National Film Preservation Foundation announces Basic Preservation Grants

The National Film Preservation Foundation (NFPF) invites applications for its Basic Preservation Grants, a funding opportunity designed to support nonprofit and public institutions in preserving culturally and historically significant film materials. These grants provide financial assistance for laboratory work to create new preservation elements and public access copies of films that are considered orphan films—films made in the United States or by American citizens abroad that lack commercial protection. The award amounts range from $1,000 to $20,000. The availability of these grants is subject to federal funding.

Eligible applicants include public and 501(c)(3) nonprofit institutions in the United States that provide public access to their collections. This includes institutions that are part of federal, state, or local government entities. The grants are specifically aimed at preserving film materials rather than video or television productions, which are not eligible. The funds can be applied exclusively to preservation work commissioned after the grant start date and cannot be used for staffing, operational expenses, or shipping costs, except in cases involving nitrate materials.

The grant funds must be used for new laboratory work, which includes creating new film preservation elements (potentially including soundtracks), producing two public access copies (one of which must be a film print), and adding closed captioning or audio descriptions for accessibility. The recommended workflow for digital projects includes a 4K scan output to an uncompressed file, while public access copies can be in compressed mp4 format with a minimum resolution of 1080p HD.

Applicants must register their interest in applying by emailing the NFPF at grants@filmpreservation.org with their institution’s details and a brief project description. If deemed eligible, they will be invited to submit a formal application, which consists of a 4-6 page proposal detailing the film's significance, its uniqueness, the physical condition of the materials, the requested laboratory work, storage and access plans, and a cost estimate from a specialized film preservation laboratory. Supporting documentation such as digital stills, video copies, and letters of collaboration (if applicable) are encouraged.

Applications are due by April 25, 2025, and can be submitted via email as a PDF or Word document to grants@filmpreservation.org or mailed in hard copy to the National Film Preservation Foundation in San Francisco. A grant panel serving on behalf of the NFPF Board of Directors will evaluate proposals based on the film’s research significance, uniqueness, physical condition, preservation plan, and public access potential. Award notifications will be sent in July 2025.

Successful applicants must sign a grant agreement confirming compliance with the grant requirements. Nonprofit organizations may need to provide an IRS determination letter verifying their 501(c)(3) status. The grant period runs from July 2025 to September 2026, during which funds must be used exclusively for the preservation work specified in the application.