Institute of Museum and Library Services

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is an independent civilian agency that administers federal grants to support museums, libraries, and related cultural and educational institutions across the United States. IMLS does not procure contracts; it distributes federal funding to support public access, digital infrastructure, workforce development, and preservation initiatives in the museum and library sectors.

IMLS has obligated $2.54 billion in federal grant funding across 6,066 awards since 2014, supporting a highly fragmented recipient base of 2,214 distinct institutions. Grant activity has remained relatively steady, with 615 awards in 2022, 660 in 2023, 661 in 2024, 453 in 2025, and 575 year-to-date in 2026. The most recent grant award closed on October 1, 2026. Grant funding combines federal and non-federal resources; the combined total obligated across all awards is $3.76 billion.

The grant portfolio is dominated by Project Grants, which account for 5,399 awards (89 percent of the mix), while Formula Grants comprise 667 awards (11 percent). Recipient concentration is highly fragmented, with the top five recipients by both award count and federal dollars capturing only 2 percent of recent awards and 1 percent of recent federal dollars. University of North Texas leads by award count with 19 grants ($7 million federal share), followed by Trustees of Indiana University and University of Illinois each with 14 awards ($7.1 million and $5.4 million federal share, respectively). The long tail of 2,200-plus recipients reflects IMLS's mission to distribute funding broadly across the museum and library community rather than concentrate resources among a handful of major institutions.

No recent federal contract opportunities or grant opportunities are recorded in the source data. Prospective applicants should monitor IMLS's website and Grants.gov directly for notices of funding availability, which typically appear on a programmatic basis throughout the year.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is a grant making organization that also conducts research and develops policy. The aim of the Institute is to help libraries and museums advance innovation, foster lifelong learning and cultural and civic engagement.