February 11, 2025 –The Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) has received a $5 million grant from the Mellon Foundation to launch the fourth cycle of its Digitizing Hidden Collections: Amplifying Unheard Voices (DHC:AUV) program. This initiative, which dedicates $4 million to regranting funds, is committed to uncovering and preserving stories that have long been silenced, erased, or inaccessible.

Designed to elevate the voices and histories of often overlooked communities, DHC:AUV has already funded projects illuminating the experiences of Chinese laborers during the Chinese Exclusion Act, the history of hip-hop and street dance, the realities of incarceration during COVID-19, Black community histories in cities across the U.S. Other past grants have supported the digitization of materials documenting trans-BIPOC experiences, the creative works of developmentally disabled artists, and numerous overlooked narratives. 

The next call for proposals will open in August, inviting eligible nonprofit organizations across the United States and Canada to apply. Projects must align with the program’s core values: public knowledge, broad representation, authentic partnerships, sustainable infrastructures, and community-centered access. By providing funding to academic, independent, and community-based organizations, CLIR seeks to break barriers to archival access and democratize historical knowledge.

“Documentary heritage is a cornerstone of all democratic societies and is an essential resource for supporting economic, social, legal, and cultural domains and fostering innovation,” said CLIR board chair Dr. Guy Berthiaume. “Thanks to the support of the Mellon Foundation and CLIR, partner institutions will be able to offer immediate and unlimited access to documentary resources fundamental to our understanding of the world around us.”

CLIR President Charles Henry added, “This generous Mellon Foundation award allows CLIR to continue to enrich our collective history, to augment with rigor and compassion the narratives that shape our identity, empower our agency, and instill harmony to once silent voices.”

A rigorous, months-long review process–led by an independent panel of scholars and practitioners from the United States and Canada–will evaluate proposals. Applicants receive support throughout the process and constructive feedback on their proposals, regardless of funding status. For full details, eligibility criteria, and application deadlines, visit Apply for An Award or sign up for CLIR’s Grants and Programs mailing list for updates.