2022 Washington Digital Heritage Grants: Eligibility

All applications submitted must include two (2) components:

1) A detailed project proposal identifying specific activities undertaken to digitize, preserve, create, describe, or disseminate digital archival or special collections.

2) A plan for measuring both project outputs (i.e., what is produced by the project), and project outcomes (i.e., changes in knowledge, skills, and abilities of targeted audiences (which may include project/library staff)).

Grant funds may be used:

• To purchase equipment to digitize material (e.g., scanners) or create digital content (e.g., digital multimedia recording devices), or to purchase software to edit, optimize, or preserve digital files (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite software) during the grant period.
• To pay staff salaries and benefits that are over regularly scheduled hours and do not exceed forty hours a week, or contract services (including independent contractors and third-party vendors) for project activities. Grant funds cannot take the place of previously budgeted local funding. Part time, temporary or contracted project employees are eligible for reimbursement, as long as the employee is not already a full time employee in the organization. For example: if a regular employee works 30 hours per week, they may be reimbursed for up to ten hours project work in each week. Detailed timesheets are required when claiming reimbursement.
• Pay for staff training related to the project.
• Pay for costs related to outreach and promotion of the project (e.g., printing or advertising, some event costs, permanent or temporary displays, etc.).

Grant funds may not be used:

• To digitize newspapers (other than student publications, organizational newsletters, and the like). Please visit the Washington Digital Newspapers (https://washingtondigitalnewspapers.org/) website to learn more about WSL’s newspaper digitization program.
• To purchase computers, servers, or any equipment which provides internet access to the general public, during the grant period. If the library has a current CIPA agreement, this is moot.
• To purchase subscription digital repository/content management/digital preservation systems or services outside of the contract period. We can pro-rate costs of subscriptions.
• To purchase archival & special collection materials.
• To purchase food and refreshments, advertising and promotion of libraries in general, or prizes and other incentives.
• To reimburse any work hours for regularly employed full time staff.

For more guidance, see the “Allowable Costs” section of WSL’s Grant Management Information page: http://www.sos.wa.gov/library/libraries/grants/grantees.aspx.

For Washington Rural Heritage projects:

This grant also provides continuing support of the Washington Rural Heritage program. Public, academic, special, or tribal libraries that have participated in the Washington Rural Heritage program in the past, or would like to become part of the statewide project and digital platform, should commit to digitizing at least one hundred (100) items to WSL by the end of the grant cycle. Exceptions may be made for formats that are particularly time or labor intensive, such as audio or video recordings. Additionally, these libraries must follow digitization specifications and metadata best practices outlined by the Washington Rural Heritage initiative. Items will be hosted online using CONTENTdm software licensed to and paid for by WSL. Applicants must consider copyright issues with the projects they develop in conjunction with their grant application. WSL will leave all copyright research and assumption of liability to participating institutions. Upon award of grant, the library must sign a contract granting the WSL permission to publish the items online (contract sample available upon request). This may require a memorandum of agreement with collaborative partners so the library has the authority to grant publication permission.

Overall funding to support this grant cycle is up to $150,000. We can make awards of up to $15,000 per project. Awards are contingent upon receipt of federal funds and distribution of those funds by WSL, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State. Funding levels will be commensurate with the awardee’s project goals and the ability to meet those goals as outlined in the proposal.