NLG-M-FY25: National Leadership Grants for Museums (2025)
Closed
This grant is closed. A newer notice from the same program is open now: National Leadership Grants for Museums (2027) (NLG-M-FY27). Status: Closes November 13, 2026 (6 days left). It is in our archive of Institute of Museum and Library Services notices from 2024.
Institute of Museum and Library Services offered grants of up to $750,000 (at least $50,000) to the applicants described in the notice. It expected to make about 15 awards worth $5.8 million in total. Applications closed on November 15, 2024.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed November 9, 2024. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award ceiling$750,000
- Award floor$50,000
- Total funding$5.8 million
- Expected awards15
- Cost sharingRequired
- Funding typeGrant
Other notices with this title
| Notice | Posted | Deadline | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| NLG-M-FY27 | September 1, 2026 | Closes November 13, 2026 (6 days left) | Open |
| NLG-M-FY26 | January 13, 2026 | Closed March 13, 2026 | Closed |
| NLG-M-FY24 | August 15, 2023 | Closed November 15, 2023 | Closed |
| NLG-M-FY23 | August 15, 2022 | Closed November 15, 2022 | Closed |
| NLG-M-FY22 | August 16, 2021 | Closed November 15, 2021 | Closed |
Key dates
| Posted | August 15, 2024 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | November 15, 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)
See the Notice of Funding Opportunity for program eligibility criteria. IMLS is extending the deadline for National Leadership Grants for Museums from November 15, 2024, to December 13, 2024, for institutions located in Federally declared emergency and/or major disaster areas who have not been able to meet the current November 15, 2024, deadline because they have been adversely impacted by such emergencies and/or disasters. An affected organization must, by December 13 at 11:59pm EST, submit its completed application with a written statement from its Authorizing Official that: • Specifies the applicable Emergency Declaration and/or Major Disaster Declaration for the area in which the applicant organization is located (see FEMA’s listing of Declared Disasters https://www.fema.gov/disaster/declarations) and • Confirms that the applicant organization was unable to meet the original application deadline of November 15, 2024, due to the emergency or disaster. This statement should be prepared as a Supporting Document and uploaded as part of the application submitted through Grants.gov. For those applicants who have not been adversely affected by such emergencies and/or disasters, the deadline remains November 15, 2024, at 11:59pm EST.
Is this a realistic fit?
- Past National Leadership Grants awards averaged $196,184; this notice allows up to $750,000 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
National Leadership Grants for Museums support projects that address critical needs of the museum field and that have the potential to advance practice in the profession to strengthen museum services for the American public.
Who has won National Leadership Grants grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, National Leadership Grants (45.312) awarded $137 million across 698 grant awards, an average of $196,184 per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMERICA250.ORG, Inc. | District of Columbia | 1 | $14.0 million |
| Association of Tribal Archives Libraries & Museums | Oklahoma | 1 | $4.3 million |
| Foundation for Advancement in Conservation | District of Columbia | 4 | $3.6 million |
| Zoological Society of Cincinnati | Ohio | 5 | $3.3 million |
| The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | 2 | $3.2 million |
Applying now
This notice no longer takes applications. Apply under the newer notice, NLG-M-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 NLG-M-FY25 still open?
No. It closed on November 15, 2024. A newer notice is open: NLG-M-FY27, closes November 13, 2026 (6 days left).
Who can apply for National Leadership Grants for Museums (2025)?
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 National Leadership Grants for Museums (2025)?
Closed November 15, 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 $750,000 each. About $5.8 million in total across about 15 awards.
Who has won National Leadership Grants grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were AMERICA250.ORG, Inc., Association of Tribal Archives Libraries & Museums, Foundation for Advancement in Conservation. The program made 698 awards worth $137 million in that time.