RPAC's Annual
Family History Hill Day

BACKGROUND ON NARA​

​NARA has been level-funded for more than a decade. During that time, NARA's responsibilities have increased, which makes for an untenable situation. Since the administration fired Colleen Shogan, Ph.D., the archivist appointed by Biden, leadership of NARA has been a rotating group of acting archivists most of whom lack Shogan's library experience. After Shogan's firing on February 7, 2025, Deputy Archivist William Bosanko automatically became acting archivist. Nine days later, on February 16, 2025, the administration appointed Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, as acting archivist. The "acting" positions can only be held for up to 210 days -- except when they occur during the first 60 days of a new administration (Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998). Rubio thus had 300 days; he stepped down on February 4, 2026. The position was vacant until April 3, 2026, when the administration appointed as acting archivist Edward Forst, the head of the General Services Admininstration. Forst had begun work at the GSA on July 31, 2025, so he had been in government less than a year. His background is in financial services. He can serve as an acting archivist for 210 days, or fewer should the Senate approve a new Archivist for the United States.

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The 80-page pdf document by which the Trump administration justifies its budget request for NARA can be downloaded from https://www.archives.gov/files/about/plans-reports/performance-budget/2026/fy-2027-nara-congressional-justification.pdf.

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In a Facebook group called Archivists Think Tank, Colleen Shogan herself pointed out two important changes in this budget request. In addition to the zeroing of NHPRC and IMLS, she said "plus a 4 percent reduction in operating costs and a $10M reduction in electronic records work." The reduction in electronic records work worries RPAC as it is only with the past two years that all departments of federal government have been required to submit their documents and records in electronic format only. The workload in this area has increased exponentially.

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BACKGROUND ON NHPRC

NHPRC grants support state and local archives, universities, and nonprofit organizations in safeguarding primary sources such as manuscripts, photographs, and digital records that document American history. Allen Ramsey, state archivist for Connecticut and current president of the Council of State Archivists, assessed the functions of NHPRC as follows:

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• Preservation of state and local government records

• Access to historical collections used by researchers and genealogists

• Training for small cultural heritage organizations

• Digitization and description of archival materials

• Publications projects documenting American history

 

Each state has a State Historical Records Advisory Board that operates in conjunction with NHPRC. The local SHRAB reviews grants and distributes funds. The Massachusetts SHRAB, chaired by John Warner, Ph.D., Massachusets state archivist, is described at https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/archives/shrab/about-shrab.htm.

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Without NHPRC funding, many preservation and digitization projects would be halted or never initiated, limiting public access to critical historical materials and weakening educational and research opportunities. Smaller institutions with limited resources would be especially hard hit, increasing the risk that irreplaceable records could deteriorate or be lost, ultimately diminishing the historical record available to future generations.

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Since 1977 Massachusetts has received over $18.3 million in grants from NHRPC, the funding arm of NARA. This support has enabled institutions across the state to preserve historically important collections, to increase the accessibility of historical records, to improve the documentation of Massachusetts history, and to develop networks that can have a long-term impact on records and the historical records community.  

 

In an administrative nightmare, even though Congress has budgeted the funds, no funds have been sent to any US state or territory since 2025. This is because NHPRC has to meet to move funding along. In the past, NHPRC met twice per year, in the Spring and Fall, to ensure that the funds were properly approved. The NHPRC never met during 2025. Ramsey points out, "Funds are currently unobligated because the Commission has not met — not because there is no demand."

 

The committee has fifteen people on it and is chaired by the archivist. The members tend to be historians. The president appoints two people plus one from the Department of State and one from the Department of Defense. One person represents the US Supreme Court. The US Senate places one person on the committee, as does the US Congress. Six non-profits related to archival practices each name one committee member. Of these fifteen, the archivist is an acting archivist, and the committee has no appointments from Defense, State, or Senate. Click here or more information about the committee. Some say that people in acting positions cannot inititate new efforts, but this committee is not new. It has not allocated any of the funds approved for FY 2026. 

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​​​NHPRC is an important source of funds to preserve historic materials at the state level. To see exactly how much has been provided to each state, consult the map at https://www.archives.gov/nhprc/projects/states-territories,​ 

 

Massachusetts uses NHPRC funds to support a Roving Archivist who can consult with smaller towns about archival needs, and to support state libraries and archives for specific projects. A full list of all NHRPC Funding for Massachusetts can be found at 
https://www.archives.gov/nhprc/projects/states-territories/ma.html.

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​The National Alliance for the Humanities has a briefing document on NHPRC. You can download it from https://nhalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/NARA-Briefing-Document-2026.pdf.​

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BACKGROUND ON IMLS

IMLS supports essential services such as literacy programs, workforce development resources, technology access, and services for seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities. Without this funding, many libraries would be forced to scale back programming, reduce staff, delay technology upgrades, and limit outreach efforts. Smaller and rural libraries, which often rely heavily on federal support, would be disproportionately affected, widening existing gaps in access to information, education, and community services. Ultimately, these cuts would weaken libraries’ ability to serve as critical community hubs for learning, connection, and opportunity.

 

For an interesting look at the complex services that libraries in Massachusetts provide, please take the time to appreciate this video from WCVB tv: "Ted's Favorites: Libraries look to the future," Chronicle, 1 Jan. 2025, https://www.wcvb.com/article/public-library-free-massachusetts-boston-public-kitchen-outdoor-tools-household-equipment-plants-1723135246-1733789417/63140239.

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A list of the grant amounts to US states for the last several years is at https://www.imls.gov/find-funding/funding-opportunities/grants-to-states/state-allotment-data. In 2026 alone, Massachusetts received $3,661,196.

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State and local libraries have already united to respond to this zero-funding proposal. There is a petition to sign at https://action.everylibrary.org/petitionimls2026. There is more information about the issues on the EveryLibrary website at https://www.everylibrary.org/rejecting_fy27_trump_imls_budget,​