Curation of BOR-Owned Collections - MIAC | BOR UC 20 N004

Opportunity Information: Apply for BOR UC 20 N004

Curation of BOR-Owned Collections - MIAC (Funding Opportunity Number BOR UC 20 N004) is a Bureau of Reclamation (Department of the Interior) discretionary grant focused on long-term museum curation of Bureau of Reclamation-owned collections in compliance with federal museum property standards, specifically 36 CFR Part 79. The opportunity is essentially structured as a formal repository agreement where a museum or qualified repository provides professional, long-term curatorial care for federal collections, while Reclamation retains ownership and covers defined costs. The program sits in the Natural Resources funding activity category (CFDA 15.511) and, at the time posted, anticipated a single award with a very large maximum ceiling (up to $15,530,940), indicating a comprehensive, multi-year curation relationship rather than a small project grant.

On the repository (museum) side, the grant centers on providing full-scope curatorial services consistent with 36 CFR 79 and the museum's own collections management policies. The repository is expected to store, manage, and care for the collection over the long term, maintain appropriate facilities, and follow required federal procedures for accountability and stewardship. A key operational requirement is an annual inventory conducted in line with Department of the Interior policy (referenced as the 411 Department Manual), with a recurring obligation to report results back to Reclamation. Those reports are not limited to counts; they also cover any incidents such as loss, theft, damage, or destruction, plus updates on how the collection is being used and the status of museum work such as accessioning, cataloging, conservation, or related collection care activities. At the outset of the agreement (noted as FY2015 in the description, reflecting an established agreement framework), the repository must also complete a facility checklist and submit it to Reclamation, reinforcing that the storage environment and security meet federal expectations.

The opportunity also lays out how research and analysis requests are handled, especially when they involve destructive testing. The museum is allowed to review and approve destructive analysis requests for common objects under its standard policies without needing to notify Reclamation each time, which streamlines routine research. However, the museum must seek Reclamation's explicit approval before authorizing any destructive analysis involving objects that are rare, significant, or potentially controversial. This distinction protects higher-value or sensitive items while still allowing regular scientific or collections-based work to continue efficiently.

Public use and legal control provisions are also central. When the collection is exhibited or otherwise used publicly, the museum must clearly credit Reclamation's ownership using the specified credit line: "Collections of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation." If Reclamation requests them, the museum must provide copies of accession and catalog records, supporting transparency and federal oversight. Just as important are strict restrictions on transferring or encumbering federal property: the repository may not repatriate, mortgage, pledge, assign, exchange, donate, sublet, discard, or otherwise part with the collection (or any other U.S. Government-owned property) to any third party, directly or indirectly, without prior permission from Reclamation. The language goes further to prohibit any action that could result in the property being encumbered, seized, sold, attached, lost, stolen, destroyed, or damaged without Reclamation approval, underscoring that the museum is acting as a steward and custodian, not an owner.

Reclamation's responsibilities under the opportunity are primarily financial and administrative, with clear boundaries around what the agency will and will not pay for. Reclamation agrees to pay the costs of long-term curation, but explicitly notes that this is contingent on appropriations, meaning funding depends on available federal budget authority. Reclamation also controls the pipeline of what gets deposited: it submits new collections and associated records following 36 CFR 79 and the museum's submission procedures, including required documentation for consultations or permissions (for example, any legally required consultations tied to cultural resources). Before accessioning anything new, Reclamation will review proposed collections against both the region's scope-of-collection statement and the museum's scope-of-collection statement, ensuring the repository is an appropriate fit for the materials.

For costs tied to new deposits, Reclamation pays standard unit curation entrance charges for any new collections accepted by the museum and pays additional fees for special processing only when Reclamation specifically requests that extra handling. Examples given include photography, outgoing loan processing, or deaccession-related work for Reclamation materials. A notable limitation is that Reclamation will not pay loan fees for use of the collection; instead, any parties requesting loans must cover those costs themselves. Reclamation is also responsible for making sure conservation needs are addressed for new deposits, either by arranging necessary conservation before delivery to the museum or by arranging to obtain conservation after the items are deposited.

Finally, the agreement clarifies shared authority and oversight around treatments and research. Reclamation allows the museum to carry out destructive or non-destructive treatments or research on common items in the collection, which supports routine collections care and scholarship. At the same time, Reclamation retains a review-and-consult role for any proposal involving destructive analysis of rare, significant, or controversial objects, ensuring higher-stakes decisions about irreplaceable or sensitive materials remain under federal scrutiny. Overall, the grant opportunity is best understood as a structured, federally compliant mechanism to fund and formalize a museum's long-term custody, accountability, and care of Bureau of Reclamation-owned collections.

• The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Curation of BOR-Owned Collections - MIAC" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.511.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 15, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 29, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $15,530,940.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for BOR UC 20 N004

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: