IMLS Opens Six Museum Grant Competitions

from Grants Resource Center, by Wellons, Richard

Many colleges and universities have museums in some form on their campuses – museums which often play a unique role in engaging the public as well as researchers. The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has opened competition for six programs that provide support for museums and their collections, museum professionals, and community engagement through museum resources. Below is a list of the current IMLS museum competitions with their deadlines:

One of the programs, Inspire! Grants for Small Museum, is having its inaugural competition. This program is a special initiative of the Museums for America Program designed to reduce the burden on small museums and help them address priorities identified in their strategic plans. It provides grants ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 for projects that focus on learning experiences, community partnerships, collections stewardship, or expanding access to collections and resources.

More information can be found in the IMLS announcement, and in the program guidelines, linked above. IMLS sample applications can be found here. A wide range of upcoming and archived informational webinars on IMLS grants programs are linked here. Potential applicants looking for insights into current IMLS grantmaking efforts may also benefit from reading the IMLS 2018-2022 Strategic Plan, Transforming Communities, available here.

IMLS considers a broad range of institutions eligible for its museum funding including aquariums, arboretums, art museums, botanical gardens, children’s/youth museums, general museums (those having two or more significant disciplines), historic houses/sites, history museums, natural history/anthropology museums, nature centers, planetariums, science/technology centers, specialized museums (limited to a single distinct subject), and zoological parks. Read more about museum eligibility here.