GRANT ADMINISTRATION UNIT (GAU)

The Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund (LGRMIF) was established by the Legislature of New York State in 1989 to improve records management and archival administration in the local governments of New York State. It is administered by the State Archives and Records Administration (SARA) which is a program of the State Education Department. The Grant Administration Unit of the Department of Records and Information Services was established in 1995 to administer LGRMIF grants for the mayoral agencies of New York City. The first LGRMIF grants to mayoral agencies were awarded for fiscal year 1996-1997. Each year, the New York State Archives awards up to one million dollars to New York City mayoral agencies through LGRMIF grants.

LGRMIF grants are competitive, with applications and awards on an annual schedule. Since LGRMIF grants are intended to help agencies establish or improve programs of records management and archival administration, agencies that have been awarded LGRMIF grants must assume responsibility to provide ongoing support for their programs.

Individuals may not apply for LGRMIF funding. LGRMIF grants are available only to local governments in New York State. LGRMIF grants administered by the Grant Administration Unit of the Department of Records and Information Services are available only to city mayoral agencies.

The Grant Administration Unit provides guidance to mayoral agencies in the development of grant projects from the first conceptual stages to the preparation of final application drafts. As projects progress, the Grant Administration Unit closely monitors the grant awards and provides oversight of the financial accounting. At the conclusion of grant projects, the Grant Administration Unit prepares comprehensive reports for the New York State Archives.