Disaster Recovery Grants

The New York State Archives provides grants to local governments to assist them in recovering from disasters that have damaged certain types of records. For the purposes of disaster recovery projects, a disaster is defined as: Damage caused by a sudden, unexpected event involving fire, water, man-made or natural phenomena where a timely response is necessary to prevent the irretrievable loss of vital or archival records, or to ensure reasonable, timely access to vital records.

Applying for a disaster recovery grant from the NYS Archives is a separate process from the annual competitive period in which local governments apply for records management funding, although both types of grants are submitted through the Archives’ eGrants system. See under “Guidelines and Application” below for more information on submitting an application. Local governments may apply for a disaster recovery grant at any time of year, but the funds are reserved for emergency situations only. As a result, the application process for disaster recovery grants has been somewhat streamlined. The maximum amount that can be requested for a disaster recovery grant is $20,000.

Eligibility

Disaster Recovery grants are available to all local governments in New York State, except New York City municipal agencies. There is no set annual deadline for disaster recovery grants. You may submit an application whenever a disaster occurs, but applications must be submitted within thirty days of the disaster, unless extenuating circumstances preclude this. You must expend or encumber all funds by June 30 of the grant cycle in which you are applying.

Contact Your Records Advisory Officer (RAO)

When you experience a disaster, it is critical that you contact your State Archives RAO immediately for assistance or email recmgmt@nysed.gov. The RAOs and other State Archives staff are trained to offer technical advice on how to mitigate the effects of a disaster on your records. They can also determine whether you are eligible for disaster recovery funding and assist with identifying appropriate grant project activities.

Guidelines and Application

The complete Disaster Recovery Grant Guidelines provide further information on the Disaster Recovery LGRMIF grant program, including preparing the application, administering the project, reporting requirements, and certain forms. They also provide instructions for RAOs in conducting the site visit.

Consultants and Vendors

The State Archives maintains a list of consultants and vendors specializing in disaster recovery that might be of use when responding to a disaster.

For More Information

Contact the Grants Administration Unit at archgrants@nysed.gov, or (518) 474-6926 only if you have any questions about the grant application process. Questions directly related to the disaster should be directed either to your RAO or recmgmt@nysed.gov. You can also find more general information on Disaster Recovery, including resources outside of the New York State Archives, on the Archives’ Disaster Recovery webpage.