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Call for Proposals: Legacy Materials Grant

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Deadline: 01-Oct-2026

Legacy Material Grants support the digitisation and archiving of endangered language materials that are at risk of being lost. The grants focus on preserving analogue recordings, field notes, text collections, photographs and other valuable linguistic documentation through long-term deposition in the Endangered Languages Archive.

Projects typically run for six to twelve months and may receive up to €10,000. Applicants are generally expected to have experience in language documentation, fieldwork, linguistics or related disciplines, and grants must be administered through accredited host institutions.

What are Legacy Material Grants?

Legacy Material Grants are designed to preserve endangered linguistic heritage by supporting the digitisation and archiving of existing language documentation materials.

The programme focuses on valuable legacy materials that are fragile, inaccessible or at risk of deterioration.

These materials may include audio recordings, video recordings, handwritten notes, text collections, photographs and other forms of language documentation.

Main Purpose of the Grant

The main purpose of the grant is to safeguard endangered language materials before they are lost.

The programme supports projects that:

Focus Areas and Priorities

The grant focuses on the preservation of existing language documentation rather than the creation of large new fieldwork collections.

Priority areas include:

Why Legacy Materials Need Preservation

Many endangered language materials exist only in fragile physical formats.

These may include ageing tapes, handwritten notebooks, photographs, paper files, or recordings stored in private collections.

Without digitisation and proper archiving, these materials may become damaged, unusable or permanently lost.

Legacy Material Grants help convert these materials into stable digital formats and place them in secure archival systems for future research and community use.

What Types of Materials Are Supported?

The programme supports existing materials that document endangered or moribund languages.

Supported materials may include:

What Types of Projects Are Supported?

Funded projects should focus on safeguarding and archiving existing linguistic data.

Eligible project activities may include:

What the Grant Does Not Focus On

The grant is not primarily intended for expanding new fieldwork collections.

Projects should not focus mainly on collecting new language data.

The emphasis should remain on:

Funding Amount

Projects may receive funding of up to €10,000.

The grant is intended to support practical preservation activities, including digitisation, preparation of archival materials and related project costs.

Project Duration

Projects typically run for six to twelve months.

Applicants should design a realistic work plan that allows enough time for assessing materials, digitising collections, preparing metadata and depositing the outputs in the archive.

Who is Eligible?

Applicants are generally expected to have relevant experience or academic background.

Eligible applicants may include individuals with experience in:

Applicants should be able to manage the technical and scholarly requirements of preparing endangered language materials for preservation.

Host Institution Requirement

Grants are administered through accredited host institutions.

The host institution is responsible for managing grant funds.

Principal investigators should not hold controlling roles within the host institution.

This requirement helps ensure appropriate financial oversight and institutional accountability.

Open Access and Archive Requirement

Resulting materials must be made openly accessible through the Endangered Languages Archive.

This means the digitised and archived outputs should be deposited in a recognised archival system where they can be preserved for long-term use.

Open access helps researchers, communities and future generations access important endangered language materials.

Key Concepts Explained

Legacy Materials

Legacy materials are existing documentation collections created in the past. They may include recordings, notes, photographs or texts that were collected before formal digital archiving plans were in place.

Endangered Language

An endangered language is a language at risk of falling out of use, often because fewer people are speaking or transmitting it to younger generations.

Moribund Language

A moribund language is a language that is no longer being learned by children as a first language and may disappear without urgent documentation and revitalisation efforts.

Digitisation

Digitisation is the process of converting physical or analogue materials into digital formats. This may include transferring tapes, scanned notes or photographs into stable digital files.

Archiving

Archiving means organising, describing, preserving and storing materials in a way that ensures long-term access and usability.

Metadata

Metadata is information about a file or collection. It may include language name, speaker details, recording date, location, format, content description and access conditions.

How the Grant Works

The programme supports applicants who already have access to valuable endangered language materials.

Applicants should identify the materials that need preservation, explain why they are at risk and describe how the project will digitise and archive them.

The project should result in well-organised, accessible and preserved materials deposited in the Endangered Languages Archive.

How to Apply

Applicants should prepare a proposal that clearly explains the importance, condition and preservation needs of the legacy materials.

Suggested Application Steps

  1. Identify the endangered language materials to be preserved.
  2. Confirm that the materials are legacy collections at risk of loss or deterioration.
  3. Assess the format of the materials, such as tapes, notes, photographs or videos.
  4. Explain the linguistic, cultural and research value of the collection.
  5. Develop a practical digitisation and archiving plan.
  6. Identify the accredited host institution that will administer the grant.
  7. Confirm that the principal investigator is not in a controlling role at the host institution.
  8. Prepare a realistic six to twelve-month work plan.
  9. Develop a budget of up to €10,000.
  10. Explain how the materials will be deposited in the Endangered Languages Archive.
  11. Submit the application according to the official grant guidelines.

Expected Results

Funded projects should produce preserved and accessible endangered language materials.

Expected results may include:

Why It Matters

Legacy Material Grants help prevent the permanent loss of endangered language documentation.

Many endangered languages have limited written records or recorded materials. If these materials deteriorate, communities and researchers may lose important evidence of language, culture, oral history and local knowledge.

By supporting digitisation and archiving, the programme protects linguistic diversity and strengthens access to materials that can support future research, education and community language initiatives.

Tips for Strong Applications

A strong application should clearly show why the materials are valuable and why they need urgent preservation.

Applicants should focus on:

Applicants should avoid vague descriptions and provide specific details about the materials, their current location, format, quantity and preservation needs.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should ensure that the proposal fits the preservation purpose of the grant.

Common mistakes include:

FAQ

What are Legacy Material Grants?

Legacy Material Grants support the digitisation and archiving of endangered language materials that are at risk of loss, damage or long-term inaccessibility.

What types of materials can be preserved?

Eligible materials may include analogue audio recordings, video recordings, tapes, reel-to-reel recordings, field notes, text collections and photographs.

How much funding is available?

Projects may receive up to €10,000.

How long do projects usually run?

Projects typically run for six to twelve months.

Who can apply?

Applicants are generally expected to have experience in language documentation, linguistic fieldwork or an appropriate academic background in linguistics or related disciplines.

Is a host institution required?

Yes. Grants are administered through accredited host institutions that manage the funds and provide institutional oversight.

Where must the materials be archived?

Resulting materials must be deposited in the Endangered Languages Archive and made openly accessible for long-term preservation and use.

Conclusion

Legacy Material Grants provide essential support for preserving endangered linguistic heritage. By funding the digitisation and archiving of fragile legacy materials, the programme helps ensure that valuable recordings, notes, texts and photographs are protected from loss.

The grant is especially important for collections held privately or in small repositories without formal archival systems. Strong applications will clearly demonstrate the value of the materials, the urgency of preservation, the applicant’s expertise and a practical plan for depositing the outputs in the Endangered Languages Archive.

For more information, visit ELDP.

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