WASHINGTON—The Library of American Broadcasting Foundation (LABF) has launched its Preservation Grant Initiative, a program designed to support the preservation, digitization and public accessibility of America’s broadcast history.
Through the initiative, with support of the Broadcast Education Association (BEA), LABF will award up to four grants of $2,500 each to assist organizations and individuals working to preserve and share historically significant radio and television materials—from recordings and documents to oral histories and ephemera—that chronicle broadcasting’s vital role in shaping culture, news, entertainment, and democracy.
“Broadcasting’s story is America’s story,” co-chairs Jack Goodman and Heidi Raphael said. “By supporting projects that preserve and make this history freely accessible to the public, we’re helping ensure that future generations can learn from and be inspired by the medium’s powerful legacy. Many thanks to Heather Birks and BEA for being a part of this important initiative.”
In addition to supporting preservation efforts, the grant program requires recipients to make the materials, information or research supported by the grant freely available to the public. This commitment to open access underscores LABF’s mission to expand the reach of broadcast history beyond archives and into classrooms, communities, and digital platforms where it can inform and inspire a wide audience, the organization said.
The application process has also been streamlined to encourage a broad range of applicants—including broadcast/related companies, libraries, museums, archives, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations—engaged in preserving the stories and artifacts of broadcasting’s past.
Key details:
- Grant Amount: Up to four grants of $2,500 each
- Application Deadline: Jan. 15, 2026
- Public Access Requirement: Materials, content or research funded by the grant must be made freely accessible to the public
- How to Apply: Applications and complete guidelines are available at https://beaweb.org/wp/labf_preservation_grants/.
