Greetings colleagues, 

 

There are currently seven funding opportunities offered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. These projects entail a collaboration with a museum or library (or an informal science learning center).  

 

The following links of professional associations of museums and libraries are intended to assist you in finding potential partners or connections:  

• American Alliance of Museums http://ww2.aam-us.org/about-museums/find-a-museum?_ga=2.208281168.353358329.1629216355-1627386088.1629216355 
• American Library Association https://libguides.ala.org/mailing-lists 
• Smithsonian Affiliations https://affiliations.si.edu/about-us/affiliate-map/ 
• Association of Science and Technology Centers https://www.astc.org/find-a-science-center/?country=&state=TX&keywords= 

 

Important note: Only under the National Leadership Grants for Museums (2022) would UTSA be able to apply as a lead applicant.  

 

IMLS National Leadership Grants for Museums (2022) Due November 15, 2021 

https://www.imls.gov/grants/available/national-leadership-grants-museums 

https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/2021-08/fy22-oms-nlgm-nofo.pdf 

This program is designed to 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. Projects are expected to: 

• propose far-reaching impact to influence practice across one or more disciplines within the museum field; 

• reflect a thorough understanding of current practice and knowledge about the subject matter and an awareness of and support for current strategic priorities in the field; 

• employ novel approaches to the project area; 

• use collaboration to demonstrate broad need, field-wide buy-in and input, and access to appropriate expertise; and 

• generate results such as models, new tools, research findings, services, practices, and/or alliances that can be widely used, adapted, scaled, or replicated to extend the benefits of federal investment. 

As a result, National Leadership Grants for Museums have significant potential to generate positive societal impact through project activities undertaken as part of the grant-funded work, activities that may be complementary to the project, and through applied research designed specifically for this purpose. IMLS does not prescribe the type, focus, reach, or scale of societal impact required for each project, but the questions to be addressed in the application Narrative and the review criteria reflect the agency’s commitment to both advancing knowledge and understanding and to ensuring that the federal investment made through grants generates benefits to society. Applicants should keep these two aims in mind when they conceptualize their projects, identify the target group(s) they propose to reach, prepare their work plans, and formulate their intended results. 

 

IMLS National Leadership Grants for Libraries (2022) Preliminary proposals due September 24, 2021; Invited proposals due March 25, 2022  

***Eligible applicants must be a library or IHE on behalf of its library 

https://www.imls.gov/grants/available/national-leadership-grants-libraries 

https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/2021-07/fy22-ols-nlgl-nofo.pdf 

This program is designed to support projects that address critical needs of the library and archives fields and have the potential to advance practice in these professions to strengthen library and archival services for the American public. Projects are expected to generate results such as new models, new tools, research findings, services, practices, and/or alliances that can be widely used, adapted, scaled, or replicated to extend and leverage the benefits of federal investment. As a result, National Leadership Grants for Libraries have significant potential to generate positive societal impact through project activities undertaken as part of the grant-funded work, activities that may be complementary to the project, and through applied research designed specifically for this purpose. IMLS does not prescribe the type, focus, reach, or scale of societal impact required for each project, but the questions to be addressed in the application Narrative and the review criteria reflect the agency’s commitment to both advancing knowledge and understanding and to ensuring that the federal investment made through grants generates benefits to society. Applicants should keep these two aims in mind when they conceptualize their projects, identify the target group(s) they propose to reach, prepare their work plans, and formulate their intended results. 

 

IMLS Museums for America (2022) Due November 15, 2021 

***Eligible applicants must be a museum or IHE affiliated with a museum having the capacity to manage the project 

https://www.imls.gov/grants/available/museums-america 

https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/2021-08/fy22-oms-mfa-nofo.pdf 

This program supports museums of all sizes and disciplines in strategic, project-based efforts to serve the public through exhibitions, educational/interpretive programs, digital learning resources, professional development, community debate and dialogue, audience-focused studies, and/or collections management, curation, care, and conservation. Projects are expected to focus on a key goal identified in the institution’s strategic plan, reflect a thorough understanding of current practice and knowledge about the subject matter, and generate measurable results that tie directly to the need or challenge addressed. As a result, Museums for America has significant potential to generate positive societal impact through project activities undertaken as part of the grant-funded work and activities that may be complementary to the project. IMLS does not prescribe the type, focus, reach, or scale of societal impact required for each project, but the questions to be addressed in the application Narrative and the review criteria reflect the agency’s commitment to both advancing knowledge and understanding and to ensuring that the federal investment made through grants generates benefits to society. Applicants should keep these two aims in mind when they conceptualize their projects, identify the target group(s) they propose to reach, prepare their work plans, and formulate their intended results. 

 

IMLS Museum Grants for African American History and Culture (2022) Due November 15, 2021 

***Eligible applicants must be a museum or HBCU affiliated with a museum  

https://www.imls.gov/grants/available/museum-grants-african-american-history-and-culture 

https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/2021-08/fy22-oms-aahc-nofo.pdf 

This program is designed to build the capacity of African American museums and support the growth and development of museum professionals at African American museums. The program supports projects that nurture museum professionals, build institutional capacity, and increase access to museum and archival collections at African American museums and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). As a result, the Museum Grants for African American History and Culture Program has significant potential to generate positive societal impact through project activities undertaken as part of the grant-funded work and activities that may be complementary to the project. IMLS does not prescribe the type, focus, reach, or scale of societal impact required for each project, but the questions to be addressed in the application Narrative and the review criteria reflect the agency’s commitment to both advancing knowledge and understanding and to ensuring that the federal investment made through grants generates benefits to society. Applicants should keep these two aims in mind when they conceptualize their projects, identify the target group(s) they propose to reach, prepare their work plans, and formulate their intended results. 

Projects designed to build the capacity of African American museums may involve increasing the number of museum professionals working at African American museums to enable the museum to expand educational programs, engage with the community, enhance organizational operations and resiliency, or provide for enhanced care of collections. IMLS encourages museum professionals and institutions to share and adopt best practices and innovations by creating skill-building and capacity expanding programs that are applicable across all levels of museum staff. Projects to support the growth and development of museum professionals at African American museums may involve hosting paid internships at African American museums; creating mentorship opportunities for emerging and mid-career staff to connect with, learn from and engage with senior leaders and founders in the African American museum community; or creating learning and growth opportunities for museum staff to build skills, enhance knowledge and expertise in museum-related subjects and areas of need. 

 

IMLS Inspire! Grants for Small Museums (2022) Due November 15, 2021 

***Eligible applicants must be a museum or IHE affiliated with a museum having the capacity to manage the project 

https://www.imls.gov/grants/available/inspire-grants-small-museums 

https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/2021-08/fy22-oms-igsm-nofo.pdf 

Inspire! Grants for Small Museums is a special initiative of the Museums for America grant program. It is designed to support small museums of all disciplines in project-based efforts to serve the public through exhibitions, educational/interpretive programs, digital learning resources, professional development, community debate and dialogue, audience-focused studies, and/or collections management, curation, care, and conservation. Projects are expected to focus on a key goal identified in the institution’s strategic plan, reflect a thorough understanding of current practice and knowledge about the subject matter, and generate measurable results that tie directly to the need or challenge addressed. As a result, Inspire! Grants for Small Museums has significant potential to generate positive societal impact through project activities undertaken as part of the grant-funded work and activities that may be complementary to the project. IMLS does not prescribe the type, focus, reach, or scale of societal impact required for each project, but the questions to be addressed in the application Narrative and the review criteria reflect the agency’s commitment to both advancing knowledge and understanding and to ensuring that the federal investment made through grants generates benefits to society. Applicants should keep these two aims in mind when they conceptualize their projects, identify the target group(s) they propose to reach, prepare their work plans, and formulate their intended results. 

 

IMLS Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services (2022) Due November 15, 2021 

***Eligible applicants must be (1) a Federally Recognized Indian Tribe or (2) a Nonprofit Organization that Primarily Serves and Represents Native Hawaiians 

https://www.imls.gov/grants/available/native-americannative-hawaiian-museum-services-program 

https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/2021-08/fy22-oms-nanh-nofo.pdf 

This program is designed to support Indian tribes and organizations that primarily serve and represent Native Hawaiians in sustaining heritage, culture, and knowledge through exhibitions, educational services and programming, workforce professional development, organizational capacity building, and collections stewardship. As a result, the Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services grant program has significant potential to generate positive societal impact through project activities undertaken as part of the grant-funded work and activities that may be complementary to the project. IMLS does not prescribe the type, focus, reach, or scale of societal impact required for each project, but the questions to be addressed in the application Narrative and the review criteria reflect the agency’s commitment to both advancing knowledge and understanding and to ensuring that the federal investment made through grants generates benefits to society. Applicants should keep these two aims in mind when they conceptualize their projects, identify the target group(s) they propose to reach, prepare their work plans, and formulate their intended results. 

 

IMLS Museums Empowered (2022) Due November 15, 2021 

***Eligible applicants must be a museum  

https://www.imls.gov/grants/available/museums-empowered-professional-development-opportunities-museum-staff 

https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/2021-08/fy22-oms-me-nofo.pdf 

Museums Empowered is a special initiative of the Museums for America grant program. It is designed to support projects that use the transformative power of professional development and training to generate systemic change within museums of all types and sizes. Projects are expected to involve multiple levels of staff, leadership, and volunteers in a set of logical, interrelated activities tied directly to addressing a key need or challenge; reflect a thorough understanding of current practice and knowledge about professional development; and generate measurable results. As a result, Museums Empowered has significant potential to generate positive societal impact through project activities undertaken as part of the grant-funded work and activities that may be complementary to the project. IMLS does not prescribe the type, focus, reach, or scale of societal impact required for each project, but the questions to be addressed in the application Narrative and the review criteria reflect the agency’s commitment to both advancing knowledge and understanding and to ensuring that the federal investment made through grants generates benefits to society. Applicants should keep these two aims in mind when they conceptualize their projects, identify the target group(s) they propose to reach, prepare their work plans, and formulate their intended results. 

 

--Iwan