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Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) · United States

Inspire Grants for Small Museums

Deadline listed; check intake

For small museums of every kind, including rural ones and those that have never had federal funding.

Matching is a starting point. The funder decides who is eligible.

Program at a glance

Application status
Deadline listed; check intake
Funding amount
US$5,000-75,000
Listed deadline
November 13, 2026 (tomorrow)
Who can apply
Nonprofits, Charities, Tribes and tribal organizations, Municipalities.
Where
Anywhere in United States
Good for
Heritage, history and archives, Arts and culture, Education and training, Community and social services
Pays for
A project, Recording, digitizing or archiving, Training or professional development, Equipment or supplies

Who it's intended for

Details
Small US museums; see IMLS's eligibility criteria page.
The catch
No match up to US$25,000; requests over that need matching non-federal money.

Source checked against the funder's website on October 24, 2026. Always confirm current details with the funder.

Still to confirm

A profile match does not check every requirement. Confirm these points on the funder's page before applying.

  • Whether the current intake is accepting applications, and its exact cutoff time and timezone.
  • Small US museums; see IMLS's eligibility criteria page.
  • Any registration, membership or previous-funding restrictions.
  • Which costs are covered and what supporting documents are needed.

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