Opportunity Information: Apply for 20161213 PF
Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections (SCHC) is a discretionary grant program from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) designed to help cultural institutions preserve humanities collections over the long term by investing in sustainable, preventive conservation. The program focuses on practical measures that slow deterioration, extend the usable life of collections, and strengthen an institution's ability to withstand and recover from natural or human-caused emergencies. In other words, the goal is not only to keep collections stable day to day, but also to reduce the risk of catastrophic loss from events like floods, fire, theft, severe weather, building failures, or other disasters.
The opportunity is aimed at organizations that care for large and varied humanities materials, including libraries, archives, museums, and historical organizations. It recognizes that preserving collections that support research, teaching, and lifelong learning is complicated because collections often include many formats with different vulnerabilities. SCHC explicitly encompasses materials such as books and manuscripts, photographs, sound recordings and moving images, archaeological and ethnographic artifacts, artworks, and other historical objects. Because these holdings are sensitive to their environments and handling, the program emphasizes preventive conservation as the most effective foundation for preservation work.
Preventive conservation under SCHC includes improving and managing conditions in collection spaces, such as relative humidity, temperature, light exposure, and airborne pollutants. It also includes upgrading protective storage solutions, such as appropriate enclosures and storage systems, and strengthening physical security and safety measures that protect against theft, fire, water damage, and other hazards. A key feature of SCHC is the requirement that projects pursue sustainability, meaning applicants should propose strategies that balance preservation effectiveness with responsible cost control and reduced environmental impact. The program encourages approaches that can improve an institution's financial resilience, lower reliance on fossil fuels, and align with broader energy-efficiency or green initiatives, while still maintaining appropriate preservation outcomes for collections.
Applicants may pursue either planning or implementation projects, but in both cases they must clearly explain the sustainable preventive conservation strategies that will guide the work. Sustainable solutions can look different depending on the institution, the type of collections, building design and systems, and the local climate, so the program does not prescribe a single set of fixes. Instead, it highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to develop workable, evidence-based plans. SCHC projects commonly involve teams that combine internal staff with outside expertise, and may include professionals such as architects, building engineers, conservation scientists, conservators, curators, archivists, and facilities managers.
From the published opportunity details, SCHC is offered as a grant under the humanities funding category (CFDA 45.149). Eligible applicants include a wide range of public and private entities: state, county, and local governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled universities; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; and nonprofit organizations, including both 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) nonprofits that are not institutions of higher education. The listed award ceiling is $350,000. The opportunity number is 20161213 PF, with an original closing date of December 13, 2016, and a creation date of October 13, 2016.Apply for 20161213 PF
- The National Endowment for the Humanities in the humanities sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 45.149.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2016-10-13.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2016-12-13. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $350,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections (SCHC)
What is the Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections (SCHC) program?
Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections (SCHC) is a discretionary grant program from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). It is designed to help cultural institutions preserve humanities collections over the long term by investing in sustainable, preventive conservation.
What is the main goal of SCHC funding?
The goal is to preserve humanities collections by focusing on practical, preventive measures that slow deterioration, extend the usable life of collections, and strengthen an institution's ability to withstand and recover from natural or human-caused emergencies.
Does SCHC focus on day-to-day preservation, disaster preparedness, or both?
Both. SCHC aims to keep collections stable under normal conditions and also reduce the risk of catastrophic loss from disasters and emergencies such as floods, fire, theft, severe weather, building failures, and other events.
What types of organizations is SCHC meant to support?
The opportunity is aimed at organizations that care for large and varied humanities materials, including libraries, archives, museums, and historical organizations.
What kinds of collections or materials are covered under SCHC?
SCHC encompasses a wide range of humanities materials, including books and manuscripts, photographs, sound recordings and moving images, archaeological and ethnographic artifacts, artworks, and other historical objects.
Why does SCHC emphasize preventive conservation?
Because many collection formats are sensitive to their environments and handling, SCHC treats preventive conservation as the most effective foundation for preservation work across large and varied collections with different vulnerabilities.
What does "preventive conservation" mean in the SCHC program?
Preventive conservation includes improving and managing conditions in collection spaces (such as relative humidity, temperature, light exposure, and airborne pollutants) and taking steps that reduce damage risks before they occur.
What kinds of environmental conditions might SCHC projects address?
SCHC projects may address factors like relative humidity, temperature, light exposure, and airborne pollutants in areas where collections are stored or used.
Does SCHC support improvements to collection storage?
Yes. The program includes upgrading protective storage solutions, such as appropriate enclosures and storage systems, to better protect collections.
Does SCHC include security and safety upgrades?
Yes. SCHC includes strengthening physical security and safety measures that protect against theft, fire, water damage, and other hazards.
What does SCHC mean by "sustainability"?
Applicants are expected to propose strategies that balance preservation effectiveness with responsible cost control and reduced environmental impact.
How does SCHC connect sustainability to energy use and environmental impact?
The program encourages approaches that can improve an institution's financial resilience, lower reliance on fossil fuels, and align with broader energy-efficiency or green initiatives, while still maintaining appropriate preservation outcomes for collections.
Does SCHC require one specific technical solution or set of fixes?
No. SCHC does not prescribe a single set of fixes. Sustainable solutions can differ based on the institution, collection types, building design and systems, and the local climate.
What kinds of projects can applicants pursue under SCHC?
Applicants may pursue either planning projects or implementation projects. In both cases, the application must clearly explain the sustainable preventive conservation strategies guiding the work.
Is interdisciplinary collaboration important for SCHC projects?
Yes. The opportunity highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to develop workable, evidence-based plans.
Who typically participates on an SCHC project team?
SCHC projects commonly involve teams combining internal staff with outside expertise. Team members may include architects, building engineers, conservation scientists, conservators, curators, archivists, and facilities managers.
What is the funding category or CFDA number associated with SCHC?
SCHC is offered under the humanities funding category and is identified as CFDA 45.149.
Who is eligible to apply for SCHC funding?
Eligible applicants include a wide range of public and private entities: state, county, and local governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled universities; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; and nonprofit organizations, including both 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) nonprofits that are not institutions of higher education.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling) for SCHC?
The listed award ceiling is $350,000.
What is the opportunity number for this SCHC listing?
The opportunity number is 20161213 PF.
What were the published dates for this opportunity?
The published details list a creation date of October 13, 2016, and an original closing date of December 13, 2016.
What kinds of risks and emergencies does SCHC aim to help institutions prepare for?
SCHC emphasizes resilience and recovery from both natural and human-caused emergencies, including floods, fire, theft, severe weather, and building failures.
How does SCHC describe the long-term value of the collections it supports?
The program frames these collections as supporting research, teaching, and lifelong learning, and it recognizes that preserving them over time requires carefully planned preventive conservation across many formats.
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