Organizing the File Room Grant

Organizing the File Room Grant Overview

This grant type is foundational. It will help you succeed with public records requests and support your agency’s defensible records management practices.

Lessons shared by previous grantees

• Use this project as an opportunity to set up a repeatable plan and sustainable processes, not just a chance to clear out your backlog.
• Start with what you know, like receipts well outside of retention.
• Start small.  Once I organized boxes into categories and DANs, I started with the smaller, well-organized sections. I felt more confident once I got to messier, larger piles.
• Don’t be in a rush to fill those shred bins. Records set for destruction but still on premises are fair game under a PRR – but are now in bins and unsorted!

Planning Your Application

Allowable and Ineligible Expenses

Allowable Expenses include but are not limited to:

• Purchase of boxes, cabinets, safes, and supplies
• Purchase and assembly of records shelving
• Services to destroy records meeting retention

As well staffing resources necessary to:

• Sort, organize, and box paper records
• Create records inventory, index, and/or finding aids
• Prepare archival records for transfer

Ineligible Expenses (Not Allowed) include but are not limited to:

• Scanning Records
• Organization of digital records
• Repair or restoration of damaged records
• Professional cleaning of file room
• Painting or other capital improvements to file room
• External training for records management

Records Management services are provided at no cost to agencies by Archives’ Records Consultants.

Boxes, Cabinets, Safes, and Supplies

Archival boxes are available for purchase from the Records Center at approximately $4 per box before taxes. These boxes are used for records that are archival or have long retention periods (6+ years). One box holds an average of 2,500 sheets of pages.

Banker Boxes are not eligible for reimbursement under this grant.  

Cabinets and safes purchased under this grant do not need to be fire-resistant. Due to the cost of this item, we recommend considering them as just one part of an integrated Disaster Preparedness Strategy alongside more affordable options.

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Other supplies that are allowable under this grant are 

• File folders, expanding file pockets, file jackets, binders
• Folder labels, shelf labels, label maker
• Permanent Markers, rubberbands and other fastening tools

Records Storage and Shelving

These considerations will help determine the most appropriate storage and shelving based on your agency’s needs and space.

Records Storage 

Storage locations should be clean, secure, safe, enclosed, dry, and temperature controlled. Records storage location(s) should be checked monthly for any signs of infestation, damage, or disorder.

Material Type

Shelving should be all metal. Plastic and wood can off-gas chemicals that damage records over time. Wood retains moisture, which can encourage mold and mildew. Not only is it waterproof, but metal shelving won’t feed fires.

Load Capacity of Floor and Shelves

One full archive box can weigh 30 pounds. Ensure the combined weight of boxes with the weight of the shelving unit is well within the load capacity for the shelf location. If load capacity is unknown, please coordinate with a structural engineer.

Height of Boxes and Shelves

Archives storage boxes are 10.75” tall. You need at least 11.25” of vertical shelf space to accommodate an Archives box. Your lowest shelf should be at least 6” off the floor to protect the records from flooding. Unless a stepladder is available, your highest shelf should be no more than 6’ off the ground.

Depth of Boxes and Shelves

Archives storage boxes measure 16.25” on their longest side. If you are accessing the shelves from one side: 18” shelf depth. If you are accessing the shelves from both sides: 36” shelf depth.

Width of Boxes and Shelves

Archives storage boxes measure 12.875” wide on their shorter (label) side. Allow for air space between boxes so that they can be moved easily. If the records get wet, they will expand significantly, and that extra space can make a difference in being able to remove the records.

Reimbursement of Staff Time

Can the Organize the File Room grant cover extra the staff time needed to complete your project?  Yes!

With some important clarifications:

• The funds cannot cover existing full-time staff regular hours.
• The funds cannot cover any hours spent on this project by staff members already working 40 hours a week.
• The funds cannot cover overtime hours (hours exceeding 40 hours per week) for any staff member.
• The funds cannot cover hours exceeding 40 hours per week for any staff member.

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Existing staff know the records and agency best and should be primary on organizing the file room. Temporary Staff do not have decision-making authority about agency records.

• The funds can cover temporary staff to perform the existing staff’s normal duties.
• The funds can cover extending hours for part-time staff up to 40 hours

Estimating Staff Time

While applicants must estimate the staff hours needed to complete the project, estimating time for a project like this can be challenging.

As a general guideline, we recommend budgeting 1 hour per archive box. While not every box will take a full hour, this estimate averages the time to complete easier boxes with those requiring more effort.

Your agency may need to budget an additional 40 to 80 hours for building internal procedures and conducting internal staff training on those procedures.

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Additional Considerations:

• Are all the records centrally located and under your control?
• Will the project include records dating back to the beginning of your organization?
• Will you need time to assemble and install shelving units and/or file cabinets?
• Will your project involve relocating the records?
• Will you be creating a records inventory and/or indexing the records?
• Will you need time to destroy non-archival records?
• Will you be preparing archival records for transfer?

Training and Resources

Last Updated: October 2026