Museums Empowered (2027)
At a glance
Museums Empowered (2027) is an open federal grant opportunity from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Applications are due November 13, 2026. Individual awards are listed as $5K – $350K, with about 20 awards expected and $4.3M in total estimated funding. Applicant types listed as eligible include others (see notice). Cost sharing or matching is required. It is funded under Assistance Listing 45.301 (Museums for America).
Summary assembled from the official notice's fields. The official notice governs.
Key facts
- Posted
- Sep 1, 2026
- Close date
- Nov 13, 2026
- Award floor
- $5,000
- Award ceiling
- $350,000
- Est. total funding
- $4,299,000
- Expected awards
- 20
- Cost sharing
- Required
- Funding instrument
- Grant
- Opportunity category
- Discretionary
Who can apply
- Others (see notice)
Additional information on eligibility (from the notice)
See the Notice of Funding Opportunity for program eligibility criteria.
Based on the published notice. Review the official notice for complete eligibility requirements.
What it funds
Official synopsis as published by the agency, formatted for readability.
Museums Empowered: Professional Development Opportunities for Museum Staff is a special initiative of the Museums for America grant program, designed to support projects that use learning and training to generate change and growth within museums of all types and sizes.
Assistance Listing
What is an ALN?Reported obligations under ALN 45.301
Historical data · not a predictionAgency contact (as published)
Institute of Museum and Library Services
imls-museumgrants@imls.gov
202-653-4634
Quick answers
When is the deadline for “Museums Empowered (2027)”?
According to the official notice, applications are due November 13, 2026. Confirm the deadline and submission time on Grants.gov before applying.
Who is eligible to apply for “Museums Empowered (2027)”?
The official notice lists these applicant types as eligible: Others (see notice). Additional restrictions may apply; review the full notice.
How much funding is available through “Museums Empowered (2027)”?
Per the notice, individual awards are listed as $5k – $350k, total estimated program funding is $4,299,000 and the agency expects to make about 20 awards.
How do I apply for “Museums Empowered (2027)”?
Applications are submitted through the official source, not through GrantsJunction. Open the official notice on Grants.gov (opportunity ME-FY27), and review the full announcement and application package. Organizations applying through Grants.gov generally need an active SAM.gov registration and a Grants.gov account, which can take several weeks to set up.
Related open opportunities
Matched on shared Assistance Listings, agency, categories and eligible applicant types.
Inspire Grants for Small Museums (2027)
Institute of Museum and Library Services- Award range
- $5K – $75K
- Closes
- Nov 13, 2026
- Who can apply
- Others (see notice)
Museums for America (2027)
Institute of Museum and Library Services- Award range
- $5K – $350K
- Closes
- Nov 13, 2026
- Who can apply
- Others (see notice)
Museum Grants for African American History and Culture (2027)
Institute of Museum and Library Services- Award range
- $5K – $500K
- Closes
- Nov 13, 2026
- Who can apply
- Others (see notice)
21st Century Museum Professionals Program (2027)
Institute of Museum and Library Services- Award range
- $100K – $500K
- Closes
- Nov 13, 2026
- Who can apply
- Others (see notice)
Museum Grants for American Latino History and Culture (2027)
Institute of Museum and Library Services- Award range
- $5K – $500K
- Closes
- Nov 13, 2026
- Who can apply
- Others (see notice)
Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services (2027)
Institute of Museum and Library Services- Award range
- $5K – $250K
- Closes
- Nov 13, 2026
- Who can apply
- Others (see notice)