Partners in Documentation Proposal Guidelines
HPEF awards individual grants of up to $6,000 to support documentation training courses. Example qualified expenditures of Partners in Documentation funds include student and instructor travel and accommodation to subject sites that may be otherwise inaccessible; drafting and photography supplies; equipment rental; drawing reproduction and mailing costs; and limited food costs for extended (more than half-day) site work. Typically half the grant funds will be disbursed at the time of the award with the remaining half disbursed when the documentation package is submitted to the National Park Service’s Heritage Documentation Programs.
Qualifications
The project proposal must be submitted by a degree or certificate-granting program dedicated to historic preservation within an institute of higher (post-secondary) education. Community college and trade school programs are especially encouraged to apply.
The proposed project may be part of the applicant program’s established curriculum, a special course, or an internship opportunity. The project proposal should note the ways in which the project fits into the program curriculum and the anticipated number of students who will participate.
The proposed project must be undertaken and completed in accordance with the HABS Standards and Guidelines. Grants will typically fund projects resulting in complete packages with a history, drawings, and photographs. Under certain circumstances, Partners in Documentation funding can be used for an initial phase/course of a larger project.
The project schedule should note the timeline for the course offering, the anticipated date when materials will be submitted to NPS’ Heritage Documentation Programs, and other important project milestones. Proposed project must be implemented by September 1, 2024. Other schedules may be approved through consultation with HPEF.
The individual who will serve as the course instructor of record and who will assume the primary role in planning and implementing of the project must be identified and must be qualified. Other team members (photographer, landscape historian, etc.) should also be identified.
The proposed budget must be reasonable and realistic. University fees and maintenance costs may not exceed fifteen percent of the total award.
Proposals requesting funds to underwrite salary of instructors or faculty already employed by the applicant institution are discouraged.
Documentation projects that do not have student training as a primary objective will not be considered.
Additional Guidelines
Preference will be given to projects that:
involve sites with initial construction dates in the 1950s through the 80s.
involve sites owned and operated by non-profit organizations or foundations.
identify specific benefits and uses for the documentation materials generated through the project.
demonstrate efforts to address issues of social justice and inclusion and expand representation of historically-marginalized communities in preservation education and practice.
Schedule
Applications for the Spring Call for Proposals are currently closed. The next Call for Proposals will be Spring 2025. Please sign up for our mailing list below to receive updates on future calls.
Submittals
Submit a proposal using the Partners in Documentation Online Application.
For additional information about the program, or to receive notification of the next open call for proposals, please contact Program Manager.
