_{Need Money?Grant Sources for Museums, Libraries & Archives}

Cooperative State Research Education & Extension Service offers a variety of grants, like the Fund for Rural America- Rural America Infrastructure , to support institutions in rural areas. The link provides information about grants, including descriptions, guidelines, and deadlines, and also offers an A to Z listing of grants and projects. The site can also be searched by keywords.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance is a very useful reference tool because it details government programs, projects, services, and activities. The webversion of CFDA is keyword searchable, and queries can be sorted in a number of manners (by date, alphabetically, etc.). CFDAcan be used to determine what type of financial assistance different government departments and agencies have provided in the past, and therefore may serve as a map for seeking assistance.

Institute of Museum and Library Services provides support for libraries and museums, and seeks to promote partnerships between museums and libraries. It offers a range of museum grants for public museums including general operating support, museum assessment, conservation, and leadership. IMLS provides funding to public and private libraries, academic libraries, and research libraries. Among other things, IMLS grants for libraries provides funding for institutions to establish or enhance electronic linkages between libraries and linkages with other educational, social or information institutions, to acquire computer systems and telecommunications technologies, and establish or enhance services to underserved rural and urban communities. Overall, IMLS is an invaluable source of funding for both libraries and museums. Its webpage details project descriptions and guidelines, contact information, and also summarizes past projects.

National Archives and Records Administration and its grant-making affiliate NHPRC is also an invaluable resource. NARA is the federal agency responsible for preserving our nation's history, and overseeing the management of all federal records. Through NHPRC , NARA provides financial support for projects which seek to identify, preserve, and provide public access to records, photographs, and other materials which document American history. State and local archives, colleges and universities, libraries, historical societies and other non-profit institutions qualify for grants from this agency. These webpages are informative and well-structured. They also have links to a number of agencies like National Association of Government Archives and Records Administrators and American Association of State and Local History which could assist institutions during the grant seeking process.

National Center for Preservation Technology and Training Gopher is an extension agency of the National Park Service . Though most of the content is still on the Gopher, it is an important reference resource for libraries, archives, museums, and preservation organizations. It is also an important tool because it provides information about projects and grants supported by NCPTT . Essentially, the agency supports projects which seek to enhance the preservation, conservation, and interpretation of historic resources in the United States.

National Endowment for the Arts' mission is to support visual, literary, design, and performing arts; to foster excellence, diversity, and vitality of the arts; and to broaden public access to the arts. The agency offers grants in four categories: heritage and preservation; education and access; creation and presentation; and planning and stabilization. Its webpage outlines, among other things, current and future projects, directions and guidelines, and application information.

National Endowment for the Humanities provides grants to both individuals and institutions. The agency supports programs for research in the humanities, educational opportunities for teachers, preservation, and exhibits. The website provides detailed information about the full-range of projects supported by the NEH including a state by state guide to current projects and information about how to apply for future grants. NEH and its easy to use website is a invaluable tool for museums, archives, and libraries.

National Science Foundation is one of the major science agencies of the federal government, and supports programs of scientific research and education. Moreover, it provides grants to examine the strengths and weaknesses of new, innovative applications of advanced technologies, and to lay the foundation and knowledge necessary for the use of new, revolutionary computer and telecommunications systems and related technologies- to name a few. Its website is extremely useful to grant seekers because it outlines grants and awards opportunities, program deadlines, policies, guidelines and procedures. It is an essential site for those seeking grants in the sciences.

The NSF Grants Database is a database of all NSF grants and projects awarded since 1989. The database is updated monthly and provides complete grant information including institution and dollar amount. This is a useful tool as it illustrates what type of projects have typically received awards.

U. S. Department of Commerce and its branches offer a variety of grants and awards to public institutions.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration seeks to promote and to improve telecommunications services. Accordingly, one of its most important functions is the grants assistance program. NTIA's website divulges a wealth of information about the agency and grants programs.

The Office of Telecommunications and Information Applications (an office of NTIA) also supports a number of programs to assist public institutions in establishing and enhancing telecommunications and information technologies. For instance, the Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance Program awards grants to state and local government agencies and non-profit organizations for the planning and construction of telecommunications networks for the provision of educational, cultural, health care, public information, public safety, and other social services while the Public Telecommunications Facilities Program awards matching grants to non-commercial entities to purchase telecommunications equipment with stipulation that the equipment be used for educational or cultural purposes. The OTIA website explains all of the offices, grants, and programs, and outlines procedures for applying for a grant.

U. S. Department of Education also offers a number of grants and awards which museums, libraries, and archives are eligible. Its useful website explains the types of awards and grants and outlines relevant information about each program.

Though not at the same level as federal agencies, state governments and state agencies are also sources of financial support. For instance, the State of South Carolina offers support to museums, libraries, and archives through agencies like the South Carolina Arts Commission and the Department of Archives & History . To locate possible grant and awards programs in a specific state, see State and Local Government on the Net or Yahoo! Government: U. S. States . These two sites are comprehensive guides to state governments and state agencies on the Internet.

Foundation Center is an excellent, well-structured reference for information about non-government grants. Their webpage includes information about the Foundation Center; Foundation Center libraries and location; online libraries; training and seminars; grantmaker information; funding trends and analysis; philanthropy; and publications.

Foundations On-Line is a service of Northern California Community Foundation, Inc. It is not as complete as the Foundation Center, yet it contains some useful links about fundraising and grant-seeking.

Strunk's Elements of Style--Writer's Guide is a general guide to the principles of composition.

Proposal Writing Short Course-- Foundation Center is designed specifically to assist institutions writing grants and proposals.

Grantsmanship is an all-in-one reference tool for first time grant writers.

questions or comments to Kristen S. Davidson kristed@univscvm.csd.sc.edu.