Internet archive and the council of state archivists will launch cwgov, a program designed to nationally scale the preservation of and access to critical local government information

The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded Internet Archive $594,200 on September 1, 2026, under the National Leadership Grants program (CFDA 45.312) to launch CWGOV, a nationally scaled program for preserving and providing access to critical local government information.

CWGOV will provide web archiving and digital preservation training, tools, and support to state and local government information professionals. The program will establish a community of practice and peer support network enabling state and local government workers to collaborate on addressing legal and technical challenges in managing digital government records. Through this framework, CWGOV will enable public access to state and local government records and raise awareness of digital government information resources. The project leverages the proven model of Internet Archive's Community Webs program and involves partnership with the Council of State Archivists.

The recipient, Internet Archive, is headquartered in San Francisco, California, where performance takes place. The period of performance runs from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2028.

Leveraging the proven framework of the community webs program, cwgov will provide training and tools to information professionals tasked with managing digital government information at the state and local level. Through this peer support network, program members will work collaboratively to address the unique legal and technical challenges these records present. The cwgov project will equip state and local government agencies with web archiving and digital preservation training, tools, and support; develop a community of practice and peer support network for state and local government workers engaged in activities related to the preservation and access of digital government information resources; enable public access to state and local government records; and raise awareness and promote use of digital government information resources.