Museum Grants for African American History and Culture (2027)

Museum Grants for African American History and Culture is a federal grant program administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The program builds the capacity of African American museums and supports the growth and development of museum professionals at African American museums and Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The program supports projects that nurture museum professionals, strengthen institutional capacity, and increase access to museum and archival collections. Its two program goals are to build the capacity of African American museums and HBCUs to serve their communities and to support the growth and development of a professional workforce at African American museums and HBCUs. Applicants must align a proposed project with one program goal and one associated objective. Objectives address public programs, exhibitions and school programs; strategic planning and institutional practices; collections care, conservation and access; internships, fellowships and mentoring; and learning and professional growth for museum staff and volunteers. IMLS expects to award approximately 6000000 through this funding opportunity and anticipates making 32 awards. Small Projects may request from 5000 through 100000. Large Projects may request from 100001 through 500000. Projects may operate for one to three years, with an anticipated period of performance from August 1, 2027 through July 31, 2030, and all projects must begin August 1, 2027. Small Projects have no cost share requirement. Large Projects require at least a 1 to 1 cost share from non-federal sources. Allowable expenses may include salaries, wages, fringe benefits, project travel, materials, supplies, software, equipment directly related to project activities, accessibility technologies and services, third-party costs, design and publication costs, evaluation, staff and volunteer training, paid internships and fellowships, stipends and honoraria, and allowable indirect costs. Applicants must include 3000 per project year in federal funds for travel to IMLS-designated meetings. Unallowable expenses include general fundraising, endowment contributions, general operating support, acquisition of collections, general promotional advertising, construction or renovation, social activities and entertainment, and research projects. Eligible applicants must be located in one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau. An applicant must be a unit of a State, local, or Tribal government or a private nonprofit organization with applicable federal tax-exempt status. It must also qualify as an eligible African American museum, an agency responsible for operating an eligible museum and applying on its behalf, a museum service organization or association whose primary purpose is directly supporting qualifying African American museums, or an eligible Historically Black College or University. A qualifying museum must have a primary focus on African American life, art, history, and/or culture and satisfy the program's museum requirements concerning professional staff, permanent organization, collections care, and exhibition to the public. Partnerships and collaborations are permitted, but one organization must meet all eligibility requirements and serve as the lead applicant. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov Workspace or a Grants.gov system-to-system solution. 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 components are the SF-424S, IMLS Museum Program Information Form, Organizational Profile, Narrative, Schedule of Completion, IMLS Budget Form, Budget Justification, List of Key Project Staff and Consultants, resumes of key project staff and consultants, and Performance Measurement Plan. Depending on the applicant and project, additional required documents may include proof of private nonprofit status, a Final Federally Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement, a Digital Products Plan, and conservation documentation. Optional Supporting Documents may supplement, but not replace or extend, responses in the Narrative. The Narrative is limited to seven numbered pages and must address Project Justification, Project Work Plan, and Project Results. IMLS first assesses applications for eligibility and completeness. Applications may be rejected when the applicant is ineligible, required or conditionally required components are missing, the application is late, the requested amount falls outside the applicable funding range, or the proposal does not comply with funding restrictions and program guidance. Eligible and complete applications undergo peer review by professionals with relevant expertise. Reviewers assess alignment with the selected program goal and objective, evidence supporting the identified need, definition and involvement of audiences and stakeholders, soundness of activities and project design, risks, staff and partner qualifications, appropriateness of resources, progress tracking, intended results, accessibility of products, collections improvements when applicable, and sustainability. The Performance Measurement Plan must address effectiveness, efficiency, quality, and timeliness. The IMLS Director makes final funding decisions after considering the review process. Applications are due through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on November 13, 2026. The NOFO does not identify a separate letter of intent, concept paper, pre-proposal, or other pre-application gating deadline. Successful and unsuccessful applicants are expected to receive final funding decisions by email in July 2027, subject to the availability of funds and IMLS discretion. Successful applicants receive access to their Official Award Notification and related materials through eGMS Reach. The signed Official Award Notification is the document that obligates funds and authorizes performance. Programmatic and administrative questions may be directed to IMLS; the source provides imls-museumgrants@imls.gov and 202-653-4744 for museum grant information and document requests. Grants.gov technical support is available at support@grants.gov or 1-800-518-4726. The NOFO does not explicitly state that this opportunity recurs annually or provide a future application cycle.

Align the proposal clearly with one AAHC program goal and one associated objective. Use relevant data and evidence to establish the need, problem, or challenge. Define the primary audience and beneficiaries and demonstrate appropriate stakeholder involvement in planning. Present activities, assumptions, risks, staffing, resources, and progress tracking clearly. Ensure intended results are realistic, measurable, meaningful, and linked to the identified need. Explain how products will be accessible and how project benefits will be sustained after the award. Keep the federal request within the selected project funding range, satisfy the Large Project cost share when applicable, follow all funding restrictions, include required travel costs, and submit every required or conditionally required component.