Documentary Heritage Program 2025-2026

Documentary Heritage Program (DHP) grants are designed to build a more comprehensive and equitable documentation of New York State’s history and culture by supporting projects that identify, survey, collect, arrange, describe, and make available records that relate to groups and topics traditionally under-represented in the State’s historical record. DHP is administered by the New York State Archives, a unit of the New York State Education Department.

The Documentary Heritage Program is a statewide program established in 1988 by the New York Documentary Heritage Act (Education Law, Section 140) to provide financial support and guidance to not-for-profit organizations that hold, collect, and make available New York State's historical records. In 2025-2026, a total of $92,000 is available for DHP Grants.

Eligible applicants include not-for-profit organizations, archives, libraries, historical societies, and similar institutions within New York State and consortia or partnerships of such agencies. Historical service agencies, colleges, universities, professional associations, and other not-for-profit institutions or systems that provide public access to historical records are also eligible. Consortia must meet the requirements outlined in the NYSED Consortium Policy for State and Federal Discretionary Grant Programs. To be eligible to apply for a DHP Grant, applicants must have not-for-profit status under Part 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code. Government agencies are not eligible for DHP Grants, except for SUNY/CUNY institutions as specified in the RFP.

Notice of Intent: Due date for submitting the Notice of Intent (NOI) to apply for a DHP Grant for the 2025-2026 grant year is May 22, 2025. An NOI is recommended, not required. Send the NOI to dhs@nysed.gov .

Prequalification Requirement: The State of New York has implemented a statewide prequalification process to facilitate prompt contracting for not-for-profit applicants. All DHP Grant applicants are required to prequalify prior to the grant application deadline. All applicants must register in the Statewide Financial System (SFS) and complete the Vendor Prequalification process (also see Appendix 1 in the RFP).

Funding Priorities: Grant funding priority is given to projects that identify, survey, collect, and make available historical records that relate to under-documented groups or subjects. Projects should address topics that are of significance to the history of New York State and which focus on the people, groups, events, or changing conditions that are under-represented in New York’s historical record.

For more information and to apply online:

www.archives.nysed.gov/grants/documentary-heritage-program-grants