OpportunityTitle: Of the People: Widening the Path: Community Collections Grants to Organizations
CategoryExplanation: The Library of Congress seeks to award organizations with projects supporting contemporary cultural documentation focusing on the culture and traditions of diverse, often underrepresented communities in the United States today.
AdditionalInformationOnEligibility: Applicants may be charitable or similar organizations, for federal tax-exempt purposes subject to 26 U.S.C 501c(3) or similar authority, including institutions of higher education, colleges and universities, as well as professional associations and community groups. For-profit applicants are not eligible. Organizations must be U.S.-based. Eligibility extends to all 50 U.S. states, protectorates, territories, and the District of Columbia. Only one entity may receive the funding. See Notice of Funding Opportunity for more information on eligibility requirements.
Description: Through a gift from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Library will support a multiyear initiative that entails public participation in the creation of archival collections. Specifically, the Library of Congress seeks to make awards to support contemporary cultural documentation focusing on the culture and traditions of diverse, often underrepresented communities in the United States today. These projects will result in archival collections preserved at the American Folklife Center and made accessible through the Library of Congress&#8217; web site. The major goals of this program are to enable communities to document their cultural traditions, practices and experiences from their own perspectives, while enhancing the Library&#8217;s holdings with materials featuring creativity and knowledge found at the local level. As such, successful proposals will come from applicants within or closely affiliated with the community they propose to document. Funding through these awards can be used to cover travel, equipment rental or purchase, and other expenses associated with cultural documentation fieldwork. American Folklife Center folklorists and archivists can assist successful applicants in providing support for specific aspects of cultural documentation activities, such as sharing expertise or training in fieldwork methods, archival practices and associated digital technologies. Library staff will be available to provide technical advice, and work with successful applicants to facilitate a cohort for sharing knowledge and lessons learned. In consultation with American Folklife Center staff during the award process, awardees have the option to develop public programs connected to their projects in their home communities, as potentially supported by additional funds. The American Folklife Center is seeking to build long-term relationships with awardees and to give awardees the opportunity to present their work in a forum at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. See attached Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for additional information. All applications must be submitted by email to AFC-grants@loc.gov per Section D.6 of the Notice.
GrantorContactEmailDescription: AFC Grants
GrantorContactText: AFC Grants
CloseDateExplanation: August 18, 2023 at 2:00 PM Eastern Time