Washington DC Archives funding reinstated following feedback from APG and others

8 August 2025

In early June 2025, APG Advocacy member and Washington, DC resident Renée Carl drafted a letter calling on the DC Council to say no to Mayor Muriel Bowser's decision to zero out funding for the new DC Archives building, a project already underway. The APG Board approved the letter and it was distributed to the members of the DC Council, the DC Secretary of State, State Archivist, and the Mayor. Other national organizations followed APG's lead, including the Council of State Archivists.

The letters were submitted as written testimony by the DC Archives Foundation and Friends of the DC Archives. The momentum of multiple voices, organizations and individuals speaking out created the political environment for the DC council to fully reinstate project funding for the new DC Archives building, and for it to provide necessary funding to shore up the current archives space until the new building is completed.