Office of Museum Services  

The Office of Museum Services (OMS) provides grant funding, and technical assistance and other resources to museums of all types throughout the nation.   

What types of grant funding is available for museums?  

The Office of Museum Services currently offers eight grant programs designed to meet the needs of museums and the communities they serve.    

• Museums for America  

• Inspire Grants for Small Museums  

• Museums Empowered: Professional Development Opportunities for Museum Staff  

• National Leadership Grants for Museums  

• 21st Century Museum Professionals Program  

• Museum Grants for African American History and Culture  

• Museum Grants for American Latino History and Culture  

• Native American / Native Hawaiian Museum Services   

How much grant funding is awarded to museums each year?  

In FY 2024, the Office of Museum Services awarded a total of $54.6 million through 293 awards to museums, institutions of higher education, and organizations serving the museum field.   

What types of museums are eligible for these programs?  

OMS programs are designed to support all types of museums, including anthropology museums, aquariums, arboretums, art museums, botanical gardens, children’s museums, general museums, historic houses/sites, history museums, natural history museums, nature centers, planetariums, science centers, specialized museums and zoological parks.

Eligibility criteria for museums are described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity for each grant program.   

What other kinds of resources are available for museums?  

Several technical assistance programs and resource opportunities for museums are supported by the Office of Museum Services through cooperative agreements with partner organizations.    

• Collections Assessment for Preservation (CAP) in partnership with the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation  

• Museum Assessment Program (MAP) in partnership with the American Alliance of Museums  

• Museums for Digital Learning (MDL) in partnership with History Colorado 

• Museums for All (M4A) in partnership with the Association of Children’s Museum  

How can I learn more about grant programs for museums?  

Watch this information video “Getting Started with IMLS Museum Grants” for an introduction to IMLS and a general overview of the programs offered by the Office of Museum Services.  

Where are the instructions for filling out a grant application?  

The complete set of instructions for how to prepare and submit a grant application are published in the Notice of Funding Opportunity for each program.   

Where can I find detailed information about creating a budget for a museum grant application?  

Watch this video “Preparing a Budget and Budget Justification” for information to help you prepare these two required parts of the grant application – the IMLS Budget Form and the Budget Justification.  The information in this video supports the instructions found in the Notice of Funding Opportunity for each grant program.   

How can I speak directly with someone and get answers to my questions?  

Schedule an appointment to speak directly with an OMS program staff person who can answer your general questions about the application process and help you make connections between the needs of your organization and the funding opportunities and technical assistance programs at IMLS.  

Email your general questions to: imls-museumgrants@imls.gov