The Rhode Island Historical Records Advisory Board announces the availability of grant funds to enable records repositories to provide better access to their holdings through arrangement and description projects, or better care for their archives through preservation and planning projects.

The Rhode Island Historical Records Grant Program is a collaborative effort of the Rhode Island Historical Records Advisory Board (RIHRAB) and the Rhode Island State Archives. Funding for the grant program comes from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) and the Rhode Island State Archives.

Archival training began in May with the availability of The Basics of Archives online curriculum, which covers records access, arrangement and description, appraisal, preservation, and security. Training opportunities will be available throughout the two-year grant project.

Grant funds will be awarded in amounts from $500.00 to $2,000.00, and applications will be accepted in two cycles occurring during the fall and winter of 2006-2007. In an effort to reach out to potential applicants, grant writing and development workshops will be offered at Barrington Public Library; 9:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m., September 15 and December 1, 2006, and Warwick Public Library ; 9:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. on September 18 and December 4, 2006.

Under federal terms, grant awards may only be made to those repositories holding archives, manuscripts and original graphic materials that are accessible to the public. The training component, however, is available to any organization or individual that holds historical records.

The grant application and guidelines are available at the RIHRAB web site. If there are questions regarding eligibility or the grant application process, please contact Elliott Caldwell by e-mail or telephone (401.222.2353).