1] "we" == World River Center, a 501(c)3 and parent organization of the International Whitewater Hall of Fame. We're building an online, free, searchable archive of born-digital and digitized objects because most of the history of paddlesports is sitting in boxes in closets around the world...and it's being lost. We're trying to acquire it and save it from oblivion.

There's not really a budget for this, which is one reason why a substantial chunk of my life is now spent writing grant applications -- so that we [1] can have a budget. But there's a chicken-and-egg problem: I can't write "give us money just in case we hit this problem" because that won't fly (I know: I tried) (repeatedly); I need to wait until we bump into it and then explain why it's important that we solve it, e.g., "these documents have significance to X" or "this is the only surviving video of Y" or whatever.

So, pardon my analysis and advice. But you are laying out a project in public, asking for resources. So I think responses to the project are appropriate. If not, my apologies. You are asking granting institutions for money for data recovery of analog/digital media. That is, asking historic preservation people with limited digital technology knowledge, for money for not just tech, but *old* tech which even fewer people will know today. Does that seem likely to fly? No, you are already explaining to them instead, the result they DO know: historic content of paddle sports, in a social/sports context. This is not my skills-set, don't argue with me, but talk instead to grant-writing people from other institutions (maybe sports institutions) about how they succeed in getting funding for their (maybe similar) projects. also: Consider this question. Rather than going top-down, to ask institutional funding agencies for money (with the issues I raised); Why not go bottom-up? *Ask the people who own this content, and people who would enjoy/benefit from this content, for pledges and eventually donations.* I deal with the children of vintage computing developers, when they are "releasing" their parent's estates. Sometimes, the developers themselves when they retire. They'd like to see their (parent's) work preserved and appreciated (they frame it as "in a museum" but that's what it amounts to). But they can't keep this stuff themselves. They might be willing to provide dollars for conversion to easily preserved and accessed digital content. I find most people appreciate seeing their (parent's) work available online, if not in a facility, if not in restored use. If no one responded to *my* converted vintage content, I would have stopped doing it years ago. But they do, so I don't. That's what I mean by bottom-up. But it may be, the institution you are working with, would make that appeal to their constituents - not ask you to do that. Finally: lots of historic institutions are dealing with conversion of analog or vintage media to 21st century digital content. Maybe, the answer is to ally with one of *those* institutions? Make use of their *already-developed* assets, give THEM some funding? Sometimes finding an ally is more optimum than going it alone. at the least, you might learn something, from those already doing what you are asking to do. Simple concept. Also see what they do with their results, how they make them available online. Again, maybe someone else at your institution will do that part.

(But I do understand that there's a point at which asking-for-help crosses over into really-should-be-paying-for-help,

trying to get myself up to a baseline level of knowledge in this area

In any event, if you develop and operate such a facility, they will be your *colleagues*, so you may as well start getting acquainted now. In fact, it seems to me, you are talking about a career, not a one-off project. That depends on the volume of material and the calendar-time level of commitment (sounds like years). what you do personally, is entirely your consideration, none of my business. However, when you present a grant proposal, you *already* have to make the case for commitment in time, materials, resources, and *people* - that's you, you are the people. Think all of that through. Those thoughts, might give you some leads (as you requested), about the actions you are considering. 1) how to ask for money 2) how to (learn to) work with arcane vintage media 3) how to scope out the intended work 4) whether this is work you choose to do, on the terms offered by the institution you are working with. It sounded to me, like you were looking for some directions. Here they are. Regards Herb Johnson -- Herbert R. Johnson, New Jersey USA https://www.retrotechnology.com OR .net preserve, recover, restore 1970's computing email: hjohnson AT retrotechnology DOT com or try later herbjohnson AT comcast DOT net