The NEH Preservation and Access Education and Training program provides grants of up to $350,000 to support projects that develop and implement educational programs for professionals engaged in preserving and providing access to humanities collections. These collections can include materials such as paper-based records, photographs, archaeological and ethnographic items, artworks, audiovisual recordings, digitized materials, and born-digital resources. The program focuses on advancing long-term access to these collections, which requires highly skilled professionals from diverse backgrounds.

Eligible organizations can apply for funding to offer national, regional, or statewide education and training programs. These may be targeted toward current professionals or emerging ones and can cover both early-stage curriculum development and more advanced training programs. Projects can also include partnerships with other institutions, whether academic or non-academic, to broaden their impact.

The program supports activities in the following areas: field services, networks or consortia providing resources and services to preservation professionals; continuing education opportunities focused on specialized skills in preservation and access; and student or early-career programs aimed at developing skills in preserving cultural heritage collections. Both introductory and advanced topics related to the preservation and access of humanities collections are encouraged.

The application process will open on February 20, 2025, with an anticipated deadline of May 20, 2025. Notifications are expected by December 31, 2025, and projects may begin as early as March 1 or September 1, 2026. In recent years, the program has received an average of 23 applications per cycle, with a 42% funding success rate.