National Leadership Grants for Museums (2025)

Background
The National Leadership Grants for Museums program (NLG-M) is administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). It aims to advance, support, and empower America’s museums through grantmaking, research, and policy development. The NLG-M program specifically supports projects that address critical needs within the museum field and have the potential to enhance practices that strengthen museum services for the American public.

Grant Details
The NLG-M program supports two types of projects: Non-research and Research. Non-research projects must address critical needs of the museum field, improve services for the public, and generate widely applicable results such as models or new tools. These projects can receive between $50,000 and $750,000 in funding with a required 1:1 cost share from non-federal sources. Research projects investigate key questions important to museum practice and also receive between $50,000 and $750,000 but do not require a cost share. Projects must begin on September 1, 2025, with a performance period of one to three years. The total funding available through this announcement is $5,800,000 with an anticipated number of awards being 15. The average funding per award in previous years has been approximately $453,106.

Eligibility Requirements
Eligible applicants include units of State, local or Tribal government; private nonprofit organizations with tax-exempt status; institutions of higher education; or public/private nonprofit agencies responsible for operating a museum. Organizations must be located in one of the 50 states or U.S. territories. Museums must employ professional staff and exhibit objects to the public regularly (at least 120 days a year). Native American Tribal organizations may also apply if they meet these criteria.

Period of Performance
The anticipated period of performance for funded projects is from September 1, 2025, to August 31, 2028.

Grant Value
The total value of the grant opportunity is $5,800,000 with individual awards ranging from $50,000 to $750,000.

Place of Performance
The grant activities can be performed in any of the 50 states of the United States of America as well as in U.S. territories including Puerto Rico and Guam.