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Inspire Grants for Small Museums (2027)

Institute of Museum and Library Services · Opportunity IGSM-FY27

Who can apply

• Others

See the Notice of Funding Opportunity for eligibility information.

About this opportunity

Inspire Grants for Small Museums (Inspire) is a special initiative of the Museums for America grant program designed to support small museums of all disciplines, including small rural or small remote institutions and small museums that have not previously received federal funding. The program funds project-based efforts to serve the public through educational programs and exhibits, community partnerships, and collections stewardship activities. The goal of the Inspire program is to build the capacity of small museums to provide museum services to their communities through supporting the development of experiential learning and discovery in small museums, and the management and care of collections in small museums.

Portfolio context — this listing covers more than this opportunity

This opportunity is funded under Assistance Listing 45.301 (“Museums for America”), a broad federal program that made about 185 new awards per year over the last five fiscal years (median award $153k). Those figures describe that whole portfolio — not this specific solicitation, so we don't show them as if they were this opportunity's track record.

Applicant counts per solicitation are not published by any federal agency — no one can honestly sell you that number.

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