GHHN Seeks Organizational Partners for Grant Proposal!

Do you have an object or a group of related objects that are in dire need of conservation? If the estimated cost of conservation is between $8,000 - $20,000, we have an opportunity for you...

As you know, GHHN has managed the NYSCA/GHHN Conservation Treatment Grant Program for over 24 years and has provided approximately $2.5 million in support to conserve over 1277 objects in 606 NYS museums. However, the ceiling for funding in this program is $7,500, and we are limited in the types of objects that can be conserved. GHHN has identified a way in which we can support larger conservation projects for small organizations in New York State.

On August 24, 2024, GHHN received $269,038.00 from Save America’s Treasures to conserve objects from 10 small and mid-size museums in New York State. This grant, established to protect threatened cultural treasures, is from the Historic Preservation Fund administered by the National Park Service in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute for Museum and Library Services. The objects from 10 small and mid-size museums include 35 items of historical significance and a wide range of materials, which, after a preliminary assessment, were selected as those items most in need of treatment. A panel of conservators will work on the objects over the course of 8-10 months and will also participate in a Community Engagement Conservation Workshop at each museum for staff and visitors to highlight unique challenges and new discoveries during the process of conserving these unique stories from New York State. The conservation of these 35 projects will take place from the Fall of 2024 through the Summer of 2027. The project will be matched with $269,359 in non-federal share for a total project cost of $538,398.

We are again looking to partner with 10 organizations from across the state for a conservation opportunity through the 2024 Save America's Treasures - Collections Grant. In our proposed grant, GHHN would apply on behalf of these 10 organizations for the conservation of specific object(s) and would facilitate staff/volunteer training on the care of the object post-conservation at your site. 

All are welcome to participate, however, priority will be given to partners who have:

• operating budget of $350,000 or less
• objects with demonstrable damage that require conservation treatment
• objects that can be considered 'nationally significant". This is not as limiting as it sounds; in fact, it is quite broad! Objects that meet any of the criteria below can be supported:
• Are associated with events that have made a significant contribution to, and are identified with, or that outstandingly represent the broad patterns of United States history and culture and from which an understanding and appreciation of those patterns may be gained; or,
• Are associated importantly with the lives of persons nationally significant in United States history or culture; or,
• Represent great historic, cultural, artistic, or scholarly ideas or ideals of the American people; or,
• Embody the distinguishing characteristics of a resource type that:
• Is exceptionally valuable for the study of a period or theme of United States history or culture; or
• Represents a significant, distinctive and exceptional entity whose components may lack individual distinction but that collectively form an entity of exceptional historical, artistic or cultural significance (e.g., an historic district with national significance or a collection that as whole describes a significant aspect of America’s development), or
• Outstandingly commemorates or illustrates a way of life or culture; or,
• Have yielded or may yield information of major importance by revealing or by shedding light upon periods or themes of United States history or culture.

IMPORTANT: the object that you select for conservation may not have previously received conservation from a prior Save America's Treasures grant. Objects owned by state or federal agencies are ineligible.

For this grant proposal, all objects may be considered, which include but not limited to: paintings, works on paper (including individual drawings, watercolors, prints or photographs), textiles (including costumes, domestic textiles and upholstery), furniture, frames, sculpture, historical, ethnographic and decorative objects, as well as archival objects (books, ledgers, log books, letters, scrapbooks, newspapers, ephemera, maps)are eligible!

To see what kind of objects are being conserved through the current Save America's Treasures grant, please visit:

www.greaterhudson.org/save-americas-treasures

If you are interested in partnering with GHHN on this grant proposal, please click the button below to tell us more about the object(s) you have in need of conservation. We are looking to work with one organizational partner from each REDC region.

We have a very fast turnaround on this grant proposal - please fill out the interest form by 5PM on Monday, November 18th. If you have any questions, please give us a call! Priscilla at 914-592-6726 or Kerry at 914-582-3353. 

Thank you!