Community-Based Archives

The 2025 Julia L. Grant Fund for Basic Human Needs offers funding to community-based archives in the United States and its territories that aim to preserve and celebrate the histories of under-documented communities. Administered by the Mellon Foundation’s Public Knowledge program, this initiative focuses on providing operational support to archives that affirm and uplift marginalized communities through collections care, programming activities, and operational costs such as staffing and utilities.

Grants range from $25,000 to $100,000 for a two-year period, beginning August 1, 2025, and ending July 31, 2027. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, federally recognized Indian tribes, and community-based organizations with archiving initiatives. The archive must have an annual operating budget between $12,500 and $1 million and must be actively collecting and established for at least two years. University-affiliated programs and new archives are not eligible for funding.

Interested applicants must complete a registration request by March 12, 2025, at 5:00 PM ET to gain access to the application form via the Foundation’s Fluxx grantee portal. Applications, due by March 28, 2025, at 5:00 PM ET, should include a 2-3 page proposal narrative, CV or resume of the project lead, a recent Form 990, operating budgets for 2023 and 2024, and documentation of governance structures. Proposals are expected to address how the funding will support the archive’s mission of empowering its community, preserving its traditions, and providing access to its history.

Applicants will be notified of the status of their submissions by May 7, 2025. Those selected will need to submit additional materials for final review by July 7, 2025, with award announcements following on July 17, 2025. Grant recipients will also participate in cohort-building convenings during the grant period to foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing among funded archives.

This funding program continues the Mellon Foundation’s commitment to creating a more inclusive and multivocal cultural record. The Foundation previously awarded nearly $5 million to 46 community-based archives from 2019 to 2021 and is allocating another $5 million across three future calls for proposals.

For more details and assistance, applicants can review additional resources on the Foundation’s website or contact program staff at communityarchives@mellon.org.