The NFPF offers several types of grants to help public and nonprofit institutions preserve and provide public access to American orphan films. The grants are made possible through The National Film Preservation Foundation Act of 2005, the support of the Library of Congress, and the contributions of public spirited donors.

Basic Preservation Grants are federal grants that support the creation of preservation and access copies of American orphan films; applicants may request up to $18,000 for laboratory work. The grants are offered twice yearly.

The larger Matching Grants enable experienced institutions to undertake complex preservation, reconstruction, or restoration projects; through this federally supported program, applicants may request up to $50,000 in cash and must contribute one-fifth of the total laboratory costs from other sources.

Partnership Grants distribute preservation services donated by laboratories and post-production houses. Like the basic preservation grants, partnership grants support the creation of preservation masters and public service copies of American orphan films.

Avant-Garde Masters Grants, funded through the generous support of The Film Foundation, are designed to preserve motion pictures significant to the development of the avant-garde in America.