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Overview |
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Information for New Jersey Applicants to the NHPRC |
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Application and Review Procedures | |
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The NJSHRAB's Funding Priorities | |
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Other
Funding Sources |
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The NJSHRAB is charged by NHPRC with setting statewide priorities for applications from New Jersey. The board makes this information available on request to all potential applicants through this web site and through printed versions available from NJSHRAB. Potential applicants are encouraged to discuss their project ideas with NJSHRAB staff or request informal review of draft proposals by contacting NJSHRAB at: New
Jersey State Historical Records Advisory Board |
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The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) is a federal agency that makes grants to state and local governments and to nonprofit institutions for the preservation and management of historical records. The NHPRC provides guidelines and application forms, establishes national funding priorities, and makes the final decisions on whether to fund each application. Its deadlines, guidelines, and priorities change from time to time, and potential applicants should request current NHPRC materials before preparing an application. This information is included in the Commission's publication Program Guidelines: Applications and Grants. The Commission's address is: National
Historical Publications and Records Commission – NP NHPRC regulations require that each state appoint a State Historical Records Advisory Board (SHRAB) and a State Historical Records Coordinator. The SHRABs set statewide priorities, seek to provide leadership and coordination in addressing these priorities, and evaluate grant applications to NHPRC for projects that take place in the state. In New Jersey, as in most states, the Governor has designated the Director of the Division of Archives and Records Management (State Archivist) as the State Historical Records Coordinator. The Division of Archives and Records Management, Department of State provides the board's administrative support services, coordinates grant review on behalf of the board, and advises and assists potential applicants. |
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Applicants should secure copies of current application guidelines directly from NHPRC. They are also available from the State Coordinator's office. http://www.archives.gov/grants/how_to_apply/how_to_apply.html Informal Review of Applications Before Submission to NHPRC NJSHRAB recommends that applicants contact the State Coordinator to discuss informal proposals or to seek comment on draft proposals before they are submitted to the NHPRC. The board encourages applicants to submit drafts of applications for projects that are complex, large-scale, or have broad implications for historical records programs in New Jersey. The informal review process permits the Coordinator to advise applicants on probable concerns of the board and to suggest ways to strengthen applications. To ensure timely response, draft applications should be submitted at least two months prior to the relevant NHPRC deadline. For more information, please contact Karl Niederer at (609) 777-3598. Applicants should also contact the NHPRC to discuss its funding priorities, to request advice on the formulation of applications or to secure an informal review before submission. Number of Copies Required for Submission Applicants should refer to the NHPRC Grant Program Guidelines Section 2.c.1 for the most current information about copy requirements. Application Deadlines Applications must be postmarked by the deadlines established by the Commission. NJSHRAB does not grant extensions of application deadlines established by NHPRC. The period permitted by NHPRC for review at the state level is extremely short. |
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Strategic Priorities
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Goal
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To improve physical and intellectual access to and preservation of historical records located in a broad range of repositories. |
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Goal
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To ensure that the state’s diverse communities are represented in present and future records collecting. |
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Goal
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To promote the improvement of archival management skills among the state’s historical records personnel. |
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Goal
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To increase the overall level of support for archival records programs. |
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Goal
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To promote public awareness of the importance of historical records and the need to support adequately their repositories. |
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Goal
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To increase the use of primary sources in history education by encouraging cooperation between historical records repositories and educators. |
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Goal
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To improve the management of the electronic records of all governmental agencies. |
In
general the NJSHRAB favors applications to the NHPRC for historical
records projects that: |
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Assist a historical records repository to better define its mission and collecting policy, to develop plans and priorities, and to evaluate and strengthen its operating procedures. | |
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Involve regional or statewide collaboration or cooperation. | |
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Address the appropriate use of current and emerging technologies | |
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Foster greater inclusiveness and diversity in the documentary record. | |
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Initiate or substantially increase the commitment of the parent agency to an ongoing program for the administration of its own archival records or for the collections acquired by its historical records program. The board is particularly interested in projects where the applicant makes a clear commitment to continue to support the program after the NHPRC funding ends. | |
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Serve as "leverage" to seek out and secure private sector funding for a historical records program or programs. | |
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Follow widely accepted best practices. | |
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Actively recruit and employ adequately trained and experienced archivists or, where appropriate, other experts well versed in techniques and procedures suited to project activities. | |
| Advisory Board-Initiated Projects The NJSHRAB sometimes directly encourages or initiates applications in areas it has defined as high priority. For more information on board-initiated projects, please contact State Coordinator Karl Niederer or NJSHRAB Assistant, Barbara Pepe. Low priority projects: Because
of the limited funding available and the need to address the priority
areas identified above, NJSHRAB usually does not endorse projects
that: |
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Involve detailed indexing or other detailed descriptions of records. | |
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Involve preparation of records for publication. (These projects should contact the NHPRC for information on its publications program.) | |
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Are essentially records management activities, unless an archival component is clearly present and fully integrated with the records management program. | |
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Involve records to which the applicant does not have clear legal title and ownership or cannot describe special arrangements that have been made to guarantee satisfactory continuing administration of the records | |
As prescribed in NHPRC guidelines, NJSHRAB reviews all grant proposals formally submitted to the Commission. Additional New Jersey reviewers, selected for their archival expertise and approved by the board, may also review applications at the Coordinator's request. The board and these additional reviewers take into account the board's priorities, described below, in evaluating applications. The Coordinator prepares a summary of all of these reviews and sends the summary and copies of each of the reviews to NHPRC, as prescribed by their guidelines. A copy of the board review summary is also sent to the applicant institution. However, applicants should understand that the NHPRC itself, not the board or Coordinator, makes the final decisions on all applications. The Commission has a long-range plan that defines national goals and objectives to be achieved, in part, through the funding of grant proposals. Applicants should carefully review these goals and objectives, described in NHPRC’s Program Guidelines because they provide the best indications of the Commission's own funding priorities. In deciding on certain types of applications, the NHPRC often solicits reviews by outside experts. This is especially the case for (A) applications requesting grant funds of $75,000 or more; (B) applications for projects lasting two years or more, except State Historical Records Advisory Board travel grants; (C) applications for projects involving technological processes and issues (i.e., motion pictures, sound recordings, electronic records, and the use of innovative automated techniques); and (D) resubmission of applications that were rejected by the Commission in a previous funding cycle. NHPRC sends copies of the State Coordinator's summary and all outside reviews to each applicant with an invitation to respond to the board's concerns as expressed in the Coordinator's summary, and to issues raised by outside reviewers. NHPRC staff may also send inquiry letters to applicants concerning: (A) apparent errors in proposed budgets; and (B) aspects of proposals that run counter to the Commission's written guidelines. NHPRC staff prepares a formal summary of the reviews and makes a recommendation to the Commission on each funding request, and the Commission accepts these recommendations in most cases. While recommendations from the board are taken into account, it is important to stress that it is the Commission, which determines which projects receive support, the level of funding, and special conditions for the project. Questions About the Commission's Review Process Any questions about the Commission's review process should be directed to NHPRC staff. |
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Beginning in 2005, NJSHRAB will encourage county and local governments interested in archival activities to first apply to the Public Archives and Records Infrastructure Support (PARIS) grant program administered by the Division of Archives and Records Management. This program funds a variety of public archives and records management projects. For information about this grants program, please contact:
PARIS Grant Program In addition, the Division of Archives and Records Management provides direct advice to local governments on the development of archive and records management programs. This includes a range of workshops and publications focused specifically on local government archival issues and needs, as well as onsite visits and telephone consultations. For more information, please contact:
State Archives Historical Records Beyond Government NJSHRAB urges non-governmental historical records repositories and institutional archives that are considering applying to NHPRC to also contact the New Jersey Historical Commission (NJHC), Department of State. NJHC offers a variety of different types of grants. It also offers prizes and a free archival evaluation services called Caucus Archival Projects Evaluation Service (CAPES). For more information, please contact:
New Jersey Historical Commission |
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| Contact Information: | ||||
| Joseph Klett, Deputy SHRAB Coordinator |
225
West State Street P.O. Box 307 Trenton, NJ 08625-0307 |
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