Opportunity Information: Apply for P20AS00002
The African American Civil Rights (AACR) History Grants opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number P20AS00002) is a discretionary grant program run by the Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS), focused specifically on documenting and interpreting places tied to the African American struggle for equal rights in the 20th century. The aim is to strengthen public understanding of civil rights history while supporting the preservation planning and documentation work that often has to happen before (or alongside) hands-on preservation. Projects are expected to align with the NPS 2008 report, "Civil Rights in America: A Framework for Identifying Significant Sites," which serves as the key reference for judging whether the proposed topics, sites, and stories are a good fit for the program.
This particular announcement is only for historical research and documentation activities, not construction or repair work. In other words, P20AS00002 supports efforts like researching and compiling historic context, documenting properties and associated events, developing interpretive materials grounded in sound scholarship, and producing formal documentation products that help communities and stewards better understand a site and its significance. The broader AACR program can also support architectural services, historic structure reports, and preservation planning, but physical preservation work on structures falls under a separate announcement (P20AS00001). Applicants need to choose the correct track based on whether their proposal is research/documentation versus physical preservation.
Funding comes from the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), administered by the NPS. Awards are made through a competitive process, and a notable feature is that the program does not require a non-federal cost share or match, which can make it more accessible for applicants that do not have large pools of matching funds. The maximum award amount listed for this opportunity is $50,000. The source data lists "ExpectedAwards: 0," which typically reflects what was entered in the posting rather than a guarantee of no awards, but it does mean applicants should pay attention to the agency guidance and the posted notice for the most accurate expectations about how many awards may be made.
Eligible applicants include a wide range of public and nonprofit entities: state, county, and city or township governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status; and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions). The eligibility list also includes an "Others" category, implying there may be additional eligible entity types described elsewhere in the full announcement under an eligibility clarification section.
Key administrative details from the posting include an original closing date of December 3, 2019, with applications due by 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time. The funding activity categories are broad (arts/cultural affairs, community development, humanities, and other), reflecting that civil rights history projects can span preservation, scholarship, public interpretation, and community-centered documentation. Overall, the opportunity is designed for organizations seeking targeted support to research, document, and interpret historically significant civil rights sites and stories connected to African American experiences in the 20th century, using the NPS civil rights framework as the standard for significance and alignment.Apply for P20AS00002
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the arts (see cultural affairs in cfda), community development, humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda), other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "African American Civil Rights (AACR) History Grants" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.904.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 02, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 03, 2019 Applications must be received by 1159 pm Eastern StandardTime on December 3, 2019.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $50,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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FAQs: African American Civil Rights (AACR) History Grants (P20AS00002)
What is the AACR History Grants opportunity (P20AS00002)?
The African American Civil Rights (AACR) History Grants opportunity, Funding Opportunity Number P20AS00002, is a discretionary grant program administered by the Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS). It supports projects that document and interpret places associated with the African American struggle for equal rights in the 20th century.
What is the main purpose of this grant program?
The program is designed to strengthen public understanding of civil rights history by supporting research, documentation, and interpretation work. It emphasizes preservation planning and documentation activities that often need to happen before (or alongside) hands-on preservation.
What types of projects does this specific announcement support?
This announcement supports historical research and documentation activities. Examples described in the posting include researching and compiling historic context, documenting properties and associated events, developing interpretive materials grounded in sound scholarship, and producing formal documentation products that help communities and site stewards understand a site and its significance.
Does P20AS00002 fund construction, repair, or physical preservation work?
No. This particular announcement is only for historical research and documentation activities, not construction, repair, or other physical preservation work on structures.
If my project includes physical preservation work, which opportunity should I look at?
Physical preservation work on structures is handled under a separate announcement, P20AS00001. Applicants are expected to choose the correct track based on whether the proposal is research/documentation (P20AS00002) versus physical preservation (P20AS00001).
What kinds of civil rights history should the project focus on?
Projects should focus on places and stories tied to the African American struggle for equal rights in the 20th century, with an emphasis on documenting and interpreting those sites and events.
Is there a required framework or reference that projects must align with?
Yes. Projects are expected to align with the NPS 2008 report, "Civil Rights in America: A Framework for Identifying Significant Sites." The posting describes this report as the key reference used to judge whether proposed topics, sites, and stories are a good fit for the program.
Who administers the funding and what is the funding source?
Funding comes from the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), administered by the National Park Service (NPS).
How are awards made?
Awards are made through a competitive process.
Is a non-federal cost share or match required?
No. A notable feature of this program is that it does not require a non-federal cost share or match, which can make it more accessible to applicants without matching funds.
What is the maximum award amount for P20AS00002?
The maximum award amount listed for this opportunity is $50,000.
How many awards will be made?
The source data lists "ExpectedAwards: 0." The posting indicates this entry typically reflects what was entered in the notice rather than a guarantee that no awards will be made. Applicants are advised (per the posting context) to rely on the agency guidance and the posted notice for the most accurate expectations.
Which organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants listed in the posting include:
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status
- Nonprofit organizations without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions)
- An "Others" category (suggesting additional eligible entities may be explained in the full announcement)
What does the "Others" eligibility category mean?
The posting includes an "Others" category, which implies there may be additional eligible entity types described elsewhere in the full announcement, likely under an eligibility clarification section.
What are the funding activity categories for this opportunity?
The funding activity categories listed are broad: arts/cultural affairs, community development, humanities, and other. This reflects that civil rights history projects can span preservation-related documentation, scholarship, public interpretation, and community-centered documentation work.
What was the application deadline for this posting?
The posting lists an original closing date of December 3, 2019, with applications due by 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time.
What kinds of deliverables or outputs does the opportunity emphasize?
Based on the posting, the opportunity emphasizes documentation products and interpretive materials grounded in sound scholarship, as well as research outputs such as historic context compilation and formal documentation that clarifies a site’s significance.
What is the overall goal for communities and site stewards?
The opportunity is intended to help communities and stewards better understand a place and its significance by supporting high-quality research, documentation, and interpretation tied to African American civil rights history in the 20th century.
Is this a discretionary grant program?
Yes. The posting describes it as a discretionary grant program run by the Department of the Interior, National Park Service.
How do I decide whether my project is a fit for P20AS00002?
Based on the posting, a good fit is a project centered on research, documentation, and interpretation (not physical preservation), focused on African American civil rights history in the 20th century, and aligned with the NPS 2008 civil rights framework used to evaluate significance and program alignment.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Arts (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA), Community Development, Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA), Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarificatio
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (P20AS00002) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| African American Civil Rights (AACR) Preservation Grants Apply for P20AS00001 Funding Number: P20AS00001 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Arts (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA), Community Development, Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA), Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarificatio Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Save America's Treasures - Collections Apply for P20AS00004 Funding Number: P20AS00004 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Arts (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA), Community Development, Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA), Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarificatio Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Save America's Treasures - Preservation Apply for P20AS00005 Funding Number: P20AS00005 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Arts (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA), Community Development, Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA), Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarificatio Funding Amount: $500,000 |
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