National Collections Care Capacity Building Program

Planning & Assessment Services for Cultural Heritage Organizations

Overview

CCAHA’s National Collections Care Capacity Building Program provides free preservation planning and consulting services to small and mid-sized cultural heritage organizations across the United States. 

Through this program, made possible with generous funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), institutions will apply to work directly with CCAHA’s team of preservation specialists on a customized collections care project designed to strengthen stewardship, inform decision-making, and support the long-term preservation, management, and use of their collections. 

Building on CCAHA’s longstanding assessment and planning services, this program introduces a more flexible and customizable structure to better meet organizations where they are. Applicants can now shape projects by selecting from a menu of service components—including assessments, planning documents, and staff training—organized into topic areas that reflect common collections care needs. This updated approach allows institutions to pursue work that aligns more closely with their current priorities.

Program Structure

Applicants will propose a customized project by selecting from CCAHA’s assessment, planning, and training services. Projects may take one of two forms:

  • Training Projects, consisting of one or two staff training workshops selected from a menu of options 
  • Consulting Projects, consisting of one or two services (such as an assessment, planning document, and/or relevant training program) within a specific collections care topic area

For consulting projects, applicants are asked to select a topic area (track) to help guide the development of a cohesive project in which selected services work together logically and address the organization’s most pressing preservation priorities. Topic areas include:

  • Foundational Planning 
  • Preservation Overview 
  • Emergency Preparedness 
  • Collections Storage & Space Management
  • Digital Collections

Training projects may combine workshops from across different topic areas and do not require selection of a track. 

All services offered through this program are provided free of charge, with the exception of select training programs that may require up to $250 in supply costs, as noted in the program guide.

Application & Selection Process

We recognize that every organization is different. While applicants are asked to propose a project, it is not expected that a perfect project will be defined at the time of submission. All selected projects are refined in collaboration with CCAHA staff to ensure that the work is realistic, impactful, and aligned with your goals. Our aim is to provide practical, actionable guidance that reflects your institution’s resources, challenges, and long-term plans.

CCAHA staff will work with selected organizations to refine proejct scope and may recommend adjustments to ensure the best fit based on the organization's needs and readiness. In some cases, the review process may result in a partial award (for example, funding one requested service rather than two) or a recommendation to pursue alternative service components that more effectively address the priorities outlined in the application.

Applications are reviewed through a competitive process supported by an Advisory Committee composed of professionals representing a range of cultural heritage organizations, perspectives, and areas of expertise. Committee members include past participants and partners in NEH-funded initiatives and reflect the diversity of institutions likely to apply, including variation in size, geography, and resources.

The application process is designed to be straightforward but thoughtful. Applicants should be prepared to describe their collections, current preservation needs, any previous assessment or planning work, and their capacity to participate in the project.

Learn More & Apply

Applications for this round are due June 1. The Advisory Committee will then review submissions with selected organizations notified in early July.

CCAHA will work with a total of 20 organizations over the next two years, with applications accepted in multiple rounds. Organizations not ready to apply at this time may have the opportunity in a future round as spaces are available.

To learn more about the program and ask questions, join our informational webinar on May 7 at 12:00 PM.

For detailed guidance on project options and available services, review the Program Guide here.

Ready to apply? Access the application form here.

For additional assistance, please contact Preservation Services Coordinator, Camilla Dawson, at cdawson@ccaha.org.