Groundwork Grants

In partnership with Myriad Consulting & Training, the Groundwork Grants opportunity supports emergency preparedness at California organizations that care for cultural and historic collections (such as archives, libraries, museums, and tribal nations). Institutions with historically and culturally significant collections are especially encouraged to apply.

Photo of a flooding in a city, with water level near the roof of a car.

Funding Priorities

Any organization that meets the eligibility requirements outlined in the Grant Guidelines is welcome to apply. Applications are encouraged especially from organizations that meet the following priority considerations:

  1. Highest priority will be given to organizations that represent/document historically underserved, under-represented communities, including but not limited to: African American, Asian American, Hispanic/Latinx, or Native American groups; persons with disabilities; persons experiencing poverty or homelessness; veterans; farmworkers; persons identifying as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, or Queer; senior residents; immigrants and refugees; and rural communities.
  2. Priority will also be given to organizations that have received recent preservation assessments, incorporating disaster readiness, through a Ready — Or Not preservation consultation or from other qualified preservation consultant(s).

All applicants will be asked to demonstrate the need for support, typically by providing relevant recommendations received from qualified preservation specialists.

Note: Organizations that have not received a formal preservation assessment may apply, however they are strongly urged to arrange for a Ready — Or Not consultant to assess their collection’s emergency readiness. To schedule a free Ready — Or Not consultation, please contact CAready@nedcc.org, or by phone at (855) 501-3020.

Grant Highlights

  • Goals: To provide funds and resources to collecting institutions, prioritizing those that document underrepresented and historically excluded communities.
  • Scope: A California-wide initiative to strengthen emergency readiness for collecting institutions of all types, including nonprofits, higher education institutions, local governments, and Native American Tribal governments.
  • Awards: Maximum award amount of $15,000, with options for emergency preparedness support, including disaster planning development, recovery kits, training, supplies and equipment, selected digitization, and more.

Application Information

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Applications are now closed. Check back later for more news.

Application guidelines are available on the Groundwork Grants website. To learn more about the opportunity, check out the Groundwork Grants information slides (PDF).

For more grant information, please contact Grace Bautista at grace@myriadconsultants.org.

Highlights from Grant Applicants

Given past plumbing issues in the Archives which damaged potential accessions in interim storage and the advice we received through our Ready or Not consultation, we are interested in and grateful for this opportunity to pursue funding for comprehensive long-term storage solutions, supplies for disaster response, and the assistance with disaster planning offered through Groundwork Grants.

We appreciate the opportunity to apply for this grant to further our efforts in disaster planning and preparedness. Thank you so much for your consideration!

Thank you for your consideration and support of California’s archives.

We are incredibly grateful for the support that Hillary Ellis has given us through her consultation. We are thrilled to be moving forward with this and this funding will help us make even greater strides in completing all items on our checklist.