Eligible Institutions

Eligible institutions must as a matter of policy make their holdings readily available to all qualified students and scholars.

Qualifying proposals must address needs associated with collections of research value. Such collections will encompass significant holdings of primary resources such as manuscripts, documents, newspapers, photographs, maps, theses, or pamphlets. General library collections are not eligible for funding; nor are collections of objects of art, natural history, or material culture. In cases of doubt, contact the Program Director.

Proposals based on photographic collections will only be funded under special circumstances of need and impact. Proposals must very clearly document the significance of the collection by means of a detailed summary of holdings and an assessment of their value for research. For photographic collections that have not been inventoried, the Program Committee will consider small grants to assist institutions in conducting initial evaluations of their holdings. Given the technical demands and expense of providing bibliographic descriptions and preserving photographic materials, proposals focused on these activities should demonstrate a full understanding of currently accepted "best practices."

The Program's support is limited to a maximum of US$20,000 for an entire project, whatever its expected duration. Most projects should be completed within one year, and very few projects should require more than two years to complete.

Any institution is only eligible to receive one grant from the Program at any one time. Once an institution has carried out a project, it is eligible to submit another proposal. Other things being equal, repositories that have not formerly received Program support will have priority. No more than two proposals will be considered from any institution at one time. No institution can receive more than three grants in total.