The Endangered Material Knowledge Programme (EMKP) offers the Digitisation Grant to help individuals and institutions convert fragile, legacy archives into durable digital formats. This grant is designed to protect endangered cultural, historical, and material knowledge that may otherwise be lost.

What the Digitisation Grant Supports

The grant focuses on digitising at-risk cultural archives, including:

• Fieldnotes and handwritten documentation

• Photographs, negatives, and slides

• Audio and video recordings

• Film reels

• Objects and associated metadata

• Research materials documenting traditional or historical practices
  The goal is to ensure long-term, accessible preservation of valuable cultural knowledge.

Why This Grant Matters

Digitising old or vulnerable archives prevents:

• Physical decay and deterioration

• Loss due to poor storage or uncertain ownership

• Destruction from disasters, conflict, or neglect

• Disappearance of knowledge as experts age
  Preservation strengthens cultural continuity, supports research, and provides global access to historically significant material.

Who Is Eligible?

The Digitisation Grant is open worldwide to:

Eligible Applicants

• Individuals

• Communities

• Universities, museums, or research institutions

• Original creators or collectors (with a host institution)

Important Notes

• Most applicants must partner with a host institution responsible for ethical and financial oversight.

• Independent researchers may be accepted in special cases.

• Collections must document traditional, historical, or cultural practices at risk of being lost.

Grant Amount and Duration

• Funding: Up to £20,000

• Duration: Up to 12 months
  Required outputs include a digitisation plan, consent documentation, a long-term preservation strategy, and upload of digital materials to EMKP’s open-access repository.

How the Digitisation Grant Works

1. Identify the At-Risk Collection

Describe the materials, their significance, their condition, and why they are endangered.

2. Form a Host Institution Partnership

Most applicants must work with an institution ensuring oversight, financial management, and responsible handling.

3. Prepare a Digitisation Plan

Include:

• Digitisation methods

• Equipment and file formats

• Metadata standards

• Rights and consent steps

• Long-term storage plans

4. Submit the Application

Provide a full proposal, budget, timeline, risk assessment, and letters of support.

5. If Funded, Complete the Digitisation

Projects must follow EMKP standards, generate high-quality digital files, preserve originals, store copies locally when possible, and deposit materials in EMKP’s repository.

6. Deliver Final Outputs

Submit all digitised files, metadata, consent documents, and a final project report.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Not demonstrating the cultural or historical significance

• Weak long-term preservation plans

• Missing consent or rights documentation

• Poor digitisation quality

• Not securing a host institution when required

FAQ: EMKP Digitisation Grant

1. What materials are eligible?

Any documentation of traditional cultural or historical knowledge—such as fieldnotes, photos, audio, video, or craft records.

2. Can an individual apply alone?

Only in limited cases. Most applicants need a host institution.

3. Does the collection need to be endangered?

Yes. Applicants must show clear risk factors.

4. Is this a global grant?

Yes, applicants of all nationalities can apply.

5. Who keeps the rights?

Original owners usually retain rights, but digitised materials must be shared via EMKP’s open-access repository.

6. What is the project duration?

Up to 12 months.

7. What happens to the digitised materials?

They must be stored locally (when possible) and uploaded to EMKP’s public repository for long-term access.

Conclusion

The EMKP Digitisation Grant offers a vital opportunity to preserve endangered material knowledge before it disappears. By funding high-quality digitisation and ensuring long-term access, the program supports communities, researchers, and institutions dedicated to safeguarding global cultural heritage.