§2504 Duties; Authorization of Grants for Historical Publications and Records Programs; Authorization for Appropriations

Summary

The Commission must make plans, cost estimates, and recommendations about which historical papers and collections should be preserved, published, or otherwise recorded at public expense. The Chair must send those plans to the President and to Congress at least every two years. The Commission must work with federal, state, and local agencies, and with private groups and people, to collect, preserve, and, when useful, edit and publish papers of important Americans and other documents that matter for U.S. history. The Commission may run training and education programs, suggest fellowship candidates, and publish guides or directories. It may recommend spending federal or donated money to collect, describe, preserve, compile, and publish documentary sources (including microfilming). The Archivist may make grants, using available funds and the Commission’s advice, to state and local agencies and to nonprofit groups and individuals for those activities. The Archivist, with the Commission’s recommendation, may also give competitive grants to promote preservation and public access to records of any former President who does not have a federal Presidential archival depository. Eligible grantees are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations or state or local governments. Grant money must be used for preserving and giving public access to the records and may not be used for maintaining, operating, or building a facility to house the records. Applicants must apply as the Commission requires and show they have the records, proper space and facilities, free public access, educational programs, non‑Federal matching funds equal to the grant sought, coordination with relevant programs, and a workable plan. The law authorizes specific yearly amounts to the Commission: $6,000,000 for fiscal year 1989; $8,000,000 for fiscal year 1990; $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1991, 1992, and 1993; $6,000,000 for fiscal year 1994; $7,000,000 for fiscal year 1995; $8,000,000 for fiscal year 1996; and $10,000,000 for each fiscal year 1997 through 2009. Amounts appropriated may be made available until spent when appropriation Acts so provide.