21MP-FY24: 21st Century Museum Professionals Program (2024)
Closed
This grant is closed. A newer notice from the same program is open now: 21st Century Museum Professionals Program (2027) (21MP-FY27). Status: Closes November 13, 2026 (6 days left). It is in our archive of Institute of Museum and Library Services notices from 2023.
Institute of Museum and Library Services offered grants of up to $500,000 (at least $100,000) to the applicants described in the notice. It expected to make about 7 awards worth $2.0 million in total. Applications closed on March 1, 2024.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed December 19, 2023. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award ceiling$500,000
- Award floor$100,000
- Total funding$2.0 million
- Expected awards7
- Cost sharingRequired
- Funding typeGrant
Other notices with this title
Key dates
| Posted | December 19, 2023 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | March 1, 2024 |
Who can apply
This opportunity was open to the applicants described in the notice.
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
Refer to the Notice of Funding Opportunity for eligibility requirements.
Is this a realistic fit?
- Past 21st Century Museum Professional Program awards averaged $281,228; this notice allows up to $500,000 per award.
- Most of the program's money (100% over five years) went to state and local governments.
- The notice requires cost sharing or matching funds, so you must contribute part of the project cost.
What the grant funds
The 21st Century Museum Professional (21MP) grant program advances the growth and development of a diverse workforce of museum professionals. The 21MP program supports projects that offer professional development to the current museum workforce; employ strategies to train and recruit future museum professionals; and support evaluation efforts to identify and share effective practices. IMLS recognizes the important role of strong local and regional networks as an essential tool for providing peer to peer learning, training and mentoring opportunities. The 21MP program encourages applications from museum associations, museum studies programs at institutions of higher education, and museums that serve as key parts of the professional learning and training environment.
Who has won 21st Century Museum Professional Program grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, 21st Century Museum Professional Program (45.032) awarded $4.5 million across 16 grant awards, an average of $281,228 per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sciencenter Discovery Museum | New York | 1 | $499,655 |
| The High Desert Museum | Oregon | 1 | $482,943 |
| Children's Museum of Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | 1 | $369,159 |
| Coalition of State Museum Associations | Florida | 1 | $347,662 |
| The Science Museum of Minnesota | Minnesota | 1 | $344,157 |
Applying now
This notice no longer takes applications. Apply under the newer notice, 21MP-FY27, which is open now.
The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.
Questions people ask
Is 21MP-FY24 still open?
No. It closed on March 1, 2024. A newer notice is open: 21MP-FY27, closes November 13, 2026 (6 days left).
Who can apply for 21st Century Museum Professionals Program (2024)?
Institute of Museum and Library Services accepted applications from the applicants described in the notice. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.
What is the deadline for 21st Century Museum Professionals Program (2024)?
Closed March 1, 2024. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
How much funding is available?
Awards of up to $500,000 each. About $2.0 million in total across about 7 awards.
Who has won 21st Century Museum Professional Program grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were Sciencenter Discovery Museum, The High Desert Museum, Children's Museum of Pittsburgh. The program made 16 awards worth $4.5 million in that time.