Preservation & Accessibility of California’s LGBTQ+ History Grant

Opportunity Overview

The Preservation & Accessibility of California’s LGBTQ+ History grant opportunity provides state of California funding for California institutions to support the preservation and public accessibility of LGBTQ+ archives.

This opportunity is targeted at archives of all sizes for projects that preserve and make publicly accessible collections relevant to the LGBTQ+ movement, culture, experience, and/or history in California. This grant program is similar to previous LGBTQ-focused preservation grant programs funded in 2019 and 2021. Descriptions of projects funded in 2021 can be viewed on the California State Library website.

This opportunity aims to preserve and make accessible materials demonstrating the significant role of LGBTQ+ Californians and the LGBTQ+ movement in this state. By preserving and making these resources available to others, funded projects will help provide a more comprehensive and inclusive view of California’s history. 

Eligibility

  • Organizations and collections must be California-based, and projects must support the physical or digital preservation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer materials relevant to the LGBTQ+ movement, culture, experience, and/or history within California. 
  • Projects must include activities that focus on educating the public, researchers, and other stakeholders about and encouraging them to access the collection(s). 
  • Projects must focus on research-value materials, including monographs, serials, manuscripts, archival materials, maps, architectural drawings, sound recordings, photographs, moving images, and newspapers. This funding is not for the preservation of works of art on paper, paintings, sculptures, or other objects.
  • Minimum funding request: $15,000
  • Maximum funding request: $100,000 
  • Eligible organizations comprised of more than one library and/or organizations managing more than one archive may apply for up to two grants, each eligible to request up to $50,000 in funding.  All other eligible organizations may apply for one grant. 

Timeline

  • Opportunity opens on Wednesday, October 2, 2024.
  • Drop-in Zoom Office Hours will be held on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.  Bring your questions about the opportunity and/or the application process.
  • Application closes at noon (12:00 pm) on Wednesday, November 13, 2024. Applicants will be notified of funding decisions in December 2024. 
  • The project period is from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2026.  All project activities must occur within these dates. 

Requirements

All awardees will be required to:

  • Fulfill all project reporting responsibilities, including four reports with the following due dates:
    • June 30, 2025
    • December 31, 2025
    • June 30, 2026
    • January 31, 2027
  • Regularly monitor program spending to fully expend grant funds. Applicants are asked only to request funds that they will be able to expend fully before December 31, 2026.
  • Work with the assigned Grant Monitor throughout the project period to ensure the project and all activities remain compliant with funding rules and regulations.

To Apply

Complete the Preservation & Accessibility of California’s LGBTQ+ History online application no later than Wednesday, November 20, 2024 at noon (12:00 pm).

  • Application Instructions and Guidelines: Please review the content fully before submitting your application online.