Prepare and Preserve Museum Collections for Exhibit and Researc | P18AS00443

Opportunity Information: Apply for P18AS00443

The Department of the Interior, National Park Service announced a discretionary funding opportunity titled "Prepare and Preserve Museum Collections for Exhibit and Researc" (Funding Opportunity Number P18AS00443) under CFDA 15.945, within the Natural Resources funding activity category. The award was structured as a cooperative agreement, which generally indicates the National Park Service expected to remain actively involved with the recipient during the project rather than simply issuing a hands-off grant. The opportunity was created on July 18, 2018, with an original closing date of July 27, 2018. The program anticipated making one award, with a maximum funding amount (award ceiling) of $46,074. Eligibility was limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, signaling that the work was intended to be carried out in partnership with universities or similar public academic entities.

The core purpose of the project was to tackle pressing conservation needs so that museum collections could be safely prepared for public exhibition and made more accessible for research use. A central feature of the effort was the educational and workforce-development angle: the project was designed to provide hands-on, practical work experience for undergraduate and postgraduate students interested in art and artifact conservation. In other words, the grant was not only about stabilizing and improving the condition of collections; it was also about building conservation skills and professional experience for emerging conservators through real museum and park-related conservation work.

The project objectives laid out a fairly concrete and production-oriented scope of work. First, the project called for packing and transporting museum collections to a conservation lab, which is often a necessary step when objects require specialized treatment, controlled conditions, and professional equipment. Second, the work included conservation treatment for more than 750 objects to get them ready for exhibits in parks, implying a focus on making items stable, safe, and presentable for display environments. Third, the project planned to survey about 3,000 items to document their stability and produce reports on conservation needs; this kind of survey work typically supports collections management by identifying at-risk objects, prioritizing treatment, and establishing documentation that can guide future preservation decisions.

In addition to treatment and assessment, the project emphasized improving physical supports that protect objects in storage and during exhibition. Specifically, it included designing and building storage and exhibit supports for 1,720 items, which can range from custom mounts and trays to archival housings that reduce handling damage and minimize stress on fragile materials. The project also aimed to strengthen in-park capacity by developing training materials and implementing a workshop for park staff, helping ensure that day-to-day handling, storage, and exhibit practices align with conservation standards even after the funded work ends. Finally, the scope included research to improve conservation treatment methods for paleontology collections, pointing to a technical component intended to refine approaches for fossil or related paleontological materials, which often present unique preservation challenges.

Taken together, this opportunity funded a compact but clearly defined set of conservation actions: moving collections into appropriate lab settings, treating a substantial number of objects for exhibition, surveying thousands more for condition and risk, creating custom supports for long-term care, training park personnel, and advancing treatment knowledge for paleontology materials. The overall emphasis blended public access and research readiness with practical training for students, aligning collections preservation outcomes with workforce development in conservation.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Prepare and Preserve Museum Collections for Exhibit and Researc" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.945.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 18, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 27, 2018. (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 $46,074.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.

Apply for P18AS00443

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