In 2005, New Jersey launched its pioneering Public Archives and Records Infrastructure Support (PARIS) and Records Disaster Recovery Triage (Records DIRECT) grant programs to meet the strategic and emergency records management, preservation, and storage needs of County and municipal governments. The State Records Committee awarded over $25,000,000 to the State's 21 counties and 12 largest municipalities, making PARIS one of the top competitive grant programs of its kind in the nation.

PARIS grants funds strategic advancements to build and improve the infrastructure of public records administration for County and municipal government and archives and records programs statewide.

Records DIRECT grants will provide direct, immediate emergency management assistance to disaster-stricken County and municipal government agencies to recover vital, permanent or archival public records damaged by fire, water, and other man-made or natural phenomena. Designed to avert the loss of irreplaceable public records during the critical hours and days following a disaster, this program will streamline the application process to get emergency funding where it is needed in the shortest possible time. County and municipal agencies must also account for any associated insurance or other funds received in compensation from liable parties.

Funded by document filing and recording fees collected by County clerks and registers, PARIS and Records DIRECT grants are key components of the New Jersey Public Records Preservation Program established by the state legislature in July 2003 under P.L. 2003, c. 117, sections 38 and 39.

Program Year 2005-2006 of the PARIS Grants Program had an intentionally tight focus to ensure that a sound foundation is laid for strategic broadening of the grant program in future years. First-year funding is supporting:

• state-coordinated County needs assessment and strategic planning services;
• grants-in-aid for imaging systems and services, electronic records management systems, and electronic filing portals development and expansion;
• grants-in-aid for archival records preservation services; and
• grants-in-aid for municipal needs assessment and strategic planning for municipalities having populations of 75,000 or more. In subsequent years, a wider variety of projects will be eligible for funding. The grant program will be competitive, with awards based on applicants' demonstration of need and the quality of their proposals.

Program Year 2006-2007 grants were awarded in May 2006 and will support:

• I. Counties:
  • grants-in-aid for continuation of first-year projects;
  • grants-in-aid for archives and records management staffing;
  • grants-in-aid for county-municipality shared services needs assessment and strategic planning;
  • grants-in-aid for records storage facilities improvements and developments;
  • grants-in-aid for imaging systems and services, electronic records management systems, and electronic filing portals development and expansion; and
  • grants-in-aid for archival records preservation services;
• II. Municipalities w/population greater than 75,000:
  • grants-in-aid for archives and records management staffing;
  • grants-in-aid for imaging systems and services, electronic records management systems; and
  • grants-in-aid for archival records preservation services;
• III. Municipalities w/population less than 75,000 and greater than 45,000:
  • grants-in-aid for needs assessment and strategic planning to include and evaluation of the opportunities for shared services with the county government.
• IV. County Seats w/population less than 45,000:
  • grants-in-aid for needs assessment and strategic planning to include and evaluation of the opportunities for shared services with the county government

Program Year 2007-2008 of PARIS Grants will continue to fund projects supporting significant efforts in the management, storage and preservation of public records. Grants were awarded for the grant program year of September 3, 2007 to August 31, 2008 on the basis of the following:

• proven need as identified in a strategic plan and needs assessment;
• continuation of grant projects;
• dedicated records manager and/or archivist;
• county/municipal shared services needs assessment and strategic plan;
• records storage facilities;
• disaster preparedness and business continuity projects
• imaging/electronic access projects;
• records conservation/treatment/access activities.

The sole constituencies eligible for PARIS and Records DIRECT grants will be County and municipal "general-purpose public agencies," meaning the duly chartered and incorporated County, city, township, town, borough, and village governments in New Jersey. Not eligible for grants will be "special-purpose public agencies" meaning school districts, fire districts, independent public authorities, libraries, and commissions, etc.