Museums for America Program

Museums for America is a federal grant program administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, or IMLS, under Assistance Listing Number 45.301 and Funding Opportunity Number MFA-FY26. IMLS advances, supports, and empowers America's museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. The Museums for America program invests in museums of all sizes and disciplines in project-based efforts that serve the public through educational programs and exhibitions, community partnerships, and collections stewardship. Its three program goals are Lifelong Learning, Community Engagement, and Collections Stewardship and Access. Applicants must align a proposed project with one program goal and one associated objective. Eligible projects may support public programs, exhibitions and interpretation, collaborative planning and outreach, evaluation activities intended to improve access and engagement, community-centered partnerships and programs, cataloging and inventory work, collections information management, conservation and environmental improvements, rehousing and conservation treatment, database and digital asset management, and digitization. Generally allowable costs include project personnel and fringe benefits, travel, project-related materials, supplies, software and equipment, accessibility technologies and services, participant support, collections storage and exhibit-environment equipment, third-party costs, design and publication, program evaluation, training, paid internships and fellowships, stipends or honoraria, and allowable indirect costs. General fundraising, endowment contributions, general operating support, acquisition of collections, unrelated promotional advertising, construction or facility renovation, entertainment, and research projects are unallowable. Federal funds may not be provided to a federal agency serving as a third party. IMLS expects to make approximately 122 awards totaling $21,699,000. Individual awards are expected to range from $5,000 to $300,000. Projects may operate for one to three years during the anticipated September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2029 period of performance, and projects must begin September 1, 2026. Awardees must provide non-federal cost share equal to or greater than the federal award, establishing a minimum 1:1 cost-share requirement. Federal funds from other federal awards may not be used as cost share. Applicants may use an applicable federally negotiated indirect cost rate, an eligible proposed rate that is finalized by award, a rate of up to 15 percent of Modified Total Direct Costs when permitted, or elect not to charge indirect costs. Applicants must be units of state, local, or Tribal government or private nonprofit organizations with qualifying tax-exempt status, must be located in an eligible U.S. state, the District of Columbia, specified U.S. territories, or specified freely associated states, and must be a qualifying museum or an eligible parent entity responsible for operating one. A qualifying museum must use professional staff, operate on a permanent basis for essentially educational, cultural heritage, or aesthetic purposes, own or use and care for tangible objects including living collections, and regularly exhibit those objects to the general public through facilities it owns or operates. Museums within parent organizations may apply independently only when they satisfy the stated requirements concerning independent eligibility, discrete-unit status, a segregated and itemized operating budget, and authority to apply. Otherwise, the parent organization must apply. Partnerships are welcome, but one organization must qualify as the lead applicant and assume programmatic, fiscal, and legal responsibility. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov Workspace by 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on March 13, 2026. Applicants must have a Unique Entity Identifier, an active SAM.gov registration, and an active Grants.gov registration with an approved Authorized Organization Representative. Required application materials include the SF-424S, IMLS Museum Program Information Form, Organizational Profile, Strategic Plan Summary, a Narrative of no more than seven pages, Schedule of Completion, IMLS Budget Form, Budget Justification, List of Key Project Staff and Consultants, resumes for key staff and consultants, and a Performance Measurement Plan. Depending on the applicant or project, proof of nonprofit status, a final federally negotiated indirect cost rate agreement, a Digital Products Plan, and conservation documentation may also be required. Optional supporting documents may supplement, but not extend, the Narrative. The Narrative must address Project Justification, Project Work Plan, and Project Results. Reviewers consider alignment with the selected MFA goal and objective, advancement of the museum's strategic plan, evidence supporting the identified need or challenge, definition and involvement of primary audiences and beneficiaries, and, when applicable, adequate description of collections. They also assess the soundness of project activities, assumptions and risks, qualifications of staff and partners, appropriateness of resources, digital-product practices when relevant, methods for tracking progress, intended results, meaningful audience change, accessibility of products, sustainability of project benefits, and improvements to collections stewardship or access. Awardees must also establish a Performance Measurement Plan addressing effectiveness, efficiency, quality, and timeliness. Cost share is an eligibility requirement but is not scored in peer review. IMLS expects to notify successful and unsuccessful applicants by email in August 2026, subject to availability of funds and agency discretion. Successful applicants receive access to their Official Award Notification and related materials through eGMS Reach; only the signed Official Award Notification obligates federal funds and authorizes performance. Programmatic and administrative questions may be directed to IMLS staff; the NOFO provides imls-museumgrants@imls.gov for requests concerning the announcement and 202-653-4744 for audio or paper copies. Grants.gov technical support is available at support@grants.gov or 1-800-518-4726. The NOFO does not state that the March 13 deadline recurs annually or otherwise establishes a future application cycle, so no recurrence is assumed.

Select one MFA program goal and associated objective and demonstrate clear alignment; show specific and measurable advancement of the museum's strategic plan; use relevant data and evidence to establish the need or challenge; clearly define primary audiences and beneficiaries and demonstrate stakeholder involvement; present realistic activities, risks, staffing, resources, intended results, measurable progress tracking, accessible products, and a practical sustainability plan; keep the federal request within $5,000-$300,000 and provide at least 1:1 non-federal cost share