Corporate Sponsors

Become a Sponsor

CoSA offers a number of ways for a sponsor to become involved, ranging from website advertising to annual meeting and webinar underwriting. We have a number of opportunities for you to get involved!

CoSA: Who We Are

Our Mission: Using collaborative research, education and advocacy, the Council of State Archivists provides leadership that strengthens and supports state and territorial archives in their work to preserve and provide access to government records.

Formed in 2002, the Council of State Archivists (CoSA) is a national nonprofit that facilitates networking, information sharing, and project collaboration among the state and territorial archives in the fifty states, five territories, and the District of Columbia. CoSA’s fifty-six members are the heads of the state or territorial archival agencies and manage combined budgets of nearly $150 million annually, authorize departmental purchases, and influence statewide spending. Their agencies are responsible for protecting the rights and historical documents of the American people.

The Power of Archives

• Shaping the shared sense of national, state, and individual identity that creates the framework for our democracy and accountability, gives people a frame of reference for their place in society, and helps them to understand how their location, community, and family have developed.
• Providing a stimulating environment for documenting government and promoting history that nourishes an interest in people, places, and our shared histories and experiences.
• Sourcing evidence that demonstrates the integrity and judgement of public decisions and actions, which lasts longer and is more reliable than individual memory. Archives thus support evidence-based and data-driven policy-making and accountability and have an impact on the lives of individuals by providing authentic and reliable evidence of past actions.

What We Do

State Electronic Records Initiative (SERI)

CoSA began the State Electronic Records Initiative (SERI) project in 2012 in response to the explosive growth of electronic records in state and territorial governments. SERI provides critical training and networking to the state archival community in electronic records management and digital preservation. CoSA administers the CoSA Resource Center with open availability to information, resources, and training opportunities. CoSA is currently working with a range of allied organizations to promote the importance of electronic records management and digital preservation with a series of guidance materials, conference and workshop presentations, and webinars. SERI’s funding has come largely from federal funders, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the National Historical Publications and Records Commission; Preservica, sponsors of CoSA’s Practical Digital Preservation webinars; and our members.

Emergency Preparedness

CoSA launched its Emergency Preparedness Initiative (EPI) in response to the widespread destruction of records during the 2005 hurricane season. The initiative recognizes that records are at risk from a variety of natural disasters — tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, and more — as well as from a wide range of other threats.

In 2007, the Federal Emergency Management Agency awarded CoSA $2.6 million to support its Intergovernmental Preparedness for Essential Records (IPER) project. IPER teams trained state and local government officials in every state and territory in emergency preparedness and ensuring the safety of essential records.

Research & Publication

CoSA regularly undertakes research on the state of state archives in its biennial Archives and Records Management Survey. Additionally, CoSA surveys its membership in a variety of special subject surveys, ranging from electronic records management and digital preservation needs to advocacy issues. The result of much of this work is published reports available on the CoSA website. CoSA continues to expand its research and publication emphasis.

CoSA expanded its CoSA News Brief this year, to share information about CoSA activities and programs.

Training & Development

This year’s Member Webinar Series will focus on leadership and management. State archivists and other guest speakers will discuss management strategies, leadership development, project management, and collaboration.

The Closest to Home project reflected CoSA’s strong interest in preserving and ensuring access to local government records. The project analyzed conditions and identified services, standards, and funding strategies to serve this goal.

CoSA partners with the Society of American Archivists or the National Association of Government Archives and Records Administrators or both to host an annual conference featuring work sessions, networking opportunities, a business meeting, and an awards program.

Each spring, CoSA convenes a program forum and partner briefing in Washington, DC to update association leaders and funders on its work. Most recently, the forums have focused on the SERI program.

Why Support CoSA's Work?

• CoSA is a recognized as an innovative leader in developing and delivering high-interest/ high quality programs and critical information services to state and local government record keepers.
• CoSA is a resource for state and local officials who look for authoritative and reliable information. Its national reach connects your company with archival and historical organizations of all kinds at the state and local levels.
• CoSA’s members are leaders in their states and territories, who influence others in their governments.
• CoSA offers a variety of recognition opportunities, invitations to CoSA events, and access to key decision makers in archives and records management.
• CoSA is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, making your donations tax deductible.

Sponsorship Investment Opportunities

Program Support

Education and advocacy are key elements of CoSA’s national mission and strategic plan. CoSA’s programming aims to stay ahead of workplace, policy, and funding trends, but to do so routinely support for committee work, subject matter expertise, technology and materials must be sustainable.

State Electronic Records Initiative (SERI)

As CoSA’s flagship education and training program, SERI fosters best practices for electronic records management and digital preservation among the 56 state and territorial archives. In less than a decade, state government electronic records holdings have grown by 734%! With state archives and records programs at a pivotal time in saving digital records from the latter part of the 20th or first part of the 21st century, many institutions are working to ensure that these records are preserved and made accessible. CoSA and its collaborating organizations support state archives in increasing programmatic capabilities to meet the challenges of electronic records management and digital preservation, from the creation of the record forward. Effective management of electronic records requires involvement throughout the lifecycle of a record, to ensure proper creation, use, preservation, and access, marking a substantial difference from paper-based records.

SERI’s emphasis on education and training for state archives staff has resulted in significant gains in knowledge and skills. Going forward, CoSA will collaborate with a variety of allied stakeholders to develop and deliver quality training and information across a variety of platforms for a rapidly evolving digital environment.

Member Webinars

CoSA develops national training programs for state archives, which are delivered online and in-person. An ongoing program staple is the monthly member webinar, which combines topical content with organizational updates. The theme for the 2018 series is leadership and management.

Research Support

CoSA regularly engages its membership in information gathering that informs strategic planning, educational programming, and advocacy. Chief among these activities is the biennial Archives and Records Management Survey, which is a comprehensive examination of the state of state archives. CoSA’s new plan, Sustaining the Future, 2018-2022 places an additional emphasis on broadening CoSA’s research program.