Digital engagement has changed the way audiences interact with institutions, and it’s now expected for museums to display their collection online. Digitizing objects and formatting them for the web can be time consuming and expensive. eMuseum, the award-winning digital publishing software that integrates seamlessly with TMS, helps simplify the process, and available grants can assist with funding. We’ve tracked down some upcoming grant opportunities that can help you implement eMuseum to get your collection online.
National Endowment for the Arts
Art Works Grant
The NEA Art Works Grants support museums and arts organizations that serve a public mission and pull communities together. The grant covers many areas, including the innovative use of technology and digitization projects.
Deadline: July 14, 2016
National Endowment for the Humanities
Humanities Collections and Reference Resources Program
The NEH Humanities Collections and Reference Resources Program supports the needs of any institution looking to catalogue and digitize their collection, and can be used to build a database or create a virtual collection. The grant applies to many kinds of collections, and the website even provides you with sample applications.
Download the Humanities Collections and Reference Resources application packet.
Deadline: July 19, 2016, for projects beginning May 2017.
National Archives
National Historical Publications and Records Commission Program
This cost-sharing grant, available annually, supports traditional and digital archiving, with an emphasis on digitizing collections and putting them online. This grant is ideal for any institution looking to build an online archive collection for their website. Sample applications are available to help with submission materials.
Due: For further information, contact Alex Lorch, Program Officer, at Alexander.Lorch@nara.gov.
Historic New England
Historic New England Community Preservation Grant
Institutions in six New England states can benefit from this $1,000 grant from Historic New England. Among other things, this grant can be applied to collections management practices, digitizing a collection, and sharing a collection online.
Deadline: July 25, 2016. Apply here
Illinois Humanities Council
Action Grants
The Illinois Humanities Council Action Grant gives support to organizations who work with Illinois audiences and are actively looking to innovate humanities programming. This grant can go towards digital initiatives, including publishing your collection online.
Deadline: September 15, 2016. Apply here.
Ohio History Connection
Ohio History Fund Grant
This grant covers projects in three categories: Bricks & Mortar, Organizational Development, and Programs & Collections. Digitization projects are highly encouraged, and the Ohio History Fund is even doing a webinar on the topic, titled the Digitization Nuts & Bolts Webinar (July 8).
Deadline: September 7, 2016. Apply here.
Minnesota Historical Society
The Minnesota Historical & Cultural Heritage Grants Program
The Minnesota Historical & Cultural Heritage Grants program funds projects that focus on collection preservation with an emphasis on public access. This includes digitization and online access.
For more information, visit the MHS grants webpage.
Partnering with Gallery Systems
To help make better collections management a reality and strengthen public engagement in your collections, Gallery Systems offers software applications and services to help you manage collections of any size or type, and allow you to dynamically publish information to your website, intranet, and kiosks. We have assisted many institutions with their successful grant applications and we would be happy to guide you through the process. Contact us to learn more.
