The Georgia Historical Records Advisory Council (GHRAC) seeks to enrich the culture and protect the rights of Georgians by fostering activities that identify, preserve, and provide access to the State’s documentary heritage. Using funds awarded to the University of Georgia Libraries and the Georgia Archives by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), GHRAC is offering grants of $2,500 to $5,000 to local historical repositories in Georgia to develop and/or implement projects to identify, preserve, and provide access to historical records.  Any size local historical repository with permanently valuable archival materials may apply. 

Applications must be submitted by September 14, 2020.  The 2020 GHRAC Historical Records Grants Application guidelines can be found at https://www.georgiaarchives.org/ghrac. 

A historical repository is defined as a non-profit or government organization/institution that houses, preserves, and provides access to historical documents on a regularly scheduled basis. This may be a local government, historical society, library, museum, or similar organization. The archival collections of the applying institution must be available, without charge, to the public on a regularly scheduled basis. Recipients of grant awards must provide a minimum one-to-ten ($1 for $10) match of grant funds requested. The match may be met through cash and or in-kind contributions. Greater than one-to-ten matches are encouraged, but not required.

If the applicant is a local government, it must provide proof of compliance with OCGA § 50-18-99 by supplying a records management resolution/ordinance and the name of the records management officer. If the organization does not have a records management resolution, development and passage of this resolution must be included in the project’s description and completed by the end of the grant period. Grant requests should be between $2,500 and $5,000 for local governments and non-profit repositories in Georgia to develop and/or implement projects to identify, preserve, and provide access to historical records. There is a total of $34,000 available for these grants. 

Questions about the grant application process or project administration may be sent to Christopher M. Davidson, J.D., University System of Georgia Assistant Vice-Chancellor/State Archivist, Georgia Archives at [email protected]. 

Eligible projects must identify, organize, and/or improve access to historical records. Eligible expenditures include shelving; archival file folders and/or boxes; dehumidifiers; humidifiers; analog monitors; photo sleeves; HEPA vacuum cleaners; hiring consultants to identify needs and priorities for improving the organization, description, preservation and access to collections; contracting services such as reproduction services; etc. 

Eligible activities include rehousing collections, adding collections to an online catalog, scanning collections, or creating an online database or websites designed to support access to researchers (e.g., online catalogs, finding aids, and digitized collections, rather than curated web exhibits), etc. 

Complete applications, which include all requested information, will be reviewed by a GHRAC committee which will submit its recommendations to GHRAC for approval.  Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis, with some preference given to underserved communities.  Applicants will be notified of GHRAC's decisions by October 1, 2020.  Grant recipients will receive a grant acceptance agreement, which should be signed and returned by December 1, 2020.  All grant recipients must complete and sign an agreement with the University System of Georgia before beginning a grant project. Grant projects can begin once the grantee receives the signed and executed contract.  Final invoices for grant reimbursements should be submitted by recipient entities by April 15, 2021.

In determining whether an applicant shall receive a grant, some of the criteria that GHRAC will consider are the following: Does the project identify, preserve and/or make accessible records significant to Georgia’s history? Does the project utilize sound archival practices? Are the proposed activities and expenditures appropriate and cost effective? Does the proposal adhere to grant project application requirements and does it contain sufficient information for GHRAC decision-making? Is the financial information submitted realistic and accurate? In general, is the application meeting the mission, goals, and objectives of GHRAC? 

All grants are contingent on funding by NHPRC.