Federal grant programs / Institute of Museum and Library Services

Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services Program (45.308)

Also known as Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services Program

• Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$16.3 million
• Grant awards148
• Typical award$98,799
• Awarded in FY 2025$3.5 million
• Size rank1,375 of 1,823
• Type of assistanceProject grants, direct payments for specified use

Key findings

• Annual funding rose from $2.2 million in fiscal 2021 to $3.5 million in fiscal 2025.
• It is the 1375th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
• The 20 largest recipients received 41% of the money.
• Awards went to recipients in 22 states and territories.

What the program funds

The Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services program (NANH) supports Indian Tribes and organizations that primarily serve and represent Native Hawaiians in sustaining heritage, culture, and knowledge. The program supports projects such as educational services and programs, workforce professional development, organizational capacity building, community engagement, and collections stewardship. GOAL: Build the capacity of Native American Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations to provide museum services to their communities. Obj. 1: Support the preservation and perpetuation of languages and cultural practices. Obj. 2: Support the professional development of the museum workforce. Obj. 3: Support the management and care of museum collections and their associated documentation.

From the federal Assistance Listing. Read the full listing on SAM.gov.

Open opportunities

• Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services (2027)
  Open · Closes November 13, 2026 (6 days left) · up to $250,000

Rules from the program listing

Who can apply

Federally Recognized Indian Tribe: To be eligible for funding as this type of entity, an organization must be an “Indian tribe,” which means any Tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, including any Alaska native village, regional corporation, or village corporation (as defined in, or established pursuant to, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.)), which is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians. A list of eligible entities is available from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Nonprofit Organization that Primarily Serves and Represents Native Hawaiians: To be eligible for funding as this type of entity, an organization must be a nonprofit that primarily serves and represents Native Hawaiians, as that term is defined in 20 U.S.C. § 7517. In order for a museum to be eligible, it must demonstrate that it is established as an organization that meets this statutory eligibility criteria.

What the money can and cannot pay for

Grant funds must be used for the purposes outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity, and in accordance with the Institute of Museum and Library Services General Terms and Conditions. Examples of allowable costs include personnel salaries, wages, and fringe benefits for project staff; travel expenses for key project staff and consultants; materials, supplies, software, and equipment related directly to project activities; adaptive and/or assistive technologies and other resources and services to improve accessibility for persons with disabilities; equipment to improve collections storage and exhibit environments; third-party costs; publication design and printing; program evaluation; staff and volunteer training; paid internships/fellowships; and indirect or overhead costs. Examples of unallowable costs include general fundraising costs; contributions to endowments; general operating support; acquisition of collections; general advertising or public relations costs designed solely for promotional activities other than those related to the specific project; construction or renovation of facilities; social activities, receptions or entertainment; and research projects.;

Matching requirements

This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Deadlines

Jan 13, 2026 to Mar 13, 2026

Award range and average, in the agency's words

FY2023 awards ranged from $35,383 to $216,982. Average = $110,944. FY2024 awards ranged from $102,850 to $250,000. Average = $209,556. In FY2025, requests may range from $5,000 to $250,000.

Quoted from the program's federal Assistance Listing. The notice of funding opportunity is the official source for each competition's rules.

Who usually wins

Almost all of the money went to state and local governments.

By state

5 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards. They are Hawaii, Alaska, Oklahoma, California and Wisconsin.

Award amounts are federal obligations reported to USAspending.gov for fiscal 2021 to 2025; see how our data works.