts.gov/federal.html

The National Park Service offers the Save America's Treasures preservation grant.

The American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Art Works offers up to $1,000 for their Angel Project grants in order to pair conservators with collections that need conservation treatment. A group of conservators typically volunteer 1-2 days of their time to work with curators, archivists, or collections managers to provide basic care and rehousing for specific collections. A successful Angels Project includes local and regional publicity such as television, newspaper and magazine coverage to publicize the need for collections care and preservation.
http://aic.stanford.edu/faic/angels.html

The James Marston Fitch Charitable Foundation, Inc. provides grants equaling $25,000 and in special circumstances $10,000 for innovative research in historic preservation.
http://www.fitchfoundation.org/

The Mellon Foundation has grants available for the advanced training of future museum and art conservators.
http://www.mellon.org/

Grants - other online sources:

Finding Funders provides annotated links to over 2,000 grantmaker website
http://fdncenter.org/funders/grantmaker/index.html


Grant Writing offers tips and how to's of grant writing as well as funding sources.
http://www.progressiveimaging.com/grants.htm

A pathfinder for grant money worldwide.
http://www.fundsnetservices.com/internat.htm