Opportunity Information: Apply for 030ADV23R0050
The Library of Congress is offering the "Of the People: Widening the Path: Community Collections Grants to Individuals" program to fund contemporary cultural documentation projects that center the lived experiences, traditions, and creative practices of diverse and often underrepresented communities across the United States. Supported by a gift from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the opportunity is part of a multiyear initiative designed to bring community members directly into the process of building archival collections. The main idea is that communities should be able to document themselves from their own perspectives, rather than having their histories and cultural expressions interpreted only from the outside.
This funding supports individuals who propose to conduct cultural documentation fieldwork that will ultimately become an archival collection preserved by the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress and made publicly accessible through the Library of Congress website. Projects are expected to produce materials that help expand the Library's holdings with locally rooted knowledge and creativity, including contemporary documentation that reflects how communities live, work, celebrate, create, and remember today. A key expectation is authenticity and proximity: competitive proposals are expected to come from applicants who are members of the community being documented or who have close, credible ties and an active affiliation with that community.
The awards are structured as cooperative agreements, meaning the Library of Congress is not only providing funding but also playing an active support role. American Folklife Center folklorists and archivists may assist awardees with practical and technical aspects of documentation work, including guidance or training on fieldwork methods, archival standards, digital tools, and related best practices. In addition to one-on-one or project-specific help, Library staff plan to support a cohort-style experience where awardees can share lessons learned, approaches, and knowledge with one another, building a network of practitioners rather than operating in isolation.
Grant funds can be used for common, real-world costs associated with fieldwork and documentation. The opportunity specifically notes travel, equipment rental or purchase, and other expenses tied to collecting and preparing documentation materials. Awardees may also have the option, in consultation with American Folklife Center staff during the award process, to create public programs connected to their projects in their home communities. These public-facing activities may be supported by additional funds, depending on the project and the arrangement developed with the Library.
The program is also framed as relationship-building rather than one-time support. The American Folklife Center is seeking long-term connections with recipients and intends to create opportunities for awardees to present their work at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., giving broader visibility to the communities represented and the collections created.
Key administrative details include that the sponsoring agency is the Library of Congress, eligibility is limited to individuals, and the assistance listing is CFDA 42.011. The award ceiling is $50,000, with an expected 10 awards. The opportunity number is 030ADV23R0050, and the original application deadline listed is August 18, 2023, at 2:00 PM Eastern Time. Applications must be submitted by email to AFC-grants@loc.gov following the instructions in Section D.6 of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), which contains the full requirements, required components, and submission rules.Apply for 030ADV23R0050
- The Library of Congress in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Of the People: Widening the Path: Community Collections Grants to Individuals" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 42.011.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 30, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 18, 2023 August 18, 2023 at 200 PM Eastern Time. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $50,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Individuals.
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