Museums for America (2027)
Open Posted
- Opportunity number
- MFA-FY27
- Applications due
- Award size
- $5,000 to $350,000
Opportunity facts
- Assistance listings
-
- 45.301 Museums for America
- Funding instrument
- Grant
- Categories
-
- Arts
- Humanities
- Eligible applicants
-
- Other
- Points of contact
- Full announcement
Opportunity details come from Grants.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is soliciting applications for Museums for America (CFDA 45.301), a project-based grants program supporting museums of all sizes and disciplines through exhibitions, educational programs, digital learning resources, professional development, community partnerships, and collections stewardship, with applications due November 13, 2026.
Eligible applicants are museums (including aquariums, botanical gardens, art museums, children's museums, science centers, zoos, and historical sites) organized on a permanent basis for educational, cultural heritage, or aesthetic purposes and employing a professional staff, or public and private nonprofit agencies operating qualifying museums. Applicants must be located in the fifty states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, or freely associated Pacific territories.
The program operates three tracks: the primary Museums for America program, Museums Empowered (supporting professional development and systemic institutional change), and Inspire Grants for Small Museums (for institutions meeting IMLS size criteria). Project activities must begin on or after September 1, 2025, and extend one to three years.
Recent award amounts have ranged from approximately $211,000 to $1.51 million. IMLS distributes roughly 200 grants annually. No formal cost-share requirement is stated; historically, recipients have contributed non-federal cost-share averaging equivalent to awarded amounts.
Successful applications must address a key goal in the institution's strategic plan, demonstrate understanding of current practice, present interrelated activities tied directly to identified needs, and generate measurable results. IMLS staff conduct eligibility and completeness review, followed by peer review using subject matter experts. Final decisions will be communicated by email by August 2026, with unsuccessful applicants receiving reviewer comments and scores upon request. Recipients may request no-cost extensions of up to one year.
Synopsis
he Museums for America (MFA) program invests in museums of all sizes - from small to large - and disciplines in project-based efforts to serve the public through educational programs and exhibits, community partnerships, and collections stewardship activities.
Eligibility
See the Notice of Funding Opportunity for eligibility requirements.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| fy27-oms-mfa-NOFO.pdf |
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