Apply for a Preservation Assistance Grant

National Endowment for the Humanities Preservation Assistance Grant applications are open and Myriad can help you develop your project

It's the most wonderful time of year! Not the one you're thinking - we're talking about the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Preservation Assistance Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Otherwise known as the NEH PAG, this is a great getting started grant for small and mid-size collecting organizations.

We've worked with many clients over the years to develop their PAG applications and help them with their projects, so today we want to share some basic information and highlight two of our favorite PAG clients.

First - what's a PAG?

The PAG is a small-ish grant, up to $10,000, that you can use to work with experts to give you advice and training, attend training, and purchase supplies and equipment like folders, boxes, data loggers, or hard drives. If your institution or area has been affected by a disaster, you can also apply for funding to support response activities. Best of all, you can apply for multiple types of projects in the same application, so you can maximize the budget for your institution.

Applications are due January 12, 2023, so now is a perfect time to talk to us about your project.

Now let's take a look at two successful PAG projects that Myriad has worked on.

Rollins College hosted Digital Preservation Workshop

Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, worked with Myriad to design and host a digital preservation workshop with the team behind the Digital POWRR workshops. In partnership with the Society of Florida Archivists, the project team, including Myriad Executive Director Frances Harrell, gathered for two days to learn the fundamentals of digital preservation and create a community of practice together.

Rollins College Digital Preservation Workshop

Workshop Participant Feedback

"It was great to get an a bit more of an in depth look into digital preservation and a plan for implementing it at my institution. It was also nice at certain points to be able to choose what activities to participate in based on our own needs."

"Thank you all so much for this experience! I definitely feel like I learned a lot, and am also able to coach others. I feel more confident in working around some of our restrictions and attempts to make the best of what we've got. […] Instructors and hosts were delightful, passionate, and enthusiastic."

Filson Historical Society General Preservation Assessment

Myriad worked with the staff at the Filson Historical Society in Louisville, Kentucky, to apply for a PAG to support a General Preservation Assessment. A Myriad consultant worked with staff to review preservation practices, the condition of the building and storage areas, and the collections themselves to help set priorities for future improvements.

Filson Historical Society

Filson Staff Feedback

"The report that we received at the end of the assessment process was truly remarkable. It has served as the basis for some big changes that have happened at our institution, and helped make preservation a priority in our strategic planning process. We have updated policies based on recommendations, and have had more support for preservation training from the department. The suggestions and recommendations in the report were tailored and very mindful of the needs of our institution."

An NEH PAG is a great way to kick-start your institutions preservation program, get some needed training, or purchase equipment and supplies your collections need.

If you'd like more information about how Myriad can help you develop your PAG project, contact Myriad Executive Director Frances Harrell at frances@myriadconsultants.org.