Opportunity Information: Apply for NLG M FY25

The National Leadership Grants for Museums (2025) is a discretionary federal grant program offered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to fund museum projects that tackle urgent, field-wide challenges and produce benefits that extend beyond a single institution. The core goal is to support work that can meaningfully advance professional practice across the museum sector, strengthening museum services and outcomes for the American public. In practice, this means IMLS is looking for projects with broad relevance, clear potential to influence how museums operate or serve communities, and results that other museums can adopt, adapt, or learn from.

This opportunity is listed under the Arts and Humanities funding activity category and is associated with CFDA number 45.312. Awards are made as grants, and the program anticipates making about 15 awards in this cycle. The maximum award amount (award ceiling) is $750,000, signaling that IMLS expects proposals to be substantial in scope, planning, and impact. While the summary description does not spell out required cost share, project periods, or specific project categories, applicants are directed to the official Notice of Funding Opportunity for detailed program eligibility requirements, allowable costs, required components, and evaluation criteria.

Eligibility is indicated as "Others," which typically means the applicant pool may extend beyond a narrow set of entities, but the exact list of eligible organizations and any restrictions (such as museum type, governance, or partnership requirements) must be verified in the Notice of Funding Opportunity. Because this is a leadership-focused program, proposals often need to demonstrate why the project addresses a pressing need for the broader museum field, how it will contribute knowledge, tools, models, or evidence that can be shared, and how the work will be sustained or disseminated so it has influence beyond the grant period.

Key dates show the funding opportunity was created on August 15, 2024, with an original application closing date of November 15, 2024. Applicants should treat the closing date as firm unless IMLS issues an official amendment. The funding opportunity number is NLG M FY25, which can be used to locate the full announcement and application instructions in the relevant grants portal and IMLS materials.

  • The Institute of Museum and Library Services in the arts, humanities sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "National Leadership Grants for Museums (2025)" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 45.312.
  • This funding opportunity was created on 2024-08-15.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-11-15. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
  • Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $750,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: Others.
Apply for NLG M FY25

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Applicants also applied for:

Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (NLG M FY25) also looked into and applied for these:

Funding Opportunity
Inspire! Grants for Small Museums (2025) Apply for IGSM FY25

Funding Number: IGSM FY25
Agency: Institute of Museum and Library Services
Category: Arts, Humanities
Funding Amount: $75,000
Museum Grants for African American History and Culture (2025) Apply for AAHC FY25

Funding Number: AAHC FY25
Agency: Institute of Museum and Library Services
Category: Arts, Humanities
Funding Amount: $500,000
Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services (2025) Apply for NANH FY25

Funding Number: NANH FY25
Agency: Institute of Museum and Library Services
Category: Arts, Humanities
Funding Amount: $250,000
Museums Empowered (2025) Apply for ME FY25

Funding Number: ME FY25
Agency: Institute of Museum and Library Services
Category: Arts, Humanities
Funding Amount: $250,000
Museum Grants for American Latino History and Culture (2025) Apply for ALHC FY25

Funding Number: ALHC FY25
Agency: Institute of Museum and Library Services
Category: Arts, Humanities
Funding Amount: $500,000
Native American Library Services Basic Grant (2025) Apply for NAG BASIC FY25

Funding Number: NAG BASIC FY25
Agency: Institute of Museum and Library Services
Category: Arts, Humanities
Funding Amount: $10,000
Native American Library Services Enhancement Grants (2025) Apply for NAG ENHANCEMENT FY25

Funding Number: NAG ENHANCEMENT FY25
Agency: Institute of Museum and Library Services
Category: Arts, Humanities
Funding Amount: $150,000
Native Hawaiian Library Services Grants (2025) Apply for NAG HAWAIIAN FY25

Funding Number: NAG HAWAIIAN FY25
Agency: Institute of Museum and Library Services
Category: Arts, Humanities
Funding Amount: $150,000
Native American Library Services Basic Grant (2026) Apply for NAG BASIC FY26

Funding Number: NAG BASIC FY26
Agency: Institute of Museum and Library Services
Category: Arts, Humanities
Funding Amount: $10,000
National Leadership Grants for Libraries (2026) Apply for NLG LIBRARIES FY26

Funding Number: NLG LIBRARIES FY26
Agency: Institute of Museum and Library Services
Category: Arts, Humanities
Funding Amount: $1,000,000
21st Century Museum Professionals Program (2026) Apply for 21MP FY26

Funding Number: 21MP FY26
Agency: Institute of Museum and Library Services
Category: Arts, Humanities
Funding Amount: $500,000
Museums for America (2026) Apply for MFA FY26

Funding Number: MFA FY26
Agency: Institute of Museum and Library Services
Category: Arts, Humanities
Funding Amount: $300,000
Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program (2026) Apply for LB21 FY26

Funding Number: LB21 FY26
Agency: Institute of Museum and Library Services
Category: Arts, Humanities
Funding Amount: $1,000,000
Museums Empowered (2026) Apply for ME FY26

Funding Number: ME FY26
Agency: Institute of Museum and Library Services
Category: Arts, Humanities
Funding Amount: $300,000
Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services (2026) Apply for NANH FY26

Funding Number: NANH FY26
Agency: Institute of Museum and Library Services
Category: Arts, Humanities
Funding Amount: $250,000
Inspire Grants for Small Museums (2026) Apply for IGSM FY26

Funding Number: IGSM FY26
Agency: Institute of Museum and Library Services
Category: Arts, Humanities
Funding Amount: $75,000
Museum Grants for African American History and Culture (2026) Apply for AAHC FY26

Funding Number: AAHC FY26
Agency: Institute of Museum and Library Services
Category: Arts, Humanities
Funding Amount: $500,000
National Leadership Grants for Museums (2026) Apply for NLG M FY26

Funding Number: NLG M FY26
Agency: Institute of Museum and Library Services
Category: Arts, Humanities
Funding Amount: $750,000
Museum Grants for American Latino History and Culture (2026) Apply for ALHC FY26

Funding Number: ALHC FY26
Agency: Institute of Museum and Library Services
Category: Arts, Humanities
Funding Amount: $500,000
Native American Library Services Enhancement Grants (2026) Apply for NAG ENHANCEMENT FY26

Funding Number: NAG ENHANCEMENT FY26
Agency: Institute of Museum and Library Services
Category: Arts, Humanities
Funding Amount: $150,000

 

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