National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is awarding Project Grants under the National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program (CFDA 15.814) to preserve and provide access to geological, geophysical, and engineering samples and data extracted from the Earth; the most recent award was issued on September 15, 2025, and an open solicitation is due February 26, 2026.

The program funds state geological surveys to catalog, digitize, and preserve geoscience collections—including rock core, drill cuttings, thin sections, geophysical logs, field maps, field notebooks, historic mining records, and fossil specimens—and to upload metadata to the national Registry of Scientific Collections (ReSciColl) for public discovery and access. Representative recent awards include Virginia's preservation and critical minerals analysis of historic core and mineral mining records ($297,589), Montana's geochemical analysis of historic drill core and collection preservation ($242,443), Wyoming's fossil preparation and photography lab setup ($84,496), Tennessee's metadata creation and borehole data compilation ($154,268), and Nevada's inventory, photography, and database migration of borehole samples and geothermal well logs ($890,345). A significant share of recent awards also funds geochemical analysis of legacy rock samples for critical minerals characterization, physical infrastructure improvements to core repositories and collection storage facilities, and conversion of paper geophysical logs and well data into digital formats (LAS files, GIS databases, image scans).

Since 2009, the program has obligated $32.7 million in federal funding across 454 awards, with recent activity stable at roughly 32–36 awards per year from 2021 through 2025. Combined federal and non-federal dollars obligated total $60.4 million, indicating significant recipient cost-share contributions. Assistance is overwhelmingly Project Grants (453 of 454 awards); the USGS Office of Acquisitions and Grants has issued 256 awards worth $27.4 million, while the USGS itself has issued 192 awards worth $5.1 million, with a small tail of Interior Department awards. Award magnitudes range from roughly $29 thousand to $1.8 million, with typical awards in the $150–400 thousand range for one- to two-year projects and larger multi-year efforts reaching $600 thousand to $1.4 million.

Eligible applicants are state geological surveys; universities may submit proposals on behalf of state geological surveys. The program requires federal funding to constitute no more than 50 percent of total project cost, necessitating non-federal match. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (Public Law 117-58) requirements apply: all iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used in projects must be produced in the United States unless a waiver is approved. The 2026 opportunity (G26AS00024, due February 26, 2026) solicits proposals under two priorities: Priority 1 addresses preservation of geoscience resources and development of digital and physical infrastructure; Priority 2 focuses on critical minerals data preservation and geochemical signature tracking for ore bodies. The maximum award performance period for FY 2026 is 12 months. Award notification arrives three to six months after proposal submission or appropriation, whichever is later.