Subchapter B. PENNSYLVANIA LOCAL HISTORY GRANTS
GENERAL PROVISIONS
17.101. Types of Pennsylvania Local History Grants.
17.102. Who may apply for a Pennsylvania Local History Grant.
17.103. Who may not apply for a Pennsylvania Local History Grant.
LOCAL HISTORY PROJECT SUPPORT GRANTS
17.121. Local History Project Support Grants.
17.122. Eligibility requirements for Local History Project Grants.
17.123. General conditions for Local History Project Grants.
17.124. Ineligible activities for Local History Project Grants.
17.125. Categories of support for Local History Project Grants.
LOCAL HISTORY GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT GRANTS
17.141. Local History General Operating Support Grants.
17.142. Eligibility requirements for Local History General Operating Support Grants.
17.143. General conditions for Local History General Operating Support Grants.
17.144. Ineligible activities for Local History General Operating Support Grants.
GENERAL PROVISIONS
§ 17.101. Types of Pennsylvania Local History Grants.
There are two types of Pennsylvania Local History Grants: Local History Project Support Grants and Local History General Operating Support Grants. There are special conditions for Local History General Operating Support Grants.
§ 17.102. Who may apply for a Pennsylvania Local History Grant.
The following institutions and organizations may qualify for grant assistance if they meet the specific eligibility requirements for one or both types of Local History Grants:
(1) Historical societies.
(2) Colleges and universities.
(3) Museums.
(4) Local governments and libraries—archives and records management only.
(5) Other historical organizations.
§ 17.103. Who may not apply for a Pennsylvania Local History Grant.
The following are not eligible for grant assistance under this program.
(1) Individuals—institutions may apply for research projects on behalf of individuals.
(2) Properties owned or operated by the Historical and Museum Commission.
(3) Associate groups at historic sites and museums administered by the Historical and Museum Commission, except as part of a collaborative grant with a nonaffiliated museum or historical organization.
(4) Agencies of the Federal government.
(5) Institutions or organizations outside of this Commonwealth.
LOCAL HISTORY PROJECT SUPPORT GRANTS
§ 17.121. Local History Project Support Grants.
Project grants are awarded on a competitive basis to support local history projects in the following categories: Public Educational Programs, Research and Writing on Pennsylvania History, and Archives and Records Management Projects. Grants shall be directly related to some aspect of Pennsylvania history and demonstrate a benefit to the general public.
§ 17.122. Eligibility requirements for Local History Project Grants.
To receive funding for Local History Project Grants, an institution or organization shall have as one of its primary purposes the promotion of research, interpretation or teaching of Pennsylvania history. In addition to this general standard, an institution or organization shall meet the following specific criteria.
(1) Be located in this Commonwealth.
(2) Be officially organized on a nonprofit basis.
(3) Be incorporated and in existence for 2 years prior to the grant application.
§ 17.123. General conditions for Local History Project Grants.
(a) The following are several general conditions applicable to a Local History Project Grant:
(1) Grants will not exceed $3,000 and may be applied for in any amount up to that limit.
(2) No match is required.
(3) One application per institution or organization is recommended.
(4) Institutions who qualify may also apply for Pennsylvania Museum Assistance Grants.
(b) The Commission reserves the right to attach specific terms and conditions in the agreement.
§ 17.124. Ineligible activities for Local History Project Grants.
Grants made under this program are restricted to projects directly related to some aspect of Pennsylvania history. The following functions will not be funded under the program:
(1) Capital expenditures.
(2) Existing/permanent staff salaries.
(3) Activities for which academic credit is given.
(4) Activities that have already been completed.
(5) Activities that have a religious purpose.
(6) Forums, conferences, symposia, lectures, oral histories and exhibitions not available to the general public.
(7) Forums, conferences, symposia, lectures, oral histories and exhibitions outside of this Commonwealth.
(8) Prizes and awards.
(9) Benefit activities.
(10) Hospitality expenses, such as receptions, parties and gallery openings.
(11) Payment to lobbyists.
(12) Printing costs and purchases of equipment over $300—without prior written approval.
§ 17.125. Categories of support for Local History Project Grants.
An institution or organization applying for funding shall apply in one of the following grant categories. The examples provided for each category are only examples and do not include all eligible projects. Eligible costs include, but are not limited to, purchase of supplies, duplication expenses, preparation of materials, travel costs and speaker and consultant fees.
(1) Public education programs. Funding may be requested for the research, development and execution of public programs that present some aspect of Pennsylvania life, history or culture.
(i) Seminars, forums, lectures, videotapes and conferences.
(ii) Preparation and installation of exhibits.
(iii) Implementation of curriculum project and teachers’ guides.
(2) Research and writing. Funding may be requested for original research and writing on some aspect of Pennsylvania life, history and culture leading to books, booklets, publications, presentations, articles or papers. Examples are as follows:
(i) Oral history projects.
(ii) Archaeological reports and research.
(iii) Original research in the development of public programs listed in paragraph (1).
(iv) Development of guides for walking tours.
(v) Research on documentary and photographic collections.
(vi) Development of curriculum projects and teachers’ guides.
(vii) Preparation of nominations to the National Register of Historic Places including multiple resource and historic district nominations.
(3) Archives and records management. Funding may be requested for surveying, inventorying, preserving, arranging and describing, and making available historical records relevant to this Commonwealth.
(i) Types of projects which may be funded:
(A) Projects to ensure the preservation and use of valuable archives/historical manuscripts including special format materials, such as cartographic, pictorial, audiovisual and machine-readable records through accessioning new collections.
(B) Purchase of preservation supplies such as acid-free folders, microfilm and boxes.
(C) Microfilming of deteriorating records to ensure the preservation and wider availability of the information.
(D) Inventory and survey projects designed to promote the transfer of records to responsible repositories or to provide planning reports in support of the establishment of records programs/facilities or institutional conservation programs.
(E) Projects that support the arrangement and description of archival records or historical manuscripts.
(F) Preparation of guides to the holdings of a historical repository or to the content of a particularly significant collection.
(G) Programs for the education and training of archivists, records managers and manuscript curators.
(ii) Archives and Records Management Projects not eligible for funding:
(A) Projects involving records which are now closed to researchers or which will be held by institutions not open to the general public on a regular basis with a publically announced and adhered to schedule of at least 100 days per year.
(B) Projects involving newspapers and library books, including rare books.
(C) Records or office management projects which do not relate to normal archival functions or goals, such as projects for the creation of a new filing and shortage system for active office files.
(D) Projects requiring the item cataloging of each document. This type of project normally is given low priority unless specialized handling is essential and can be justified.
(E) Project funds supporting the purchase of office furnishings, shelving, cabinets, computers, software or microfilm cameras.
(F) Travel or individual training for project staff.
(G) Projects requesting funds for item conservation work or the production of copy negatives or reference prints.
LOCAL HISTORY GENERAL OPERATING
SUPPORT GRANTS
§ 17.141. Local History General Operating Support Grants.
Local History General Operating Support Grants are restricted to historical organizations which function in an official capacity as the single county historical society for one of this Commonwealth’s 67 counties. The society shall be so certified by county government and shall be receiving funds from county government to assist in paying the operating expenses of the organization.
§ 17.142. Eligibility requirements for Local History General Operating Support Grants.
To receive a Local History General Operating Support Grant, an institution shall be the officially certified county historical society receiving cash support from county government. The institution shall meet the following specific criteria:
(1) Be located in this Commonwealth.
(2) Have a current letter of certification from the chair of the county commissioners designating the organization as the official historical society for the county.
(3) Be incorporated and operating for a minimum of 2 years as a membership group with at least 100 paid members prior to filing the grant application.
(4) Hold at least one public meeting per year.
(5) Have a properly adopted constitution and bylaws and have elected officers to conduct the business of the society.
(6) Have tax exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service.
(7) Have a permanent physical facility wherein books, documents, papers and other objects of historical interest are deposited and available to the public at least 100 days per year.
(8) Have at least one full-time paid or unpaid staff member or the equivalent who is responsible for the operations and programs of the society.
(9) Sponsor programs relevant to county history, including educational and public programs, and have an active research and publications program.
§ 17.143. General conditions for Local History General Operating Support Grants.
The following are several general conditions for Local History General Operating Support Grants:
(1) A grant will not exceed the amount of money provided on an annual basis by local county government in support of general operations.
(2) Grants are awarded on a matching cash basis.
(3) The maximum grant award will not exceed $10,000.
(4) A certified historical society may also submit applications, if eligible, for Special Project Support, Technical Assistance or Local History Project Grants.
§ 17.144. Ineligible activities for Local History General Operating Support Grants.
Funds awarded through this grant initiative may not be used to support the following activities:
(1) Endowments.
(2) Acquisition of objects for the collections.
(3) Capital improvement projects.
(4) Activities for which academic credit is given.
(5) Activities that have already been completed.
(6) Activities that serve a religious purpose.
(7) Exhibitions, forums, conferences, symposia, lectures and oral histories not available to the general public or taking place primarily outside of this Commonwealth.
(8) Prizes and awards.
(9) Expenses for entertainment.
(10) Lobbying expenses.
(11) Book publications.
(12) Purchase of equipment valued over $300—without prior written approval.
(13) Printing costs over $300—without prior written approval.
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