At its May 15 meeting, the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) approved 50 grant offers totaling $3,540,203 to 48 institutions in 25 states and the District of Columbia.

The meeting included a discussion of the continuing budget challenges faced by the NHPRC that have resulted in the loss of half of its program officers over the past two years. The Bush administration has sought to eliminate funding for the NHPRC in its fiscal year 2008 budget submittal to Congress. However, efforts continue to work with the Office of Management and Budget and the Congress to restore funding for the NHPRC.

The National Coalition for History (NCH) is asking stakeholders to contact their Members of Congress through the Humanities Advocacy Network to request funding for the NHPRC at the fully authorized level of $10 million, plus $2 million for administration and staffing.

The Commission heard a presentation from Karl J. Niederer, Director of the New Jersey Division of Archives and Records, and the current president of the Council of State Archivists (COSA). Niederer spoke of the importance of the partnership between the NHPRC and state archivists in extending the reach of the commission’s work to the state and local level. He also detailed efforts by COSA to develop emergency preparedness plans for the protection and recovery of records in the event of natural and man-made disasters.