NFPF: Basic Preservation Grants

NFPF: Basic Preservation Grants

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: National Film Preservation Foundation
Amount: US $1,000 - US $20,000
Last Updated: March 08, 2026

Summary

The National Film Preservation Foundation offers Basic Preservation Grants to nonprofit and public institutions for preserving culturally significant American films. Since 1998, they have provided resources to 337 organizations across the U.S. Grants range from $1,000 to $20,000, facilitating the creation of new film preservation elements and public access copies. With an annual award of 30 to 40 grants, this initiative plays a crucial role in ensuring the survival of films that are at risk of being lost.

Overview

NOTE: Pre-Proposal - E-mail the NFPF regarding your archive's interest in applying. Provide your name, institution, address, phone number, fax number, e-mail address, and a brief description of your project. The NFPF will then contact you to discuss your project.Letter of Inquiry - Invite Only - If your project meets the eligibility requirements, you will be invited to submit a letter of application. The registration deadline is represented by the Letter of Inquiry.Full Proposal - Invite Only Overview The NFPF helps archives, historical societies, libraries, museums, and universities preserve and make available American films that are not likely to survive without public support. Since 1998, we have provided preservation resources to 337 organizations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Films preserved through our programs are used in education and seen widely through screenings, exhibits, DVDs, television broadcasts, and the Internet. The grants are made possible by funds authorized through The Library of Congress Sound Recording and Film Preservation Programs Reauthorization Act of 2016 (P.L. 114-217) and secured through the leadership of the Library of Congress, and the contributions of public-spirited donors. The NFPF offers several types of preservation grants supporting the creation of preservation and access copies of American orphan films of historic and cultural interest. Basic Preservation Grants are the best choice for most institutions. Offered annually, these grants award cash and in some cases services donated by laboratories and post-production houses. The larger Matching Grants enable experienced preservationists to undertake more extensive projects. Matching Grants require that recipients contribute or “match” one-fifth of the total costs. The Avant-Garde Masters Grants, funded through the generous support of The Film Foundation, target the preservation of motion pictures significant to the development of the avant-garde in America. We welcome applications from American public and nonprofit institutions of all sizes and generally award between 30 and 40 preservation grants each year. Basic Preservation Grants The National Film Preservation Foundation invites applications for the spring round of its Basic Preservation Grants. These grants are awarded to nonprofit and public institutions for laboratory work to preserve culturally and historically significant film materials. Funding The cash award ranges from $1,000 to $20,000.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Grants are available to public and 501(c)3 nonprofit institutions in the United States that provide public access to their collections, including those that are part of federal, state or local government. The grants target orphan films:made in the United States or by American citizens abroad andnot protected by commercial interests.The grant must be used to pay for new laboratory work involving the creation of:New film preservation elements (which may include sound tracks) and Two new public access copies, one of which must be a film print. Closed captioning for sound films destined for online or television exhibition.The funds can be applied only to work commissioned after the grant start date. Funds must be used exclusively for preservation expenses and may not be applied to staffing, operational, or shipping costs (with the special exception of nitrate materials).

Ineligibility

Materials originally created for television or video are not eligible, including works produced with funds from broadcast or cable television entities.