State Micro-Grant Program: Funds to Support Online Access to Historic Collections

SIPA, the Statewide Internet Portal Authority, Micro-Grant Program funding is for projects that support SIPA’s mission of providing residents access to government through effective and efficient online and mobile technologies. SIPA funds a variety of projects that connect Colorado residents with online information. Last year SIPA received 94 requests for micro-grants and they were able to fund 35 of those totaling over $150,000.

SIPA will fund up to $3000 for the digitization of and online access to historic collections. Some examples of the historic collections projects they have funded include:

• Golden History Museum & Park is digitizing and making accessible online 150 years of newspapers from the Golden Transcript, Colorado’s second-oldest, continuously published newspaper.
• Town of Limon: To preserve photographs, news articles and video materials from the 1990 Tornado.
• University of Northern Colorado: Make UNC’s collection of nearly 3000 southwestern and plains artifacts publicly accessible through an online database that is searchable and google indexed.
• Nederland Community Library District: To preserve shared histories from Nederland Area Historical Society and to make them accessible online.
• The Westminster Public Library: To provide keyword-searchable access to a portion of the Westminster Window newspaper dating back to 1947.

SIPA, was created by Colorado Statute in 2004, to develop the officially recognized statewide internet portal (Colorado.gov) to connect citizens with state and local government in Colorado. SIPA provides governments with the efficient technology solutions they need to enable their residents to obtain information and conduct business electronically. SIPA serves State agencies, local governments, special districts, public K-12, colleges, and universities.

You are eligible to apply if you are a Colorado:

• State government
• Local government
• Special district
• Public K-12
• Public university/college

SIPA 2021 Timeline:

• July 1, 2021 – Application available 1:00 p.m. MST
• August 31, 2021 – Final day to submit an application 4:00 p.m. MST
• September 2021 – SIPA / Board review process
• October 7, 2021 – SIPA Board approves micro-grant awardees
• October 11-15, 2021 – Awardees announced
• November 17, 2021 – Micro-grant awards ceremony & awards distributed

Things to consider to ensure a strong historic collections application:

• Who is your audience and how will they benefit from the digitization and online access of this collection?
• Is there strong local and state historical significance of the proposed collection?
• How will the proposed project and technology improve access to information?

While not affiliated with SIPA, I am happy to give advice on potential digitization projects.  Please feel free to contact me at ljeremias@coloradovirtuallibrary.org.